Link to July 2023 - here
RECAP
FLORA HK0 arrived 30 March 2023
HARRY (unringed) arrived 4 April 2023
EGG No.1 laid 15 April - Hatched 21 May (37 days) Fledged 9 July aged 49 days
EGG No. 2 laid 18 April - Hatched 23 May (36 days) Fledged 14 July aged 52 days
EGG No. 3 laid 21 April - Hatched 25 May (35 days) Fledged 20 July aged 56 days
Due to the height of this nest, no ringing of the chicks takes place.
This has been a dramatic month with chick #1 getting a thin piece of plastic wrapped around its ankle for a few days, (Flora has a love of bringing plastic to the nest) chick #2 turning out to be quite aggressive, especially to chick #3 and chick #3 not getting much to eat on a lot of days. However, the three chicks are still here and seem to be doing okay. The fish brought to the nest can be sporadic and mostly small but each juvenile usually manages to get something to eat. #3 is getting more confident in snatching the fish as they arrive. We’ve had a couple of scares with Flora twice tumbling off the side of the nest with a juvenile but luckily no harm done. Flora wasn’t seen for 3 days (24-26 July) but is thankfully back and providing for the nest.
#1 has been taking fish off the nest to eat since 17 July (58 days old) so I am expecting this juvenile to be the first to begin migration but who knows! It’s still a few weeks away so hopefully the fish supply will include a few big ones to fatten these young ospreys up for their long journeys ahead.
Today, 1 August, the juveniles are 72, 70 and 68 days old.
The family at the beginning of the month
and now the three juveniles
Flora and Harry delivering fish
All captures and videos ©️ SSEN Transmission
What a good day for #3. He is heard calling in the distance, getting louder and closer as Harry appears with fish #3.
19.00
Here he comes, his calls get shorter and louder as he arrives.
They have a wee routine now, Harry lets go of the fish and then #3 quickly takes it!
#3 does his customary mantling and calling that he has a fish.
19.05 He takes a wee while before he starts his fish.19.07
19.17
19.42
20.32 It was getting dark as #3 was finishing off his fish.
20.50 he swallowed the tail skin
It just didn’t sit right in his throat. He looked uncomfortable trying to keep swallowing it further down, trying for a minute or two.
In the end, he had to bring it back up to try again.
20.53
20.56 Once he’d got the tail skin down the for second time, more comfortably this time, he flew to the perch.
20.56 He feaked his beak Then flew off and down to the left of the nest.
Goodnight #3. Hope to see you tomorrow.
Wednesday 30 August
#3 arrived this morning at 06.32. There was leftover fish skin lying.
06.33 he tackled it straight away
06.38 he tried to swallow it
06.40 it needed a bit more stretching
he started swallowing again
and was successful this time
With careful jigging and manoeuvring within his mouth, he managed to get it down. Well done #3, you handled that like an adult.
06.41 cleaning his beak
06.42
06.43 up to the perch
06.44 and off
A 4 or 5 minute visit mid morning
11.09
Later, #3 could be heard calling loudly as he flew in towards the nest
13.45
He arrived just in front of Harry with a headless flatfish
Fish taken, #3 mantled
and called out that he had a fish
13.47
He continued for a wee while
13.52
13.55 he started eating
14.01
14.21
14.22 He stopped and looked upwards
14.23 several times
14.24. He started eating again
14.28 He stopped. A faint calling of a buzzard could be heard.
#3 let out an alarm call a couple of times
then took off with his fish, calling as he left.
Thursday 31 August
#3 was on the nest early this morning
06.12 He flew in announcing his arrival.
06.1306.14 he focused on something down below
Up to the perch
06.16
06.18 started preening
06.40
07.00
07.25
07.31 finished preening
He moves to the middle, higher post
07.31 and off he goes.
11.23 #3 could be heard calling loudly as he flew in to the nest
He arrived and continued calling as Harry approached with a fish
Harry had started the fish off already for #3, a flatfish as usual!
It was a quick handover and Harry left
#3 mantling and calling
11.24 He has a nibble in between calling
11.26 and leaves the nest to eat elsewhere, which is unusual for him.
12.34 #3 returns to the nest . Hopefully he’s eaten all of the fish.
12.53 He was on the nest for just under half an hour. He was looking behind at something and gave a few low pitched chirps
He quickly flew off
14.44. #3 comes back to the nest
14.59 He has a wee lie down
15.01 He sees something
He gets up very quickly
And speeds off screeching in flight once away from the nest.
16.08 Back again
“I’m here!”
16.09 a bit of preening
a bit of calling
16.11 more preening
16.16
17.01
17.24
17.25 calling again
He flies up to the cam post.
17.34. Calls for a wee bit, shuffles about then flies back down to the nest.
calling
17.36 #3 departs vocalising as he goes.