The fall out from the force 11 winds and heavy rain in the UK continues to take its toll on the Osprey nests in the UK. Is the unseasonal weather a symptom of the climate changing? And how do the Ospreys cope when there is so much rain that the water is murky and the males cannot fish?
It has now been no less than 24 hours since Mrs G and the two osplets on the Glaslyn Nest had any food. The nest has been besieged by crows and Aran, the male, is protecting Mrs G and the babies.
Mrs G is screaming at Aran to get food for her and now three Bobs! It is now past 18:00 in Wales. Aran is hopefully off fishing. Mrs G cannot do anything because of the Crows. Send your warm wishes to them.
In many instances, the water has been so murky that the males cannot see to fish. Yesterday, Laddie (LM12) was only able to bring in a twiddler of a fish to the nest. Many feared that the two little ones would not survive the night. Laddie made up for it this morning by delivering a whopper to Nessie, Blue NC0 and the Two Bobs.
The third egg is due to hatch. A shell from an earlier hatch has slipped over the third egg – but that is on the small end it is believed. Most chicks begin pipping through the bigger end of the egg.
This nest is set for awhile. This is an enormous relief. Nessie is a first time mom.
Wow. I am so glad that I checked on Nessie and the Bobs at Loch of the Lowes before I closed. Bob 3 is hatching!
Laddie stayed on the nest so that Nessie could have a break and also eat some fish. You are doing a great job! Nessie has handled the weather and the Bobs just like she is an old timer at raising osplets not a first time mom.
One of the tragedies has been the death of chick 2 at the Dyfi Nest. You may recall that Telyn really had received some of the worst rain and wind. Idris brought in a fish and Telyn was feeding Bob 1 as Bob 2 was hatching. Sadly, it appears that chick 2 suffocated about eight hours after it was born. Meanwhile, E3 is set to hatch tomorrow.
The weather has calmed at Rutland and Blue 33 landed a big one for the Two Bobs this morning. Everything is fine or should I say, super fine, on that nest.
Now that the weather has calmed in Wales, Seren and Dylan at the Clywedog nest have had to content with human intruders in the nest area! Seren took a very short break while Dylan incubated the eggs. She returned in about three minutes! Hatch is coming.
I really feel for the Ospreys – the weather has been highly problematic for the past 48 hours. In Scotland, they said they felt they had returned to winter without having much of a spring, summer, or fall!
Thank you for joining me this morning. I will be keeping an eye on the Glaslyn Nest and Mrs G and Aran. I hope he brings in a whopper giving some hope for the Bob’s survival.
Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I get my screen shots: The Dfyi Osprey Project, Llyn Clywedog Osprey and CarnyxWild Wales, Scottish Wildlife Trust and Loch of the Lowes, LRWT, and Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife.