Firsts in Bird World

At 07:47:24 the Dad of the 367 Collins Street Four flew in with a small bird. He begins to pluck it waiting to see if Mum or one of the chicks will come down to the scrape box. Mum did not show up but one of the four eyases did. I could not possibly tell you which one. Dad continues to pluck the little bird as the chick watches. Dad gets closer to the eyas that is standing in the gutter and the chick takes the bird. Dad looks in the gutter and is assured enough that the eyas is self-feeding that he flies away to find more breakfast for his kids. This is a great moment. The chicks are developing so fast!

Here it is in sequence:

This chick is hungry.

Dad gets in the scrape box to feed his baby. That baby looks like it is bigger than Dad! We will know better once that fluffy white down is gone.

Dad feeds the chick a few bites. Look at the eyas standing so strong. The soft fluffy down is falling off revealing the juvenile plumage beneath.

Little Dad walks over to the chick leaning in the gutter with the bird.

Dad leans down and the chick takes the bird. This is wonderful – a first that I have seen. It is 07:50:18.

Little Dad is making sure that the chick has the prey.

The eyas is mantling the prey!

Dad rockets down the side of the building!

Wow.

At the Port Lincoln Osprey Nest, everyone stood up for breakfast. Chatters were shocked! It is, as far as I know, the first time that all three stood up to be fed. We are quickly approaching the self-feeding phase at the PLO Barge.

Mum is feeding Big Bob as Middle Bob (centre) and Little Bob (left of centre) look on.

That is Little Bob getting the bites. Look at its strong legs.

Little Bob gets full and goes to stretch its wings and do a ‘ps’. I love the look – like beautiful white mod style boots. Middle Bob has opted to scrunch down to eat its breakfast while Big Bob in the background is standing. I cannot say enough how civilized this nest is. There is food security. No one is fighting or rushing another to eat or beaking them. When the chick gets full it moves away and let’s someone else eat. This is what happens on the falcon nests. It is great to see it here.

Names and ringing will come soon!

It was a morning of firsts. Self-feeding with the falcons at 367 Collins (or at least one of them) and the chicks now standing to be fed at Port Lincoln.

I have also discovered that if you wish to pre-order the DVD, Season of the Osprey, premiering on PBS tomorrow night, it is $24.99. Go to the PBS shop on line. They are charging 9.99 for shipping within the US only. I telephoned them and they will not ship the DVD out of the country due to copyright issues and laws. The woman suggested I order a copy and have it sent to someone in the US to mail to me. That is precisely what I did. So if you enjoy the programme and want a DVD they are available for pre-order. Shipping is 14 December.

Thank you for stopping in for this quick update on the progress of the falcons and the osplets. Take care!

Thank you to the following for their streaming cam where I took my screen shots: the Port Lincoln Osprey Barge and the 367 Collins Street Falcons by Mirvac.