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
Friday 1 September
Good morning #3
06.44 a quick minute’s visit
then he returned at 07.37
08.39 still there just now
09.55. #3 left the nest to sit in the cam post
He left at some point as Harry arrived with a fish at 10.29 and #3 wasn’t around.
He didn’t give #3 a chance to appear as he left 10 seconds later!
10.51 Harry did return and #3 tracked him down.
#3 could be heard screaming before Harry landed!
10.52 #3 then landed
Was someone else around?
#3 then took the fish and Harry flew off.
Looking upwards again
5 minutes later he started eating the fish
It was an unsettled feed as he did some calling and mantling within it. 11.09
11,23
11.24
11.43 he swallows the tail.
#3 was back on and off the nest from around 13.30. He was calling whether on camera or not. Another Osprey was seen circling in the air
13.56 (magnified)
14.00, Harry arrives with another fish for #3
He quickly takes it
then Harry flies off.14.04
14.18
14.19 He got spooked by something and flew off quickly with the fish, squealing as he went.
14.43 #3 returned a short time later without the fish.
It was a brief visit as were his other visits to the nest later.
18.01
18.57
Saturday 2 September
#3 was at the nest earlier this morning
08.11
11.47 He left and returned with Harry as he brought in a flatfish.
#3 takes the fish
Harry departs
11.48 #3 mantles and calls at the edge of the nest
then takes the fish away to eat elsewhere. 11.49
It did sound like another Osprey chirping in the background. It may have been Harry but who knows!
There has been recent talk on the live chat that #3 may be female, going by the dark, broad necklace and now chunkier physique. It certainly makes a difference when you’ve been fed well to having days without anything. I too have noticed and wondered but it is something we will never know due to the birds not being ringed and therefore unable to identify in the future.
Today #3 is 100 days old. I’ll just stick with calling him male for the continuity of the last few days he’s here!
A second fish for #3. Again another flatfish.
15.20 Look at that wee face!
Here’s Harry with the fish
#3 takes the fish but Harry has a wee bit of trouble releasing it.
All good now. Harry quickly leaves
15.21. “I’ve got a fish!”
15.23
15.58 It didn’t take too long for #3 to eat the fish.
16.00 nearly there
Finished
Cleaning his beak
16.01 More cleaning, wiping the inner beak by sliding it up and down the narrow stick
And shouting for another fish!
17.20 #3 flew up to the cam post.
Sunday 3 September
#3 is still around. 101 days old today.
06.11 arrival at the nest
06.14 and then away
06.15 and after a wee fly around the area, back again
06.16
06.24 0ff again
#3 was back at the nest a couple of times and then Harry arrived with a fish.
10.06 Quite a large flatfish
#3 has the fish now
Harry’s off
10.07 the usual calling when a fish arrives!
10.11 it was at least 5 minutes before #3 started eating the fish
10.58
11.29
11.59 a good bit of eating in this fish
#3 flies off to finish the rest elsewhere