How many of us are torn between dread and hope for the new day to come?
The peace and quiet of the LG nest is punctuated solely by unalarming chick noises. Long may that last.
IMAGICAT
13.45 EJ returns with FISH
Val C said: New blog from Richard.
New blog from Richard.
"Only two things are infinite - the universe and human stupidity. And I'm not too sure about the universe..." - Albert Einstein
I didn't see that, but I did hear it. EJ is back, with FISH, so I presume she caught it herself.
13.46. FISH!!! from EJ. Feeding commences.
Warning! This post contains atrocious spelling, and terrible grammar. Approach with extreme edginess.
Unknown said: 13.45 EJ returns with FISH
In my humble opinion #3 did not ever look as if it was catching up in size and although Odin was bringing back more fish than orange VS it has been cold this year and perhaps the chicks needed more food for warmth. Also birds have individual characters and perhaps #2 has a slightly more aggressive character than "normal" so perhaps its just ALL these put together meant it was not to be for #3
Looks like one of them (can't tell who through the guano) is no longer interested in feeding.
Unknown said: To try to rescue the chick may have caused more upset than leaving things to act out. What if the act of putting a ladder up caused the chicks to panic and fall out, or if the parent birds attacked the rescuers causing damage to either of them. In this case I think what happened was unaviodable and things had to happen, hard as it was to see. I dont really support nature taking its course if something different could be done with full safety to the rest of the family, but in this instance I dont think there was a 100% safe alternative.
To try to rescue the chick may have caused more upset than leaving things to act out. What if the act of putting a ladder up caused the chicks to panic and fall out, or if the parent birds attacked the rescuers causing damage to either of them. In this case I think what happened was unaviodable and things had to happen, hard as it was to see. I dont really support nature taking its course if something different could be done with full safety to the rest of the family, but in this instance I dont think there was a 100% safe alternative.
I don't think attacks by the parent birds would be a serious problem; after all, if it were, no chicks would ever be ringed! I have only read one example of an adult osprey attacking a ringer, and then only briefly without serious injury. Usually the parents just leave the nest and alarm call, returning shortly after people retreat.
When the chicks are ringed, at a later stage of development than they are currently, they simply lie down in the nest and 'play dead' while the parents alarm call. This makes it very easy to remove them for ringing.
I think the point is that such intervention creates a precedent - where does one draw the line?
Heron77 said: Looks like one of them (can't tell who through the guano) is no longer interested in feeding.
At least the nest has not failed completely this year. But I have to admit that the whole episode has left a rather sour taste in my mouth.