Daily Update (LG Nest) Friday, June 24, 2011

Morning Scylla - oh I wonder if its "fishing time" for EJ - I hope so.

You vent away if it helps LOL.

scylla said:

Storm woke up and stretched that s/he's really not as fit-looking as Star.  Quite thin, in fact. 

In this instance I hope you are wrong Scylla.

I really don't think Storm is thin. Look at the picture of Odin in the Odin thread that valmc put there. He has his wings fully extended and his  body  is thin too.  Star may be a little plump.

Storm is 5 days younger than Star. That is a lot of time in terms of Osprey growth.  Storm is also  quite immature compared to Star. It will catch up 

Thank you Barbara Jean :-)  It was just that when Storm stretched his/her wings his/her body looked positively scrawny and the feathers sparse underneath, I hadn't seen that view so clearly before.  But I shan't worry now, until the next time ;-)

More of Gems at a loose end (as we are, waiting for EJ - the suspense is killing ;-D )

Would Odin bring fish if EJ's not on the nest?

I reported at 0531hr that EJ had flown off earlier - but I can't remember how much earlier.  That's one-and-three-quarter hours ago :o

Storm doesn't have as many juvenile feathers as Star has. The feathers are still coming out . Storm's tail feathers are shorter too. All due to the age difference. They start out with down and then get their feathers. The sparse feathers is because it still has a lot of  down. That is also why EJ protects them in the rain. The down is not water proof  like their feathers .  

EJ likes to sit in the bare tree next to the nest. I suspect she is there  resting her aching  legs and wings. She has been crouched over the chicks with her wings spread for  nearly 24 hours .

Yes Odin would bring a fish if EJ was not there. He would probably just leave it as he does when they are older.  Then the chicks would  have a go at eating it, but  without success at this stage. Their  talons and beaks are not strong enough to rip it open.  

All is being revealed.  Much appreciated! :-*

re Storm - I rather think s/he may be male, as well as being 5 days younger. Males just are smaller. So if we have Star older/ female, and Storm younger/ male, that is all we need to account for the difference. I'm not worried for Storm's wellbeing, anyway.

I am a bit concerned that the age difference may make it difficult to find a window to ring and tag both of them: where there are 3 chicks, it tends to be just the 2 largest which are tracked: with the large (for ospreys) age difference, I'm wondering if it will actually be possible to wait until Storm reaches near enough full growth without risk of Star fledging prematurely when they approach the nest, or whether they'll need to go with just tracking Star this year.