Port Lincoln, Australia is pretty but that is not what I am referring to. Just look at these gorgeous babes in the nest on the Port Lincoln barge. Stunning.
That is definitely a great portrait to go on a fridge magnet. It is as if the owners were standing on the barge asking the trio to turn around and – click! I think I could stare at these three all day. Did I say for the 500th time that this has been an amazing season on the PLO nest? I hope so because it certainly has.
These three are so close together that when one of them does something, another wants to try it or out do the others. And that is what happened on the morning of 2 November in Australia. It was a flapping extravaganza!
I can do that, too!
Watch me again!
They are very entertaining and yet there is this air of cooperation on this nest that is quite astounding given its past history. For those of you that do not know the Port Lincoln nest, its history is one of siblicide with often only one fledging. Last year there were two with one death. So if these three fledge – which there is no reason they won’t – it is a first for this nest. It also goes to show us that the events on a nest cannot always be predicted by the past. I am so very happy for them. These parents worked together brilliantly.
They are 49 days old for Big and Middle Bob and 47 days old for Little Bob. These three are just itching to fly and that nest is getting a wee bit crowded. The ages are interesting. In the UK, the norm is for Western Osprey nestlings to be ringed around the 35th day of hatching and never after the 42nd because it could cause them to prematurely fledge. The Eastern Ospreys which are also not migratory might have different dates after hatch. From the information on the Port Lincoln streaming cam, it appears that Solly, the first to hatch and the female with the sat-pak was 65 days when she took her first flight. Whew! That means we have a little more time with these gorgeous birds.
The first fish delivery of the day arrives at 09:21. There were at least seven yesterday. Here they are lined up eating, waiting their turn. Bliss. Sheer bliss.
Thank you so much for joining me and thanks to Port Lincoln Ospreys for their streaming cam where I took my screen shots and video clips. They are doing an amazing job. If you want to watch this trio, here is the link to the streaming cam.
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.
It is a grey and windy day. As the weather channel promised, our summer heat wave in October seems to have come to an end (for the moment) with the arrival of single digit temperatures. The recent rains have caused the ground and old tree stumps to come alive and the sparrows and thrashers are thumping the ground having a good old time. It reminds me – continues to remind me – why we should not be raking our leaves or mowing the grass. Gently rake them into a corner if you have to. The birds really will thank you!
It is also nearing Halloween and all around me I can see the windows and doors decorated – many have elaborate displays outside.
I believe Halloween was the favourite holiday of my children – you got to dress up, get candy, and have parties at School. I recall pulling the two oldest in a sled one year as the snowflakes fell faster and faster. We did not need to go more than a block. Their pillowcases were full because they were the only ones out on such an incredible wintery night. The grandchildren enjoyed decorating the trees and, sadly, I remember using some of that web material with little black plastic spiders. That was a long time ago when I did not know better – but I do now. As a reminder to everyone, please be careful if you decorate. It will be a tragedy if animals get caught and have to be euthanized just for a bit of fun.
Oh, gosh, golly. Xavier and Diamond’s little chick just took its first steps!
Meanwhile, the Collins Street Four – which are a week older – are now standing up. They are also getting curious about the outside world and one nearly gave several streaming cam viewers a heart attack when it walked up to the edge of the ledge.
The Collins Four having some fun. Look at the size of the wings!
In case you are wondering why the scrape box is so messy this year, it is because the wind does not blow through it like it did at the other end. On a positive note, the chicks have been supplied with some shade and neither them or Mum have been as hot and panting as much as last year.
At the Port Lincoln Osprey Nest, the osplets had, at least, five fish yesterday – probably a couple more. I could not rewind the camera prior to 16:00 and all had big crops at that time. One of the most interesting interactions was between Little Bob and Mum. They had a tug-o-war with the fish tail. Mum won!!! It was very cute. that fish tail was from the 18:02:17 fish Dad brought in.
The osplets are doing really well walking around in that twig lined nest, too. They are covered more and more with feathers each day. Those feathers seem to be pushing out of those quills right before our eyes.
Dad brought in a bedtime fish for the family at 19:39:16. It is difficult to tell one from the other but there is Little Bob in its usual spot, right up by Mum’s beak.
Where is Solly, the first hatch of the Port Lincoln Osprey Barge in 2020? She seems to have decided to take a quick trip to Streaky Bay before heading back to her special tree in Eba Anchorage. It is such a relief to see the movements of the birds – to know they are safe, living their lives well.
If you were following some of the Montana Ospreys, a map of their locations has been released on the Montana Osprey FB page this morning. It shows that all of the Ospreys arrived in Mexico or Central America. Such good news. Their satellite trackers are working splendidly.
Both of the little sea eagles, WBSE 27 and 28, were still on the nest early this morning. That doesn’t mean that they will be there in a couple of hours.
I am a huge fan of Gabby and Samson’s at the Northeast Florida Bald Eagle nest near Jacksonville. The morning was just starting. The couple spent the night on the branches and as the sun came up, Gabby could be seen working on the nest.
At various times during the day, Samson, Gabby, or both, can be seen preparing their nest for the new breeding season. Here is a link to the streaming cams (there are several but this one looks directly into the nest), so you can check on them.
Tiaki, the 2021 Royal Albatross Cam Chick, is making really good time on her way to Chile. She was well beyond the International Date Line this morning. So, with that news, everyone in Bird World is doing well today. Smile. It is all good!
The sun is out and the Slate-grey Juncos are on the deck and the sparrows are having a drink out of the bowls. I wonder what other garden critters will show up? No Halloween candy for them! But they are getting extra dry corn cobs.
Thank you for joining me. Take care each and every one of you. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen captures: Port Lincoln Osprey Project, NEFlorida Bald Eagle Cam and the AEF, Sea Eagle Cam@ Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre, and the Montana Osprey Project and the Port Lincoln Osprey Project FB Pages for the sat-pak maps showing the location of the migrating Montana Ospreys and Solly.
It was 19 or 20 degrees C, depending on which weather station you listened to, on the Canadian Prairies this afternoon. Those temperatures are traditional summer ones, not middle of October! As a result, my foray to photograph Wood Ducks went sideways. It was a beautiful Sunday and everyone was outside in their summer clothes with bikes or skateboards, picnic lunches or books or both.
We may get our first frost on Wednesday evening but until then the days are going to be brilliant. No doubt those ducks will still be around awhile longer.
There was a small altercation at the Port Lincoln Osprey barge around 09:24. It is unclear what got into Middle Bob but he had a bee in his bonnet and decided he wanted to take it out on Little Bob. The skirmish lasted three eyelid blinks and it was over. And it did not put Little Bob off in the slightest. He was up front and ready to eat when the next fish was delivered at 12:16:01. Indeed, there had been two fish deliveries and feedings already – at 6:34:35 and another at 8:21:17. All of the chicks have been preening feverishly. Wonder if it is the itch from the feathers that is making Middle Bob out of sorts?
The juvenile feathers are really coming in and depending on the way the light hits the nest you can hardly find the chicks.
Little Bob is up at Mum’s beak with Middle Bob to its right. Big Bob is facing off the nest and has a rather robust tummy and crop.
No one seems to have moved. Little Bob is eating first. Anything Middle Bob have done to try and intimidate him has not worked. I am just going to put it down to Middle Bob waking up on the wrong side of the nest! If Little Bob turns out like Tiny Tot Tumbles from the Achieva Nest, Middle Bob will wish he had not been naughty.
It was a nice sized fish – not a whopper – but, it topped the kids off, all of them. In six hours, three fish. Pretty good, Dad!
That is Little Bob in the middle showing his nice crop in the image below. Look at how the tail is growing on the chick to the right.
Little Bob is 32 days old today. That makes Big and Middle 34 days or if you count the other method – Big is 34, Middle is 33, and Little is 32. There is 51 hours between the time Big and Little hatched. That surely has had a strong impact on the peacefulness of this nest, this year.
There were some very tender moments between Diamond and her baby yesterday evening in the scrape box at Orange. Here is one of those.
What a difference it makes when the chick’s eyes are fully open and they can see their parent and that food coming in that big beak. This chick is 9 days old. Just imagine. A week ago it was hardly bigger than one of those eggs. It is healthy and strong.
One but, probably both, of the White Bellied Sea Eagles is going to fledge really soon. They can hardly contain their wings from flapping and their legs from jumping. Typically, fledges occur in the morning or evening. Keep your eyes open for news from this nest in the Sydney Olympic Forest.
For those of you following the Royal Cam Chick, Tiaki, this season, there were a few tense days when her sat-pak was not plotting her GPS. Today it began working – possibly due to needing to be charged -. She is well past the International Date Line on her way to the waters of Chile. That was such a relief for everyone. When those GPS units quit working everyone fears the worst.
Last year’s favourite Albatross, OGK, Pippa Atawhai’s Dad, has been in and out at Taiaroa Head waiting for the arrival of YRK, his mate. Oh, I hope she arrives soon!
Lady Hawk posted a video showing Tiaki’s location and OGK having to defend his territory.
Apparently, OGK left and the two love birds spent the night on a spot near to Pippa Atawhai’s nest.
First feeding for the 367 Collins Street Four in Melbourne. Everyone has a nice polished crop and that scrape box sure needs a good wind to hit it! They are soooooo big. Three seemed a lot to handle last year with those big females but imagine when they are ready to fledge. These parents are going to deserve a really good rest.
They were the stars of one of ABC’s breakfast television shows yesterday. Melbourne sure loves their falcon family! They also included Diamond and Xavier from Orange. It was wonderful that the Peregrine Falcons made it into the last round of voting for Australia’s Bird of the Year. Maybe next year!
One of the most interesting prey items was a quail that Dad brought in. Everyone is wondering where he found it. I mean, seriously, where do you expect to find a quail in a large city? the zoo?
What a wonderful way to end the day – all of the birds are fed and well taken care of. Life really is good on the nests. We are so very fortunate to be able to watch their lives.
Thank you so much for joining me. I hope to have some good images of the Wood Ducks this week. Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cam where I took my screen captures: Sea Eagle Cam @Birdlife Australia Discovery Center, 367 Collins Street Falcons by Mirvac, Charles Sturt University Falcon Cam at Orange and Cilla Kinross, and the Port Lincoln Osprey Project.
The males have been working overtime it seems making sure that there is food for all of the nestlings.
As many of you know, the weather in Port Lincoln has been anything but ideal. The winds were blowing from 40-50 kph and there were white caps on the water. At one time the barge and nest appeared to be rocking around quite a bit. Still, a miracle happened. Having been hunkered down, Dad brought in the first fish for the osplets at 8:37:58. It was truly remarkable. But what was more outstanding was that he delivered a second fish at 8:38:02, a third at 10:14:25, and a fourth at 13:53. It is just now turning 15:00 on the nest. This is simply joyous. Everyone has eaten, they have had crops, and there has been complete civility.
I put in the image below for two reasons. The crops of the two osplets on the front row are getting bigger. Secondly, because that is Little Bob who is on the front left. I want you to have a very good close look at his cere, the lighter bits below the beak and the black line through his eye. Look at its thickness. It is thinner than the other two. additionally, his head is just a wee bit lighter, for now.
I believe that it is Little Bob and Big Bob eating with Middle Bob holding back. It will get fed. Do not worry!
You can almost lose them on the nest these days. Little Bob has decided to flap his wings a bit while Middle Bob eats some fish.
Just look at Little Bob. Chubby tail, wings, fat little bottom and those soft pantaloons to go with the big white clown feet. They are so adorable. I never knew pin feathers could be so strikingly beautiful.
Oh, dear, watch out Mum!
Ah, look at those legs! These osplets are nice and healthy.
In Melbourne, the eyases are being fed just about every hour. Birds, mostly pigeon, arrived at 6:12:50, 7:10:34, 8:07:39, 9:12, 10:20:07, 12:42:14, 14:40, and 15:51:06. Everyone who was hungry got fed until they fell asleep. We will be seeing some remarkable growth for these little fluff balls. Tomorrow their eyes will be open wider, their necks will be getting more stronger and the amount of space they take up in the scrape box will be larger. Of course, we are only mid-afternoon, and already eight feedings. There will be quite a number before it is time for these wee ones to tuck it in for the night.
Oh, wonderful. They are ready for a snack.
Oh, relief. It is not a pigeon.
Here I come with another Melbourne Blue Plate Special kids.
Wake up everyone! It’s tea time!!!!!
Open wide!
Sleeping babies.
Let us all remember the great joy that the birds brought us last year and now. Hopefully you had an opportunity to take a deep breath. Maybe you were able to enjoy your garden or the wildlife in your area. Perhaps you came to love many of the bird and animal families on the streaming cams. I know that I felt more joyful just by becoming more connected with nature. So when someone asks you if you are ready for things to return to normal, think about your answer carefully.
Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin remark, “Under a dark cloud of fear and confusion people all over the world found solace and respite in nature; it improved the quality of their lives and their physical and mental health.” I believe that everyone reading my blog finds joy and inspiration in birds. You also do whatever you can to make their lives better. Each and every one of you has either aided or is aiding birds in one or in many ways. We all do what we can. The simple act of providing water during migration can be a huge help. Making sure your windows are left dirty or have deflectors so the there is no bird strike is another. Writing to people who can lobby for laws that ban lead in hunting and fishing equipment as well as the designer poisons such as rodenticide help tens of thousands a year. Educating people and working with your local parks authority to eliminate the feeding of bread to ducks can keep the waterfowl healthy. Donating even the smallest amount can keep the streaming cameras running for some not-for-profit nature centres and bring joy to hundreds of others. The list is endless.
Thank you for popping in to check on these two nests. Take care of yourself and enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Thank you to the following streaming cams where I took my screen shots: 367 Collins Street Falcons by Mirvac and the Port Lincoln Osprey Project.
This screen capture was taken yesterday afternoon. Look at how well the three eyases are doing – within hours of hatching. Simply beautiful. Their eyes were closed but they will be open today.
Little Dad arrives with prey.
All of those images came from yesterday.
The following images were taken on 1 October. It is early morning. Mom is going to get up and take a break. You can see Dad standing on guard while she is away from the nest.
In the image below you can clearly see the fourth egg. You can also see the other shells.
Awwww. Sweet. Such a proud and beautiful mom.
Quite honestly I cannot tell you that there are four eyases. that is the same egg shell and well, I just continue to believe that there are three and may always be three.
There is another proud and happy mom and that is the female at the Port Lincoln Osprey Barge. She has every reason to believe that the curse that has hung over this nest – the curse of siblicide – will not happen this year. Life is good on the nest. Dad seems to have a new interest in getting fish on the nest when they are needed. In addition, he has often stayed on the nest for a few minutes or longer after a delivery. I don’t believe he is there to take the fish from Mum but, rather, to help maintain order.
I love how the sun just makes Mum glow.
Dad delivered a fish at 6:51:12. It wasn’t a whopper but it was a nice size for the chicks to start their day. And it came early! Thanks, Dad.
Look at those sweet faces lined up waiting for some bites.
Already their crops are expanding. (One day I would like to actually touch one and see if they are hard squishy).
By 8:24, Mum has the kids tucked in. Eat and sleep, sleep and eat. That is what little ospreys and falcons do!
But wait! Those chicks have hardly gotten to sleep. Is it another fish delivery? Mom is sure off the babes and calling.
She walks around the sleeping babies carefully. She can see Dad coming in with the fish! Wake up kids. Time to eat!!!!!!!! What, again?
One is so full from the previous feed that it can’t even get up to eat. But, if the length of the coppery peach feathers on the neck is anything to go by, Little Bob is up at the table having another plate full. He would be the one up at the table on the left.
Another one gives in to food coma. This is so crazy. Two are already passed out from food comas and it is only 8:32 in the morning. Dad, you amaze me.
Oh, this last chick is going to be so full. What a wonderful way to begin the day.
Mum was still feeding at 8:39. It is a nice fish. Are the others waking up and wanting more? No, looks like one is out for the count.
By 8:44, the fish is gone and all of the chicks are rolled up into balls trying to sleep off those two feedings.
If this level of food delivery and stability continues on the Port Lincoln Nest, this will be the first year in the history of the nest that three osplets fledge. There are so many people around the world overjoyed at the change. It really is something to celebrate.
These are two very proud moms and for good reason.
Thank you for joining me. Take care everyone. Stay safe!
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots: 365 Collins Street Falcons by Mirvac and the Port Lincoln Osprey Project.
Go and grab the tissue box or a handkerchief, you are going to need it. Lady Hawk has put out the season highlights for the Royal Cam family – LGL, LGK, and Tiaki! And while you are watching it, Tiaki is off being an albatross 95 km off the coast of Canterbury, New Zealand. She is going about her day, flying, landing on the water, and looking for squid!
Holly Parsons posted an article about Tiaki that appeared in a NZ paper. You might enjoy reading it. There are some interesting facts such as 2.3 million people watched the Royal Cam chick from 1 December til fledge which amounted to 400,000 hours of streaming cam time! Wow.
Clearly none of us knows what it is like to have to incubate four large peregrine falcon eggs for over a month but, early in the morning the Mom in the scrape box in Melbourne has been getting much more restless. Will all four hatch within six hours? Wow. That will just be crazy. I hope little Dad has been stashing pigeons somewhere close. If Mom refuses to give up her incubation duties, we will know that she is listening to the chicks and there could be a pip or a crack.
Thank goodness the earlier rains have stopped!
Here is the link to this streaming cam so you can watch the action when these sweeties hatch:
It will be about a week before there will be a hatch at the scrape box on the water tower at Charles Sturt University in Orange. Mom is trying to catch all the sleep she can before the trip join her and Xavier.
It would be wrong to put the link to the camera in Melbourne and not the one to Xavier and Diamond. This couple is such a sweet pair.
It is a little wet at Port Lincoln Osprey barge this morning. Mom is, no doubt, giving Dad some ‘Door Dash’ orders for breakfast.
The little one doesn’t seem to mind the few drops of rain. I just can’t get over how well these chicks blend in with the nest. Nature is the best designer!
If you have hesitated to watch this nest, I encourage all Osprey lovers to embrace it. The chicks are doing so very, very well. Here is that link:
The White Bellied Sea Eaglets are doing well this year, too. This nest has also experienced little aggression and both eaglets are thriving. Lady was in early to feed them.
They are beginning to explore the lower branches. It will be a blink before they are really branching. It has been a pleasure to watch the lives of these beautiful sea eagles this year.
I will update you on the feedings on the Port Lincoln Osprey nest later today and if there is any confirmation of pips or cracks at 367 Collins Street.
For now it is 31 degrees C or 87.8 F on 29 September on the Canadian Prairies. Unbelievable. It is a great evening to go and check on the ducks.
Take care everyone. Thank you for joining me. Be kind to all living things.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screenshots: the Port Lincoln Osprey Project, Sea Eagles @Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre, The Falcon Cam at Charles Sturt University at Orange, and 367 Collins Street by Mirvac. Thanks Lady Hawk for the video!
The sun is bright and it is another blue sky day on the Canadian prairies. By evening, the temperature will be the same as the islands in the Caribbean — 29 C. It is hard to even imagine it and yet, day after day, this has been the story of 2021.
Just as remarkable as my weather is the parenting on the Port Lincoln Osprey nest. The historical information only goes back to 2015 so we know the couple have been together for six seasons, at least. In that time, they have fledged 10 chicks. In 2015, the eldest killed the two younger ones and went on to fledge. In 2016, it was a repeat of 2015. In 2017, the eldest tossed the youngest from the nest. 2 fledged that year. In 2018, two fledged. In 2019, two fledged. They were Calypso and Star. In 2020, the eldest killed the youngest. Solly, the eldest and DEW, the middle, fledged.
2021 will be a record for this nest if all three survive and all three fledge. It is looking good but, anything can happen to change this.
Yesterday, there was a fish delivery at 9:37:58. That was the one where Little Bob was running to the table. Everyone was full after and as far as I could determine no fish was left. There were two other deliveries.
The second delivery came at 14:49:57. The angle of the camera meant that it was difficult to see the chicks being fed. That said, each and every one of them had enormous crops when the third fish arrives at 18:19:09.
Mom sees Dad coming with the fish and starts doing her calling. Look at how the trio blend in so well with the dark material that has been brought to the nest. Also notice that they are now beginning to appear like old charcoal coloured rugs with light grey stripes! These three are doing so well. It is glorious.
Thank you, Dad!
Mom reaches over, carefully, to get the fish without stepping on the chicks.
Look at all of them lined up so nicely. There is no nonsense. Each gets fed til they are full or there is no more fish. There is definitely food security going on and it is shown in the civil way that the chicks react to a fish arrival.
The sun will be going down soon and these chicks are going to sleep with huge crops. They look like they could pop! Dad will have to go and get another fish for him and Mum.
Dad is spending a bit more time on the nest when he delivers a fish. Has this been a tactic by him and Mum to keep the kids lined up like a choir eating and not fighting? Whatever they are doing, it has been a couple of days since Big Bob tried to reinforce its dominance. Indeed, it has been a wonderful Osprey nest to watch!
One other check in. The two adults at the 367 Collins Street Peregrine Falcon scrape are going to be busy soon. They are incubating four eggs and the first one laid is now 38 days old. It is definitely hatch watch for this couple!
Thank you for joining me and checking in on the Osprey chicks. It is so nice to have you with me. Enjoy your day. Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots: 367 Collins Street Falcon Cam and the Port Lincoln Osprey Project.
My goodness. Mom was anticipating a fish drop and Dad delivered at 9:37:58.
Little Bob is looking out of the top of the nest and Middle and Bib are kind of snoozing in the sun. Mom is, of course, delighted. The nest has been quiet – not misbehaving. I am hoping that Big Bob has just given up. There is lots of food and Mom feeds fair.
I started to say ‘If you snooze you lose’. Look at Little Bob. He has done a right turn and is racing to get to that fish. Notice how Little Bob has his head leaning way out in front. Go Little Bob!!!!!!!!!!
One big sib is down duckling style and the other turns around to see what all the fuss is about.
Mom is already feeding Little Bob by the time both of the big siblings are turning their heads.
It is only a few seconds but neither has made much of a move. Little Bob has already had a few good bites. This kid is so clever and brave. This third hatch is a survivor.
Little still eating.
Big sibs are starting to turn. Look at the clown feet that have arrived. Oh, my goodness these osplets are growing fast. Someone needs to revive the development chart a bit.
I would love to know what Big and Middle were thinking. We all know what Dad was thinking: will there be any fish left or should I go out and find another? There will not be a bite left, Dad. Go fishing! Mom needs to eat, too.
Meanwhile Little is more than a dozen bites ahead of the other two.
Ah, good. Everyone is up for breakfast.
I believe that patch of black and green organic material is seaweed. I don’t know if it was brought to the nest on purpose or Dad just spotted it and liked it. The thing is that it serves as great help to camouflage the chicks.
Nice crops. But hardly any fish left. Sorry, Dad! We know you need to eat, too but I think you got the head.
The babies are full. You can see the crops better in this last image.
I always like to remind myself that a week ago, a big fish would have lasted all day. This was only a medium one but it is gone. We are in the high growth phase.
Ah, the morning has started off grand. I just had to tell you. This Osprey nest is putting smiles on lots of faces this year and giving us each hope that the curse of the nest will be gone.
Thank you so, so much for joining me.
Thank you to the Port Lincoln Osprey Project for their streaming cam where I took my screen shots.
The Port Lincoln Osplets had a good fish day yesterday and I am expecting the same once Dad moves off the ropes and goes fishing.
After I finished my blog yesterday another fish landed on the nest at 12:47. It was a nice one and everyone of the osplets had a really good feed.
Can you tell which is which? From left to right: Middle, Little, and Big Bob. Middle and Big have more peach on the back of their head and neck and those feathers are slightly longer than Little’s (yesterday).
As is the tradition, Little Bob ate first with Big and Middle waiting their turns.
Last evening Dad delivered a fish at 18:41:15. The kids were sleeping and despite waking and having a look at a fish that close, they were not interested but Mum was. She ate and then Dad took the rest and was eating it on the ropes at 19:10:02.
It’s a new day. Mom has been fish calling and I presume that once Dad gets tired of listening, he will fly off and bring in breakfast.
Everyone is waiting patiently. One of the things I have noticed is that despite the books saying the chicks get interested in what is happening off the nest at four weeks, Middle Bob has certainly been doing some looking around.
There is he is looking off while Little and Big wait for the delivery that Mom believes is coming.
Fingers crossed. I will update your later but for now, everyone is behaving themselves.
A new book just arrived. It is my much anticipated Chris Packham, Back to nature. How to love life – and save it. Will give you a synopsis when I have finished it.
Thank you so much for joining me. Take care everyone!
Thank you to the Port Lincoln Osprey Project for their streaming cam where I took my screen shots.
