Tag Archives: Port Lincoln Osprey Project gets approval for 3 satellite transmitters

PLO Dad makes sure his chicks are full at bedtime

If you read my blog regularly, you will know that I am nothing but praises for this Osprey nest on the barge at Port Lincoln, Australia. The nest has a history of siblicide and this year, for the very first time (knock on wood), the parents are going to fledge three! There will be many ideas on why this might be the case but, it seems that it could be down to the simple fact that there is only 51 hours difference between Big Bob hatching and Little Bob. Today, they are 47 and 45 days old. (Middle Bob hatched 4 hours after Big Bob).

Dad has really kept up the fish deliveries even in the worst weather with strong winds. Yesterday there were six feedings: 6:41, 8:24, 10:11, 11:19, 15:02, and the last to fill them up for night came at 19:34.

Mum has also really kept tight reigns on the trio. Despite the fact that they are capable of self-feeding and have, on a few occasions tried to snag the fish, she has maintained order. They all line up and leave one another alone. Everyone gets fed. That is food security at its best.

Little Bob is at the top right. You can see that s/he still has a crop from the feeding four hours earlier. This is a nice fish to top them up for the night. Typically, Little Bob will not take its eyes off that fish!

They are really growing. None of the trio have started hovering but they certainly are flapping their wings.

Awww. The little sweeties. They also still sleep duckling style.

They are wide awake as dawn approaches. Each taking turns stretching and wing flapping. Everyone seems to be anticipating the arrival of breakfast. Still, you can see that at least one of the birds has a crop from the late night feeding.

If you have shied away from this nest because of previous years, I urge you to take a peek. These three will fledge in about two weeks. They will then fly back and forth with the parents still feeding them until they finally leave the area. During the week of 8 November, they will be ringed, given names, and measured. One (or all – I am still trying to confirm this) will receive a satellite transmitter. So there is still excitement to come – join in.

It is a beautiful family. Here is the link:

We have had several snow showers on the Canadian prairies today. a few of the birds have ventured out to the feeders. Of course, Dyson is here vacuuming up all the seeds. No sign of Mr Blue Jay and family. I don’t blame them for not coming out. No one is really ready to think about winter!

Thank you for joining me. I will be checking on Diamond and to see if there are any updates on WBSE 27. If there are, I will let you know. Otherwise, I will see you tomorrow. Take care everyone.

Thank you to the Port Lincoln Osprey Project for their streaming cam where I took my screen captures.

Bird World. 14 Sept 2021

Everyone loves a new hatch and the two little Osplets at PLO continue to just make me go “awwwwwwwwwww.”

Look at that nice fish Dad has brought in for Mom and the Little Bobs. They are both lined up, mouths open, watching with their eyes which aren’t focusing 100% yet. Oh, so sweet.

There is a pip in the third egg. It was seen about nine or ten hours ago. There is not much progress. Will it be a successful hatch? We wait.

The feedings seem to come often, sometimes an hour apart. That will do much to instil food security to these two – of course, along with those good catches of dad’s.

Around 08:07, viewers might have thought there was bonking going on but it is the lack of clear focus and just seeing a ‘beak’ that they try to aim for. Not intentional. You will know for sure when the pecking is meant to be harmful.

You get a glimpse of the crack in the third egg at 07:15.

The cam operator at Port Lincoln gave everyone a tour of the area. I want to share it with you in case you did not see these beautiful images.

It is a lovely area for an Osprey nest.

This is a great image. It shows you Mum and the nest on the left. You can see how it is raised up. Then look down on the deck. That is Dad’s man-cave. Looks pretty good. He has a nice perch there or there are perches on the ropes that eventually the juveniles might use.

The Port Lincoln Osprey Project has permission for three satellite trackers for this year. This is due to the success of Solly! Yes, you can close your eyes and see me jumping up and down. It is often difficult to demonstrate the merit of using technology but I think the data coming from Solly’s transmitter turned some heads. Now PLO just needs to get the funds to purchase them. With no eggs on Turnby Island, this means that all three of these chicks, if there are to be three, ‘might’ get one.

There have been a few visitors to the Achieva Osprey Nest since Jack and Tiny Little vacated in August. One of those came today – a very hungry young male, I think.

There was a posting on Twitter this morning showing an image of an Osprey eating a fish on the Mt Sentinel tree. It is presumed to be Iris. If so, she is still in Montana and has not come to say goodbye to her nest yet.

I ‘think’ Aran is still in the Glaslyn Valley. I caught sight of an Osprey as the trees were blowing. The Osprey is in the tree behind the pine branch.

Ring-Bill Gulls on the dock. They do not seem to mind the more choppy weather.

The leaves are turning and the landscape is simply stunning.

The Cormorants were very clever. The choppy waves were driving the little fish into the edge of Clear Lake. They waited and were catching their lunch. Very impressive.

Thank you so much for joining me. It is definitely fall in Northern Manitoba and there are few birds about. I was told about a possible sighting of a Blue Heron but I am holding out for some loons! Fingers crossed. Take care everyone.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cam where I took my screen shots: Achieva Credit Union, Port Lincoln Ospreys, and Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn.