Many people who watch Osprey streaming cams or have worked with Ospreys are astonished that Tiny Tot has been able to live on such little food since he had a good feeding at 9pm on the 16th. Yesterday he had some food – not even enough to get me excited. Indeed, when Tiny Tot did a normal ps at 6:39:47 I thought – what the heck?
Today on the Achieva Osprey nest was very interesting and an eye opener into the social behaviour and issues.
All three were a bit soggy when they woke up.
7:21 am. 20 April 2021
A fish was brought on the nest that kept 1 busy.
Diane came in with a second fish at 9:25:44. Tiny Tot was, as usual, right up there and ready to eat. Diane feeds 1 and 2 and Tiny Tot gets some bites between 9:46:38-9:49:08 and again at 9:49:48. Meanwhile, 1 continues to self feed when it isn’t being fed – and is totally occupied with the fish on the nest. During all of this 2 is going in and out. 2 will get a small piece of fish and walk from Diane to eat it.
Diane is feeding 1 while 2 flaps its wings. 2 has just left the feeding and Tiny is still being careful.
Tiny Tot is still being fed and 1 is looking over to the fish left on the nest. 2 is at the far end of the nest away from Diane. If you look at the images you will see that Diane is happily feeding Tiny Tot and 2 is not threatening Tiny or mom.
1 is occupied with a fish and 2 is looking off the nest. Diane is feeding Tiny Tot the tail end of the 9:25:44 delivery.
At 10:19:30 Diane takes the fish that 1 has been self-feeding from and moves it to the back of the nest and feeds Tiny Tot. 1 goes over at 1:44:56 but Diane continues to feed Tiny Tot for another minute and then feeds the last of the fish to 1.
Tiny Tot is really excited to get a private feeding!
Diane feeds most of the fish that 1 had to Tiny Tot while 1 and 2 are at the other end of the nest.
Tiny Tot has a crop at the end of the feeding. Gosh, he must feel good. There he is on the left.
There has been a lot of chatter on the streaming cam’s chat line. Much of it is frustration or statements. The Wildlife Rehabbers will not intervene in this nest and at this moment in time there seems no need for them to do so. If they were to relocate any of the birds to care, it should be – as all the 60 years of Roy Dennis’s research and relocation efforts have discovered at Rutland Water – the older of the birds. Either 1 or 2 will easily survive in care til fledge. Tiny Tot needs to stay with its mother and be fed.
The other interesting revelation from this morning is that when 2 is out of action, the nest is much calmer. Tiny Tot got to eat today because 2 was, for the most part, occupied with little pieces of fish or watching something going on at the other end of the nest. This played into Tiny Tot’s advantage. By not staying around Diane, she freely felt at east to take the fish from 1 and feed it to Tiny Tot knowing he was hungry.
What we all know is that such a good feed for Tiny will hold it for a couple of days! And also, it appears that Tiny Tot is, on occasion, going over to a very old piece of leatherback fish and pecking away on it. Is that his secret?
Thank you for joining me on this joyous morning. Tiny Tot is a survivor and if that isn’t what is needed for ‘natural selection’, I certainly don’t know what is!
Thank you to Achieva Osprey for their streaming cam where I pulled my screen shots.
In the latest edition of BirdLife Magazine out of Cornell University’s Ornithology Lab, there is a compelling article on the race in Africa to save the African Vulture. It was very moving to read it so soon after discovering the women of the Hargila Army in Assam and their literal saving of the General Adjutant, a stork that also consumes carrion and helps keep disease at bay. The article stresses that vultures are the most endangered raptors in the world. While you might not be familiar with the African Vulture or the General Adjutant, you probably are aware of the California condor. Vultures exist in almost every country. They are crucial part of the food chain and play an important role in the environment. This is why conservation biologists around the world are screaming out for change to save them!
In Africa alone, seven of the ten vulture species are endangered. Many of the issues that threaten the vultures also impact other species. However, in India and parts of Africa, the vulture population dropped by as much as 99%. The author of the article noted that this is ‘apocalyptic’. We are familiar with causes such as habitat loss, electrocution from hydro poles, collisions with buildings and vehicles, the lead used in fishing and hunting equipment, scarcity of food, as well as egg collecting. There are several other threats to the vultures in Africa. One of them is rock climbing and disturbing the nests. Another is the trade in vulture body parts which are used for good luck charms in Africa. The head is believed to bring good luck in business while other parts are used as talismans. The birds are directly poisoned. The last is the impact of the veterinary use of NSAIDs. What is NSAID poisoning? Have you ever heard of it? I certainly knew about its use because I cannot drink milk or eat meat unless it is organic but, I was not aware of its impact on bird populations such as vultures. It is wonderful to learn something new each day! Although I prefer if it is something happier.
The image below shows the many animals and birds that compete for the small amount of food available in Africa.
NSAIDs are cheap pharmaceuticals given to cattle to relieve them of their pain and to increase their milk production. They are anti-sterodial. It has long been recognized that the industrial dairies in the US keep the cattle in small pens, standing all day on concrete that causes excruciating pain. These cows are also given treatments to increase their milk production. The life of the cow that never gets to explore and eat grass is traumatic and their longevity is significantly reduced.
The efforts in Africa to eliminate the use of veterinary grade NSAIDs as well as captive-breeding programmes are showing promise. Fencing and satellite tracking is gaining ground. Biologists say that it is time to think ‘bigger’. At the same time, the growth in traditional beliefs is spreading in Africa, alongside the use of more modern pesticides. The author states, however, ‘That for all the bad news, conservationists have taken heart from the fact that the decline in African vultures has been slower than the extraordinary rapid collapse that occurred in Asia’.
Elsewhere in Bird World, life is good on this Sunday the 4th of April. Rising early to watch and hopefully see Tiny Tot (aka Lionheart, Braveheart, Tumbles, 3) have breakfast, the chatters on the Achieva Osprey site probably had their mouths open. A headless fish arrived at 7:22:22. There was some confusion on the nest as Jack stayed with the fish and Diane left for a break. Tiny had already positioned himself and Dad began to feed him. Jack is not the best at feeding the chicks – he is known for touching beaks with no fish – but this morning Tiny got bites. Neither 1 nor 2 seemed interested. They were very busy preening. Eventually 1 joined and Dad fed 1 a bite then Tiny a bite. Mom returns and Dad leaves at 8:01:17. Diane continues feeding Tiny. Tiny awoke with a crop from yesterday but he ate this morning til he could not eat anymore. At 8:12:07 he stopped. There was not a kerfuffle with the older siblings.
Tiny being fed at 7:59 am while older siblings preen. 4 April 2021
Look carefully at Tiny above (far left chick). His little tail is growing and his plumage is changing. A few more days of good feedings and he might be out of the ‘woods’ in terms of his survival.
Diane with her three growing osplets. 4 April 2021
In the image above, Tiny is in the back. You can see his crop. He is standing confidentially next to 2. What a joyous moment on this nest.
The two bald eaglets of Nancy and Harry at the Minnesota DNR nest are growing. Everything is fine on that nest. Harry has learned to feed them and he is a good provider. Nancy is a fantastic mom. Look at those cute little bobbleheads enjoying the warm sun with their mother.
Kisatchie is growing and growing. First time parents Anna and Louis have done really well. The nest is coated with pine to keep away the insects. Kisatchie is healthy and well fed. His plumage is changing every day as he rids himself of his natal down.
I am afraid to say little owlets anymore. Look at Tiger (left) and Lily (right). They are keeping both Bonnie and Clyde busy hunting, day and night it seems. They look like they are wearing beautiful mohair coats with hoods. In my neighbourhood, yesterday, we were reminded about how formidable a raptor these Great Horned Owls are when one of the ones living nearby tried to take off with one of the neighbour’s cats that had gotten out in the back lane. Remember. Great Horned Owls can carry three times their own weight!
And last but never least, my all time favourite bird mother, Big Red sitting on her three eggs in the Red Tail Hawk nest on the Cornell University Campus. Isn’t it lovely? She actually gets to enjoy some sunshine today!
Thank you so much for joining me today. Keep your eyes on what is happening in the Tampa area. There is rumour that 480 million gallons of radioactive water is threatening to push down a retaining wall. If so, this will be catastrophic not only for the people of the area but for the wildlife – including many Ospreys and Bald Eagles that we so dearly treasure.
Thanks to the following for their streaming cams where I grabbed my screen shots: the Kisatchie National Forest and the USFWS, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, the Cornell Bird Lab Red Tail Hawk Cam at Ithaca, Farmer Derek, and the Achieva Credit Union in St. Petersburg.
Credit for feature image: “In search of the Maltese Falcon #13 – White Backed Vulture, Malta Falconry Centre” by foxypar4 is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
