Utter heartache as osprey chicks die…Friday in Bird World

23 June 2023

Good Morning Everyone!

I don’t know how many tuned in to the Zoom chat about birding with Amy Tan and Christian Cooper, sponsored by The New York Times, but it was a great discussion about how people get interested in birding. Cooper has a new book out and Tan is writing a book about her backyard birding experiences for release next year. Can’t wait to read both of them. If you missed it, here it is recorded on YouTube:

Lewis did not feel the anxiety that I was having checking on the osprey nests today. Instead, he decided to sleep right in front of me as I watched the Blue Jays so that he could get some good scratches now and again.

It was quite the morning in the garden. There are at least six fledgling Blue Jays – not just the one sitting in the rock bird nest. They have delighted for hours. Some know how to get a peanut open, others don’t. All know that cats are a ‘danger’ and one even flew directly at the window of the conservatory at Missey. I was shocked – so was the Blue Jay.

One of the recent fledglings. Just look at those feathers! They are incredible. They are getting their crests and Junior is losing his – he can now do his annual moult since the babies are now fledged. The patterning…stop, look. It is like a study for a design class using a limited palette.

Each of the fledglings has a ‘different’ pattern and ‘look’. You get to know them as individuals if you stop and watch for long periods of time. That was one of the takeaways from Amy Tan who does her birding mostly in her garden – she has learned the behaviour of her garden birds and their distinct personalities. It is precisely the same for many of us. The first birds we noticed and those that bring us joy every day are those that are in our garden or the local park we visit. They are family.

This is the little fledgling that was nestled with the clay birds on the deck. he is a good flyer and he can open peanuts (or maybe it is a she).

Notice the different pattern on this one to the one above.

The growing numbers in Junior’s family meant a trip to get shelled and unshelled peanuts and more Blue Jay mix. Watching these fledglings learn about the world brings such happiness and takes my mind off the weather and ultimately, the osplet deaths that may come from the Long Island and New Jersey coastal area nests.

I began writing this blog on Thursday watching and with great tears knowing that we were going to lose a lot of chicks. So, the narrative will change for a few of the nests as you read through. As you do read of all the sadness, pause for a moment and get a little angry. Do not let anyone tell you that the weather and the fires are ‘just nature’. Humans have destroyed nature. In the event that the males cannot fish due to these storms, it is now time for us who have destroyed their habitat, the climate, the water, to step up and provide food until the storm has passed. It can be done. We just have to take responsibility. I want to thank ‘H’ who has helped me for two years now observing nests. She chose many of those that have been hit the hardest and this morning she says she is ‘just crushed’. You get so attached to these little ones when you watch them for days – invested in their eating, mourning when they die. To have this one storm impact so many nests – and believe me, the wild nests are suffering the same heartache – is often just too much to take in.

It is not looking good for Hera at South Cape May Meadows. She will, ultimately, have to try and find some food for herself. It is doubtful the three osplets – only wee – will survive two days without food and cold damp weather. I am already grieving for her. She will keep them warm and dry as long as she can but, ultimately, she will have to leave the nest to fish. They cannot thermoregulate. It is not clear if Zeus is missing or simply cannot catch enough fish to feed the family and is not returning to the nest. The last time I checked the eldest could barely raise its head and fish cry.

The males have not been seen at the nests at Barnegat Light and Forsythe either although Duke has been caught on camera elsewhere. They know their family is hungry and their chicks are starving but there is nothing they can do. The weather – the rain and the heavy winds – have churned up the water so that they cannot see the fish. They must eat to be able to carry on as does the Mum.

At South Cape May, “Two of the babies died overnight.  The third will die soon if not fed.  Hera brooded all night.  No fish for 60 hours at 0700 on 6/23.  Zeus has not been seen since 6/20.  Surely Little died.  Big and Middle were close in age.  Ages on 6/22 were 7, 6, and 4 days old.”

My heart aches for Hera. They are showing season highlights. All chicks have passed.

Forsythe has had no fish either for more than two days. The chicks are older and can thermoregulate but the end result is, as ‘H’ reports, “Oscar delivered a very small whole fish at 0639, after 60 hours.  Little was too weak to approach the feeding.  Big beaked Middle.  Opal took one bite.  Big was the primary recipient of the fish.  Middle got 3 bites.  The fish lasted 2 1/2 minutes. Opal has left the nest a few times the last couple of days.  She must have eaten, I suspect.  But, she apparently was not able to catch fish for the kids.  Same with Oscar.  He would have had to have fed himself. This is just so sad on many levels.”

Barnegat Light is in the same situation. The weather is miserable and there was no fish for the second full day in a row. The dead and dying, ” Little died overnight at just under 19 days of age.  No fish since 1006 on 10/21, and I don’t think Little was able to eat much at those early 6/21 meals.  Duke has been seen the past couple of days, but not at the nest.  Ages on 6/23: 23, 22, 19 days.”

It was raining at Severna Park Maryland but fish were coming to the nest. It is unclear who got the lion’s share but Middle did get some as Mum was quick to feed him. H reports, “at least five fish were delivered to the nest by Olivia and Oscar.  ‘Big’ is self-feeding!  Ages 45, and 44 days on 6/22.”

Mum feeding Middle.

At Chesapeake Bay, Kent Island: “The weather was improving, and Tom brought three fish that I saw.  Audrey fed the little one at least 5 times. Things seem to be clicking better between Audrey and Tom, but they do seem to have an ongoing intruder issue.  The little nestling is 10 days old on 6/22.”

At Dahlgren: “The two siblings have always been quite civil to each other, but then they had a ‘big fight’ yesterday afternoon that was started by Middle.  Well, at the next feeding, at 1917, they were back to being besties, no aggression!  What a relief!  Ages 35 and 31 days old, and ‘Big’ is self-feeding.”

The weather is a bit miserable in Boulder as well but fish are arriving at the nest for all three chicks and Mum and Little is being fed. The male is very interesting. Big fish come on the nest and there is dominance – Little always has to wait as the rain began to fall later with the arrival of a fish, Dad stepped in and moved Mum and got the other’s attention away so she could feed Little. It was very interesting. He has also on occasion done dual feedings! Was this a small third hatch male ill-treated when he was in the nest?

Good night, Boulder.

The two surviving chicks at Collins Marsh are doing well. It is a ‘hot’ nest – constructed out of what appears to be a metal disk covered with twigs on top of a fire watch tower moved to the nature centre. The fish are not always plentiful despite there being a pond and wetlands. I would personally suggest that anyone associated with this centre or if you know someone who is – that they consider stocking the pond. It really helps!

Cowlitz can always use more fish – any fish. It is a blessing that there is only one osplet this year. It would cost so little to stock that water! At the Kisatchie National Forest, it is my understanding (please correct me) that the lake is stocked annually. Yes, for fishers but, it helps the wildlife, too.

Clark PUD in Vancouver, Washington. Does anyone know this nest. It looks hot! One chick is/or entering Reptile phase another with down and looks like a DNH. Let me know if you have any history of this nest. Thanks!

Audubon Boathouse: H reports: “Plentiful fish, and doting parents, what a lucky kid!  Age 12 days on 6/22.”

Fortis Exshaw: H reports, “Jasper delivered 4 fish that I saw, and Louise fed the babies at least 6 times.  Trying to ascertain if the youngest is getting fed is difficult.  There is a lot of bobbing and weaving in that deep nest cup at meal times.  At the 1636 feeding, I did count at least 18 bites for Little. Louise seems to ensure that all get fed.   Ages 4, 4, and 2 days on 6/22.”

At Patuxent, there are persistent problems with the park tour boat interfering with the nests. They are coming too close. It is too stressful for the birds. H reports on Patuxent I, ” Fish deliveries started to recover a bit on 6/22 after the worst of the stormy weather of the past couple of days.  They had at least two large fish.  The osplets are 22, 21, and 18 days old on 6/22.:

Patuxent II: H reports, “Also improved fish deliveries today, as the weather is improving.  Of note was a large live fish delivered at 1305.  As Mom was dragging the heavy fish into position, a park tour boat full of tourists steered very close to the nest to provide a better photo opportunity.  This human interference cause Mom to fly away with the fish.  She did return later with the fish after the tour boat had passed.  The osplets on 6/22 are 39, 37, and 33 days old, and they eat very nicely together.”

Here is that ‘tourist attraction’:

At the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, there are two new little osplets.

Patchogue: It is a good thing that Little Mini had some fish at the beginning of Thursday because the Bigs were sure hungry.

Mini workings its wings at 0617.

Mini having breakfast at 0659.

Mini having fish before bed at 1947:

The Big ones are increasingly heading up to eat first and Mini is having to wait. It has had some fish but not sure how much twice Friday morning.

Loch of the Lowes: The two chicks of Laddie and Blue NC0 were ringed on Friday.

Dyfi Ospreys: These two gorgeous osplets of Idris and Telyn will be ringed on the 27th. They will be given names that day as well – either rivers or mountains of Wales.

Glaslyn: Everything is good with Aran and Elan and the two bobs who will also be ringed but not for another 10 days and a bit!

Poole Harbour: The sun coming up over the horizon on CJ7 and her precious trio.

Loch Arkaig: Louis is such an amazing Dad. Poor Dorcha, she gets a lot of beaking from the wee one. Geemeff wonders if this is part of behavioural development if there is no sibling. I wonder. We certainly recall the Finnish osplet from 2022 who was quite aggressive towards Mum.

Good and bad news coming in from Kielder Forest:

At the scrape of Monty and Hartley, Soledad is really flapping off any baby feathers that could be left – and screaming for food! Ah, Monty has to feed his baby. What a dad! She is so much bigger than he is!

Ferris Akel had a special tour to check on M1 after her brilliant first flight today at the nest on the Cornell Campus of Big Red and Arthur. She is certainly a beauty.

That fledge happened at 0600. traditionally raptor fledges happen in the morning or early evening – not at night and usually not in the heat of mid-day.

M2 and 3 on the nest thinking about flying.

Big Red keeping a good eye on all that is happening. S he knows precisely where each of her chicks are.

Thanks, Ferris for the tour. There will be another fledge soon!

Chase and Cholyn’s Anthony fledged and got a reward for returning to the nest.

It will continue to be a sad day on the NE coast of the US and their osprey nests. It is inevitable that all will be lost at South Cape May if not already and perhaps more at Forsythe and Barnegat Light. Our thoughts go out to these families. Thank you for being with me. Send positive wishes to all the nests that are struggling and those that are doing well. Events such as weather can change things overnight. Take care. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their notes, videos, posts and streaming cams that helped to make up my blog this morning: – A big shout out to ‘H’. Also Geemeff and SP, the New York Times, SCMM, Forsythe, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ, Severna Park, Chesapeake Conservancy, Dahlgren Ospreys, Boulder County FG Ospreys, Collins Marsh, Cowlitz, Clark PUD, PSEG, LOTL, Dyfi, Bwywd Gwyllt Glaslyn, Poole Harbour Ospreys, Geemeff and Friends of Loch Arkaig and the Woodland Trust, Sk Hideaways and the San Jose City Hall Falcons, Ferris Akel Tours, IWS, Audubon Boat House, Patuxent River Park, Heidi McGru and Patuxent River Park, Fortis Exshaw, MN Landscape Arboretum, and Kielder Forest.