Tag Archives: Port Lincoln Osprey Project

Big Bob’s intimidation didn’t work

It was not my intention to send out another newsletter so quickly on the heels of the last one but, I think that this is a joyful event to celebrate. I have seen it several times in the past few days but this is the clearest example I can muster up.

Big Bob on the Port Lincoln Osprey nest has, for the past few days, been trying to establish its dominance on the nest. It spent some time pecking at Little Bob’s neck the other day and a couple of people wondered if Little Bob’s neck was OK. It was.

Today is 27 September. These are the hatch times.

  • Big Bob hatched on 13 September at 22:03
  • Middle Bob hatched on 14 September at 02:30
  • Little Bob hatched on 16 September at 00:51

There is only 5 hours and 45 minutes between Big and Little Bob in terms of hatch times. There is 51 hours (roughly) between the hatch times of Big and Little Bob. Those close hatch times should give the chicks an edge in survival.

The osplets are eating more fish at a meal and the meal times now last for an hour (or close to it) or til the fish is almost totally consumed. So this morning the osplets were hungry.

Dad delivered a fish to the nest at 8:52:42 following much fish calling by Mum. It was not a huge fish but it is a pretty nice fish to start the day.

In the line up below, are Little Bob on the left, Middle in the middle, and Big Bob on the right. Little still looks lighter in this light.

Despite the fish being on the nest, Big Bob went after Little Bob several times until 8:56:45. Middle Bob just tries to get out of the way after staring at Big Bob in the image below.

Little moved and Big followed but, it didn’t work! Right after the 8:56:45 incident, all three are lined up to eat breakfast.

And by now you should know who ate first —– if you said Little Bob you are 100% correct. The older two are waiting their turn.

The feeding was stopped by Mum at 9:21:00. The remaining fish was still on the nest.

If Ospreys can ‘feel silly’ like humans, Big Bob wasted precious feeding time while Mum stood on the fish. What if she had eaten it? or flown off with it? I suppose she wouldn’t. Mum is hardwired to feed these chicks and brood them.

What is interesting to me is that Little Bob would not be intimidated by Big Bob. Little went right up there and took its place at the table eating first. Indeed, I did not count the bites but Little got more food than Big. That might account for its growth. Indeed, some of the chatters could not tell Little from Big today. If you look at the back of the three necks, the peachy-copper feathers coming in on Little are slightly shorter than those of Big and Middle. At a certain angle, the overall plumage of Little looks lighter.

Will we be able to tell them apart tomorrow? That is the 64 million dollar question.

Dad brings in another fish at 10:12:28. Mum takes it – it is relatively small.

The osplets are sleeping, sort of. They raise their heads but their crops are still full from the earlier feeding.

Mom offers a piece of fish to Middle Bob at 10:12:45. Middle raises its head and takes it but it is still like a duck and not standing.

Big and Little are still sleepy. Big gets up and starts being fed at 10:13:33.

Middle stops eating and Little does some clever moves to get over by Big and get some bites. I wonder if Little didn’t want Big to notice?

At 10:14:48 Little is being fed.

The feeding ends at 10:22:46. Everyone is full.

The cam operator moved in close. This is Little Bob. Notice that the coppery-peach feathers are very short. Take a good look. Tomorrow they will be longer. These chicks are all in the reptile stage.

Many books will state that the reptile stage begins at week 3 but these osplets are early. Little Bob is only eleven days old – hatched 00:51 16 September. Their pin feathers are definitely developing. You can see those in the close up images below. They are still able to fit under Mum so she can brood them but often you will see their heads sticking out. Big Bob actually slept out from under Mom for awhile. They still mostly sleep and eat. Soon they will become interested in the world beyond the nest — and they are going to spend a lot of time preening! Those pin feathers are itchy or so humans say. I have never had a chat with an Osprey about them!

Enjoy the close ups. Thanks cam op!

What a beautiful Babe. There is still the hint of the egg tooth at the end of the beak. In the image below you can see that the feathers on the neck at the back of the head are longer on the sibling facing away from us. Compare those with Little Bob’s who is in the middle.

You can also see their nice crops. These osplets have been well fed this morning.

There is still some fish from the first feeding on the nest at 2 o’clock. The rest of the second fish is at 8 o’clock.

It has been a good morning on the Port Lincoln Osprey Nest. It is thrilling to see Little Bob thwart Big’s efforts to control the nest. It will be even more intriguing as this next week goes by as to the similarities that come between the three of them.

Thank you for stopping in again and indulging me in my love of Ospreys. I so want this family to succeed this year – and I want another third hatch to be clever and thrive. Take care everyone. Stay safe!

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

Featured Image: A close up of Little Bob.

Checking in on the PLO

Sometimes it is good to remember and compare. The little Osplets at Port Lincoln have grown so quickly that is seemingly unfathomable that they were like this only a week ago!

There is Little Bob in front the same way that he has been all along. Yesterday Big and Middle Bob waited patiently for their turns while he ate.

Yesterday a very large fish came on the nest at 12:44:16. mom was still feeding and eating at 13:38:39.

This is the beginning of the feeding. You can see the fish. Notice the two older Bobs – Big and Middle – waiting for Little to eat. Then they can have their turns. Little ate a lot and went to sleep. Food coma!

Mom continues to feed Little Bob.

Look at how close in size Big and Middle Bob are to one another!

Little Bob is out for the count and now Mom is feeding one of the older siblings. They waited nicely. No pecking. Just patience. Wow.

You can see how much is left of that big fish – the tail and a bit. Little Bob has woken up and Mum is feeding him again! They will eat the entire fish.

That will give you an idea as to how much has changed regarding their consumption. A week ago that fish would have lasted all day. Now it is only one meal. The osplets are able to eat lots more at a sitting.

Awww. Mum is checking with Little Bob to see if he wants some more bites before she eats. And, yes, of course he does. Why am I surprised? This little one is an endless pit.

They have all passed out and now Mom can eat the last of the fish and the tail. She needs food, too!

At 16:02 they are still asleep or just waking and continue to have large crops.

The cam operator pulls the image out and you can see that the Mom must have had a small piece of that earlier fish hidden. She is topping off the little ones. Remember. They will double their size in four days!!!!!!! Wow.

The golden glow of the sun setting is kissing the Port Lincoln Nest. Everyone is full and happy. It has been a civilized day. All of the chicks are now into their extreme growth period with their reptilian plumage (or lack of).

Did you know that a group of Ospreys is called a ‘duet’? I didn’t. Hawks Aloft published that fact today. They said it is because Ospreys are solitary. They only pair up for breeding season. They also said that it was because the pitch of the male and female is different so when they are calling, it sounds like a duet. Interesting.

I do think that David Gessner and others Osprey watchers in Cuba would disagree with the statement that they only pair up for breeding seasons. The reason I say that is when I first read it, I went ‘wait’. Large flocks of Ospreys have gathered together to fly over the Sierra Maestra Mountains in Cuba. Gessner wrote about this in his book, Soaring with Fidel. So do Ospreys gather together when it helps the group? only in pairs for breeding? and are solitary when it comes to fishing? They certainly don’t seem to help one another like the American White Pelicans who, together, get the fish to swim to a certain shallow spot so they can all feed. It is all curious.

Yesterday Tiger Mozone and I questioned why certain Ospreys are violent. The comment was related to the Port Lincoln Ospreys. Is it in the DNA? is it a result of toxins in the water that have concentrated in the fish and then in the Ospreys? Dr Greene at the University of Montana has studied heavy metals. Is anyone studying the toxins in Australian waters? I have not had time to look into this but will as well as the suggestion of the DNA connection.

It is now 04:49 in Port Lincoln. Mom is trying to sleep. Let us all wish them a great fish day. I will bring updates later tonight.

Thanks for stopping by. These little ones are growing fast and behaving themselves. Thank goodness. Take care everyone.

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

Sea change for Little Bob

People were thinking that Little Bob was days behind Big and Middle Bob. It was only 51 hours hatch difference between Big and Little. Today, it is hard to tell them apart. They are a pile of black reptilian creatures. Precious still.

Yesterday there were six feedings on the Port Lincoln Osprey Nest: 06:10, 08:39, 12:25, 16:20 17:03, and 18:25. Everyone had crops.

All are doing fine. Yes, Big Bob does want to try to throw her weight around on occasion but, so far Mum has sat on them before it could get bad. I just hope Little Bob learns to protect its neck!

Today, the first feeding is just finishing. The golden rays of the sun fall on Mum and Dad as he delivers the fish at 6:37:35. Thanks, Dad! This is the best way to start off the day!!!

It is 11 degrees C and the wind is blowing at 19 kph. That is up 8 from yesterday. I do wonder if Dad fishes better in choppy weather???? It doesn’t make sense but, hey…he brought in lots of fish when there were white caps and the winds hit 34 kph and less when the wind is below 11 kph. I wonder what is up with all of that??

You can, for the moment, still recognize him a bit. Little Bob is lighter and he is turned around ready to jump over Big Bob to get to be first in line.

Now notice Little Bob’s crop. It is very big this morning but he is going to drop it. The food that he was holding in store will now be processed making room for his breakfast.

With all of the talk and the reactions of Big Bob wanting to dominate, Little Bob got to eat first.

And Little bob is still eating! This little osplet is not shy when it comes to fish.

It is such a relief to see a fish land on the nest so early in the morning. Hopefully this will set the tone for the entire day. All of the chicks are entering the rapid growth period. They will double their size – and by tomorrow, Little Bob will be black. You will really have to look hard to tell which one he is. I don’t know about you but Little Bob looks almost as big as the chick on the right. Maybe it is the camera playing tricks on us. What do you think?

Thanks for stopping in today. Everything seems to be on hold. The Bald Eagles in Florida are working on their nests, 367 Collins Street falcons are still incubating eggs as are Diamond and Xavier. The WBSE 27 and 28 are growing and growing and seem to be getting along fine. Tiaki has fledged. Birds are migrating all over the world. It was a really beautiful day on the prairies.

Take care. See you soon.

Thanks to the Port Lincoln Osprey Project for their streaming cam where I took my screen shots.

Late Friday in Bird World

It is 10:16 in Australia as I begin this short newsletter.

The osplets on the Port Lincoln barge had a small fish between them around 06:15. They have had nothing since and Big Bob is getting a bit restless. Sadly, he has been pecking Little Bob’s neck and Little Bob is going to have to learn to use his backside to protect himself when this happens. So far the beaking has not been too bad but, as all of you know – this Osprey nest makes me nervous. I will not be able to relax until Little Bob is a little older. It seems that Big Bob is trying to establish nest domination. Tiger Mozone wondered on the chat about DNA causing excessive aggressiveness in the chicks. Certainly this nest has a history of that type of behaviour. I also wonder about toxins in the water that enter the fish and stay in the tissue of the Ospreys.

Mom was hopeful around 09:45 and the chicks were in line to eat. Their crops have dropped from the small fish three and a half hours earlier.

The chicks are being fed more fish and for a longer period. What was six minutes a week ago has stretched into 45 minutes at the table. And these chicks will be fine today if a big fish does not come on the nest for a few more hours. The issue is Big Bob who seems to want to press his authority by fighting with the other two. Middle Bob is the clever one (so far) and seems to be able to stay out of the way but Little Bob still needs to learn how to protect itself.

The two older chicks are moving straight into the rapid growth period where they need lots of fish. Little Bob is following as quickly as he can. You can see that he is moving into the reptile phase himself. The dark feathers are coming in and he is losing the down on his head. Big Bob is awfully dark and a bit scary looking! He is the one holding his head the highest and looking towards you.

It is nearing noon, nest time. Dad has come to the nest without a fish. Is there a predator in the area? I actually thought that this nest was relatively free from predators unlike those in Europe and the US that have to deal with Goshawks, Great Horned Owls, etc. Or has Dad arrived to get the meal order from mom?

I couldn’t help myself. I had to check. Dad must have been taking the fish order at 11:25 because he delivered a fish to the nest around 12:25. Thank goodness. Big Bob behaved himself and everyone is getting to eat.

Look at who has his little mouth open wide!

Little Bob ate first. You can see from the crops. Middle and Big will eat next and by the time they finish, Little Bob will be hungry again. I hope that fish is big enough!

The big news over in New Zealand is that Tiaki has fledged on 25 September. She was 244 days old. Both her and Plateau Chick left the headland but, it has not been completely determined when that was. By the sat-pak it seems that Tiaki might have fledged at night but sometimes that sat-pak GPS requires adjustment. We all wish her a wonderful safe life, full of fish, and a return to us in five years time.

You can follow her satellite GPS. I will put the link below the fledging video.

Cornell Bird Lab caught the moment:

Here is the link so that you can check on Tiaki. Her satellite tracker should continue working for a year until her first moult. You can follow her dad, LGK also. His tracker should be good til he moults – another couple of months. There are only six chicks remaining to fledge.

https://my.wildlifecomputers.com/data/map/?id=6008d9ba31af59139976bcfe

The migration continues in Manitoba with everyone is excited. There are dawn breakfasts and evening dinners celebrating the arrival and departure of the Canada Geese – and, of course, the swans and all the other ducks and birds. Today marked the return of the Dark Eyed Junco to Winnipeg. Oh, people are so happy to see these adorable little birds. There are several sub-species of Junco and the one that visits Manitoba in the summer to breed is called the Slate-coloured Junco.

The Juncos love my red outdoor carpet. Tomorrow or the next day there will be 50 or more hopping about on it and jumping in and out of the dill. They love it if we ‘intentionally’ spill some seeds on the carpet. They are better than a vacuum clearing them up if we do. They do not feed at the feeders but are also seen on the ground for invertebrates. Isn’t this a real cutie? It was definitely not shy. The image was shot through a triple pane of glass so as not to disturb the bird. It seemed to not notice me.

Today, Mr Blue Jay had two other Blue Jay male visitors that wanted to help him eat his cob of dried corn.

By the time dusk arrives, the Jays and the squirrels – both red and grey – had made a real mess of the seeds. I think one of the squirrels wanted some of that corn but the Blue Jays were not having it. They would eat 3 or 4 kernels and then take some away in their beak. It was fascinating watching them through the windows.

Little Red decided it was easier to get up in the lilac bushes and balance himself on the bird feeder and eat his dinner there. Contending with three male Blue Jays was not something he wanted to do. So he kept quiet and ate and ate. He also doesn’t get on with the Grey Squirrels. He has picked a good place to eat in peace and quiet.

Awwww. Look at those tiny little nails.

It was a good day. All of the garden wildlife save for the rabbit were accounted for. There were also several new species of sparrow in the lilac bushes eating seeds. There were Chipping sparrows as well as Clay Coloured Sparrows today.

Hatch watch is coming soon for the 367 Collins Street Peregrine Falcons. WBSE 27 and 28 are doing well. 28 actually managed to get a prey delivery today. Here is a short video showing 28 mantling the prey and then wanting to share it with his big sib. They have their beautiful juvenile plumage and are so adorable.

I also checked in on the Bald Eagles who are working on their nests. Will put in a report some time this weekend. I know that many of you are anxious for Samson and Gabby, Harriet and M15, as well as Jackie and Shadow to get those nests built and those eggs laid! And while the last of the Albatross are fledgling, it will not be that long til the other adults return to Taiaroa Head to make their nests and lay their eggs for the 2022 season. Sometimes time feels like it melts in front of our eyes.

Thank you for joining me. I have promised myself that I am not going to worry about the Port Lincoln Ospreys tonight. The crazy thing is that I wish the winds would pick up. Dad seems to be able to fish better when that is the case. Yes, I know. That is a crazy idea. Take care all of you. Stay safe. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots: Port Lincoln Osprey Project, Cornell Bird Lab and NZ DOC, and Wildlife Computers.

Port Lincoln Osprey Nest, check in

Today was a day for me to go outside, walk, and enjoy a beautiful, warm, fall day in the country. I did check on the Port Lincoln Ospreys before I left and Dad had brought in a fish and they were eating. It is now noon in Port Lincoln, Australia and there have been two feedings. Everything is fine. I believe the following images will dispel any concerns. We had great days with 8 to 10 feedings and then they slowed down. The chicks are older and their crops can hold more so they get more food but there are less feedings. The older two are in the reptile phase. Some people love the rubbed oil effect and the bald heads, the dark plumage – I am usually glad when they get through this phase!

So here, with little narration are some images from the first 4 hours of the day. Check out the time stamps as you go through.

I love the golden rays of the morning sun falling on Mom and the nest. She is really beautiful.

First feeding. None of the chicks are fighting and this fish came in much earlier today than yesterday (past noon).

Mum makes sure that everyone is full. You can see, look carefully, that all three chicks have nice crops. She is still checking to see if Little Bob wants any more bites.

Right now it is really easy to tell Little Bob from Big and Middle Bob.

Mum is eating some fish. She deserves to eat just like dad and it is hard to get bites in with these three. But, look, does Little Bob want some more fish?

If anyone says this mum feeds herself before her osplets, they are wrong. She is breaking off a piece above and below she is offering it to Little Bob to make sure that he is full.

Look at the crops and the bald oily looking heads. Oh, dear! These kids are changing right before our eyes.

Oh, gosh. Little Bob just finished and now the other two are up at the table again. Mom is feeding both Big and Middle again.

“Last Call at the Fish Bar!”

Mom lets them fall into food comas and makes sure they are covered and warm. Maybe they will sleep for a few minutes.

Oh, no. They are starting to wiggle their way out. Just look at those pin feathers. These babies are going to be doing a lot of preening very soon.

An hour later and Mom is feeding them again. This is feeding 3 and they still have crops from the earlier feeding. No one is going to feel hungry today.

Little Bob stays up at the table. The other two are full.

Finally – food coma.

Happy, full Osplets sleeping in a pile!

There will be more fish meals today. These three are doing fine. We had one worrisome day. Let us all hope that is the last for this family. Right now – in this very moment – all is well.

Take care everyone. Thanks for stopping in. See you soon!!!

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

Fish delivery at PLO. Tears of joy.

It is 11:36 on the Port Lincoln Osprey Nest and Mom is still waiting for Dad to bring in a fish. I have peeked but, she is up and waiting and hopeful. The chicks are behaving themselves. That is a relief. I don’t know what will happen when the fish does arrive on the nest. Thinking positive!

What is very noticeable is the change in appearance of the two older osplets from yesterday. They have really lost that light down and are quickly transitioning to the reptile stage. That is part of the reason that they might have looked ‘skinny’ to some on those days when they were full with crops.

Hatch Information:

  • Big Bob. 13 September. 22:03
  • Middle Bob. 14 September. 02:30
  • Little Bob. 16 September. 00:51

Little Bob still has the light down. It is difficult to distinguish between big and Middle sometimes but I believe that the chick on the left is Big Bob and the one on the right, Middle Bob.

Oh, joy. 11:44:35. It looks like the chicks are anticipating a feeding.

And it looked like shadows of parents moving. Sadly, the camera angle is focused here and we cannot see for sure. I really hope that there has been a fish delivery. These three are behaving themselves but they are really, really hungry ——– and so is Mom!

Waiting.

Fish? No Fish? I think that I am full of anxiety as I watch these three. They are not fighting. They are waiting. Is there food for them?

It is 12:13 on the nest. If a fish was caught, it has not come to the nest nor have the chicks been fed. Mom is calling loudly.

They are still waiting for lunch. Look at the image above and notice where Little Bob is. Now look at where he has gone in anticipation of a fish delivery.

The view from the nest.

Mom is working hard to keep them focused on her so they will not fight.

The real fish finally came in. 12:46:07. Mom does not need to do the fake feeding anymore!

Little Bob is curled up. No doubt they are hungry and their energy is depleted. There is enough fish for everyone. He can wait and let the others get theirs first.

This is very unusual for Little Bob. He is normally up at the table immediately. Big Bob has come up to eat. Wake up Little!

Little Bob came around! You can see his crop getting fuller through the sequence of images. Look at that crop on Middle Bob who is on the left. Then Big Bob and then Little Bob.

It is a nice fish. Mom really needs to eat too. I hope she fills these three up until they pop.

Everyone is happy and behaving themselves. That is also a relief after the earlier skirmishes around dawn.

One last image as those crops get fuller and fuller.

I am just so excited to tell you the good news. These little ones will be full for a bit. They can eat more and I hope that mom continues to feed them – like I said, til they popped. Continue to send warm wishes and positive thoughts to this nest. It is at such a vulnerable stage today.

I am sending this off toggled to my phone as our Internet is out. So thank you again. Take care everyone.

Thanks to the Port Lincoln Osprey nest for their streaming cam where I took my screen shots.

Everyone is Fine

One of the problems with the streaming cams is the ‘chat’ feature. There, I have said it. The same persons come on at different times of the day, every day or every other day and say the same negative things. There is one on the PLO chat that always says, ‘The mother never feeds the youngest’. ‘Mama feed in order never feeds youngest.’ Seriously! Either they can’t rewind, they don’t watch, or they just want to stir the pot of negativity. I think that it is all three. So I go back to an old cry out of mine, Streaming cams need 24/7 knowledgable moderators. They need them to stop the bots coming in and they need them to stop the negative chatter. Even more so, if something happens on the nest they need to have emergency numbers to call or place them on the streaming cam site at the top.

The Port Lincoln Osplets are doing fine! And it is something to celebrate. One of the most exciting things is to watch them grow and grow they are. these chicks are losing their light grey coat to get their second, darker grey down. You can see the little pin feathers starting. still, each retains a tiny bit of its egg tooth. The feet are getting bigger, wings are growing and the tiny tails are starting. If you didn’t know the different species at this age of 9-10 days, just look at that beautiful dark mask going from the cere to behind the eye. that is the distinctive bandit mask of the Osprey!

Dad comes in with another fish. the big one that arrived earlier is all gone.

The chicks are getting bigger and they don’t like sleeping under Mum like they did when they first hatched. Indeed, these little ones seem to be tumbling around underneath her much of the time.

Awwww. Such sweeties.

Because it is winter in Australia, the light changes early. Mum and dad are on the nest and the little ones are getting another feed. Notice how much they have grown. It is as if someone took them and stretched them in the last couple of days. They no longer appear like short fat little chicks but they are entering another phase where they will begin to look like thin reptiles with long necks.

Each is doing fine. There were not as many big fish yesterday as during the high winds but everyone was fed and no one was left out.

I literally checked into the White Bellied Sea Eagle nest to see how WBSE 27 and 28 are doing. Lady was feeding them.

That is WBSE 28 at the front of the nest with its big crop. 27 is practicing its self feeding with a small piece of prey.

This nest will have two fledges this year. I so hope the Pied Currawong do not chase them out of the forest so they can fly and return to the nest for more meals while they get their piloting in order.

Lady Hawk did a video of 27 learning to self-feed and 28 nibbling at her toes. Have a look:

The strongest earthquake in recorded history hit Melbourne, Australia yesterday.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/earthquake-tremor-felt-across-melbourne-and-regional-victoria/news-story/f8dca1048e48a500e3308dabedfdb1c1

The first thing many thought of were the four eggs of the Peregrine Falcons at 367 Collins Street.

Dad was on the eggs at the time and stepped off wondering what was happening.

Everything appears to be fine. Some buildings were damaged but no one was killed. Thankfully! We are nearing hatch watch for this couple.

In Orange, the running joke has been Xavier wanting his time to incubate the eggs.

Xavier doesn’t want to give up his incubating time!

Do you know why the male Peregrine falcon is called Xavier? It is one of those heart wrenching stories that makes you love this little male bird even more.

Diamond’s eggs were ready to hatch. Her mate, Bula, disappeared and was presumed dead. As we all know, the chicks would have died. Instead, enter a new male who starts helping with the chicks and raises them as if they were his own. Because he was a ‘saviour’ of the family, he was named Xavier.

The researcher at Orange is Cilla Kinross. She did a cute video of the negotiations between Diamond and Xavier over the incubation duties.

Everything is changing at these four nests in Australia. The White-Bellied Sea Eagles are exercising their wings, jumping, and hopping about. They are getting more adept at self-feeding although 27 still is the one that gets to the prey first it seems. Lady does come in and feed them. Branching will be next but not for a bit, thankfully. We will be watching for the four at Collins street to hatch in about four or five days. Diamond and Xavier’s chicks will follow but not for a week or a little more. And, of course, the change in the Osplets at Port Lincoln will be significant. They will look like skinny reptiles all wound around one another. The key is that everything, at this moment in time, is just fine. There are no worries. So enjoy them!

It is another beautiful fall day in Manitoba. The Green Heron has departed and I always missed it. Perhaps another will come next year! The Blue Heron is also gone but I hear there are waves of Dark-Eyed Juncos headed towards the city. I cannot wait. They love to pick apart my red outdoor carpet. Such cuties. I am going out for a long walk and to check on the Wood Ducks. Perhaps they will cooperate and there will be some good photos for me to share with you.

Thank you for stopping by. Check out the streaming cams – the birds are doing great. And, if you feel up to it, shut down the negativity. There is already enough in the world. The birds bring us joy. Take care all. See you soon.

Thank you to the following for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots: Port Lincoln Osprey Project, 367 Collins Street by Mirvan, Falcon Project Cam at Orange, Sea Eagles @ Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre.

Oh, Little Bob!

Oh, another glorious fall day on the Canadian Prairies. The sun is shining bright and the sky is blue. The leaves of the vines looking like stained glass ranging in colour from rust to orange, light yellow, and chartreuse. Just stunningly beautiful.

I always worry about the third hatches. I have worried about the third at the Port Lincoln nest the minute the egg was laid. Last evening one of the chatters called #3 “Tuffet.” That is a great nickname for Little Bob.

And Little Bob looks like such an angel. If you are having trouble telling who he is, he still has his egg tooth today. That is him wide awake smiling at the camera.

My goodness. I have begun to feel sorry for Mum. She has only to wiggle or get up to stretch and he has his mouth wide open!

Big and Middle are not bothered at all. Little Bob still has a crop but he is sure curious as to whether or not Mom will give him some bites!

“What cha’ doin’ Mom?”

Little Bob is decidedly not hungry. When I last left the family Dad had brought what was left of the ‘whale’ that he had brought in at 12:35:44.

There was another feeding around 13:08.

If you are wondering, yes, that is Little Bob being fed!

By 13:24 Mum has them all tucked and Dad is over on the ropes.

Around 16:00 the chicks are fed again.

With the whale finished, Dad is going to need to go out and fishing. At 16:49 Dad comes to have a consultation with Mom. She puts in an order for a fish as the kids are growing restless.

The delivery comes in half an hour. Well done, Dad. I wonder if he has a stash of these nice large fish?

Notice that all of the chicks have some fish still in their crop from the earlier feeding.

Oh, dear. That fish was flapping. Hope that little one is OK. It sure isn’t stopping Little Bob with his crop from wanting a meal. There he is near that flapping tail.

Oh, these three are really going to be a handful when they are older. Dad is going to have to bring further reinforcements for the walls. Mom finishes feeding them and then…

She moves the fish and starts again! They all line up again.

Look carefully at the back of Little Bob on the end. Can you see the two dark stripes starting to emerge? and just look at how adorable those little wings are. Gosh these kids are cute.

Dad will remove the fish and return it at 18:20:01.

There’s Little Bob flaunting his crop – wondering if his is the biggest or not.

Mom probably thought she could have a few bites in peace and quiet. What do you think? Yes, that is Little Bob with his mouth open! Poor Mom.

Now another wants some fish. You can still see their crops from the 18:22 feeding. But there is also something else we can see. Look, pin feathers are coming. Soon they will look like reptiles. Their light coat of down will be replaced by a darker woolier coat at 10-12 days. That is followed by the reptile phase.

We are entering the second week. Already these chicks have more than likely tripled their body weight. It should, in fact double again in the next three to four days. The fastest period of growth will come at 15-30 days. This is when we need fish on this nest.

It is possible that when Mom got up to eat some fish she fed some of the Osplets around 21:13.

It was hard to tell because Mum swung herself around so we couldn’t see.

Little Bob wiggles his way out from under Mom in the middle of the night and is calling for fish!

And we are back where we started. Around 1:13, Mom wants to stretch her legs and Little Bob thinks it is time to eat again – crop or not.

It is now 2:51 in the morning, 22 September in Australia. Mom and chicks are fast asleep. No doubt Little Bob will be right up front at the table the minute that fish lands on the nest.

This third hatch is anything but shy or afraid. This nest has really turned itself around thanks to the good deliveries of fish by Dad and the continuous feedings by Mom. No one on this nest has been hungry.

The crucial period is not here yet. We need to make it through weeks 3 and 4.*

Looking for hatch watch with the Peregrine falcons in Melbourne in 6 days. That will liven things up a bit. Over at the WBSE in the Sydney Olympic Park, the parents are dropping prey now that the eaglets are self-feeding. Most of the time 27 gets the food. Yesterday, Mom did the feeding. 28 had a nice crop. The first seen in awhile. The pair continue to work their wings.

Thank you so much for joining me today — and thank you for your interest in the Eastern Ospreys at Port Lincoln, Australia. So far, so good. Continue to send warm wishes to all the nests.

Thank you to the Port Lincoln Osprey Project and the Sea Eagles @ Birdlife Australia Discovery Centre for their streaming cams where I took my screen shots.

* Last year, the feedings were not as good at the PLO. Around Day 15 there was a perceived drop in food delivery. Siblicide occurred and sadly, little Tapps died when he was 18 days old.

Lights Out for Little Bob

With the strong winds and mist blowing around I wanted to make one more check on the Port Lincoln Osprey Nest before turning off the computer for the day. Let’s face it. I was nervous – always nervous when something happens that could change a civil well disciplined nest into one of food insecurity and beakings. Just had to check.

What a surprise. Between 10:11 and 13:00, there were four feedings. Think about that. We are talking about 2 hours and 40 minutes. So, on average, a feeding every 40 minutes. This is quite incredible.

The first feeding lasted more than 12 minutes. Mom’s back was to the camera so the wind didn’t bother the little ones. The 10:21 feeding was still going at 10:24:50.

You can see the increase in the size of the crop belonging to the osplet on the left.

All of the chicks have crops and are finished eating even before mom stops feeding them.

At 11:13, Dad comes to the nest with a fish. Mom takes the fish at 11:14:22 (image below) and feeds the kids. She is still feeding them at 11:20:44.

You can see Little Bob the best in this image. Look at that nice crop and that fat little wing. These chicks are growing and doing so well. Mom and Dad seem to have their mojo this year.

Dad was back on the nest at 12:04 and Mom feeds the trio – again.

The last feeding was around 12:50ish. Little Bob was up to the table first. Indeed, he is usually first. Mom filled him right up. That little crop was stretched! He literally passed out between Middle and Big Bob and they continued to eat. It was just far too funny. I ask myself: why am I worried about this Little Bob?

Lights out for Little Bob!

Despite everything, these parents are really coming through for their three chicks. This is how an Osprey nest with three week-old osplets should function. Lots of little meals at first increasing the amount and the time of the feedings in the 2-3 week period. That is starting now and this couple is right on the money, so to speak. I am delighted. Their little wings and bottoms are filling out and you can see the tiny little tails forming. It is just simply the best! And this was a windy day.

These winds and the good fish reminded me of watching the Cormorants last week at our national park. The winds were so strong, like these, that they blew the fish to the shore. The Cormorants just stood there eating. Maybe that is what is happening here! Please feel free to correct me. Whatever it is, it is wonderful.

You can watch them here:

Thank you for joining me for this quick catch up. No doubt there will be several more feedings before it is night. Take care everyone. Stay safe.

Thank you to the PLO Project for their streaming cam where I took my screen shots.

Little Bob loves his fish

I find myself continually checking on the Port Lincoln Osprey nest. In part it is because of the death of the third hatch, Tapps, last year. It is also because this nest has a history of siblicide. With the hatching of the three osplets so close together this year, everyone is hopeful that each will thrive and survive. If they do, there is a satellite tracker waiting for them so we can follow their lives like we do Solly’s.

Dad was on the ropes of the barge moored at Port Lincoln, Australia, eating some of the fish that he had just caught. This was his second catch of the morning. It wasn’t long til he shifted it over to Mom on the nest for the family breakfast.

The weather report has removed the forecast for rain but the winds are picking up. They are blowing at 34 km/h in the early afternoon. That is 21.1 mph.

It is hard to tell -when the camera was pulled out- who ate.

Turn around Little Bob! Or did Little Bob eat and we didn’t see it?

This feeding is over. You can see the fish left and another tail of a fish in the upper right. There is no shortage of food on the nest. That makes for happy osplets!

At 13:30 Dad brought in a big sized fish. This is so good. That fish, if left on the nest, will feed these wee ones for the rest of the day.

You could hear the wind blowing on the camera. It is very strong and the bobble heads are even more of a challenge for Mum to get tiny morsels into everyone’s mouth. Here she is trying to feed the little one in the middle and its head won’t stay still.

Aren’t those little wings darling?

I have not seen any targeted aggression with any of the three osplets.

Little Bob and Middle Bob have their mouths wide open.

Little Bob decides he is just going to take a bite out of that fish! How cute.

The feeding continues. All three have crops – not huge – but it is a cool wind. I wonder how long mom will feed them? will she stop before they get a chill?

Little Bob even went for the steal on this bite.

It is too funny. Mom is going to cover them up but Little Bob still wants to take a bite out of that fish! Priceless. (You can see his little crop). Oh, Little Bob, you are quite the character already. You are going to be a handful for your mother later!

Oh, my goodness. It is only 14:16 and so far this is today’s tally at the Port Lincoln Osprey nest. Looking at this everyone should be completely relieved. Mom is doing what is best – little frequent feedings. Additionally, she is getting them back under and warm so they do not catch a chill. This nest is really doing well this year. I am much more optimistic.

Fish deliveries: 6:11, 8:16, 13:30

Feedings: 6:11, 8:16, 9:12, 9:25, and 13:30

Please continue to send all of your positive warm wishes to this family so that all three fledge.

Thanks for stopping by for this quick check on the Osplets at Port Lincoln. Take care everyone.

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