Waiting for the Osprey eggs to hatch.

Interesting pictures--glad that I'm not a fish.

Nice shots unsteady!

Great series, unsteady!

Great photos!!

I will be cautiously happy that there is a third chick. :)

Burd, you're right, it does seem like a miracle.

Pete, great shots.

Good information, Tiger.

Dad has been coming and going three or four times in the couple of hours each day that I've been spending at the nest. He'll go and catch a fish at Big Hooks insistence and may eat the head off before bringing it to the nest, but he occasionally responds to her demands by bringing it in live and flapping. This is particularly harrowing as Big Hook is such a klutz, carrying it around right next to the chicks.

Big Hook doesn't seem quite as comfortable and confident as she did last year. When Dad was sitting on the eggs, he'd settle down and barely move. Big Hook on the other hand was constantly looking around, getting up and repositioning herself. Since the chicks have hatched, this restlessness has persisted and both Madame X and I have noticed that she continues to move sticks around the nest, often perilously close to the chicks. Yesterday, I thought I was going to see a repeat of the awful events of the day before, when she was attempting to negotiate her way near the chicks, she stumbled a bit. She appears in robust good health and I don't think her clumsiness around the chicks is an indication of anything sinister. The fact that the eggs were visible and likewise the chicks could be seen from the time of hatching shows that the nest cup is much more shallow than in previous years. She is probably aware of this and is trying to build it up, but in so doing, is putting the chicks in danger.

Yes, nanny, I agree, cautious optimism. Who'd have thought that watching Ospreys could be so nerve-wracking.

I'll post a few shots from yesterday. When I first arrived at the nest, it was actually drizzling. In the more diffuse light, the eggshell from the new chick, along with the new chick.

Eventually the sun came out. It doesn't stay hidden for long over here. Here's Big Hook feed the chicks.

In this shot she's actually feeding the new chick. It was a relief to see her feeding it as the other chick has a 3-4 days start on it and could well dominate at feeding times.

Last one for now. Needless to say, I'll be back there this afternoon.

Dad coming in to the nest from the bay.

My gosh....from your photos it is quite obvious how shallow the nest is! We have never had that good a view of the newly hatched chicks........makes me very nervous to say the least.

Great photo's Margaret. It makes me feel like I am sitting on the nest too! Terrific! :)

unsteady Looking at those fish there does not seem to be a food shortage in this nest. However food supply does play a big role in what happens in the nest. In times of scarcity the biggest chick does tend to give lessons in pecking order to the smaller ones.

Those are great picture you posted. Mind you it took me forever to see the gaping mouth. I thought that was the fish for some odd reason. Getting the fish off the talon of the male can sometimes be a problem.

I do not know the location of the nest we are watching but I presume it is somewhere near Perth. The days are presumably not that long and thus if there was not a good supply of fish it would be hard to keep the chicks fed. In the northern hemisphere the ospreys migrate north to nest. This is presumably to increase the hours of light. Indeed at Hailuoto the most northerly osprey nest I am aware of there is light 24/7 for a considerable number of weeks during the breeding season.

Margaret. I love your description of Big Hook being a klutz. I became aware of that word for the first time not too long ago. It was American woman describing a male osprey.


It is always fascination the different techniques that female ospreys use to persuade "their man" to go fishing. I am aware of one female that used to give her man a smack in tell him that she wanted some fish. It appeared to work.

Watching ospreys is always nerve racking. I have often wondered why ospreys are so fascinating but I have never really worked out why.

Sweet pics Margaret!

margaret,This year is going to very Interesting ,to say the least.Iam not sure I could be you Margaret, you have great patience,and Iam glad you do..Thank you Tamara

"Watching ospreys is always nerve racking. I have often wondered why ospreys are so fascinating but I have never really worked out why."

I would agree with you on that Tiger! This is the third season that Margaret has been watching this nest. It is totally captivating and each year the number of watcher on this forum have grown!

Thanks for your lovely comments folks.

Yesterday was quite warm and Big Hook was sheltering the chicks for some time. She eventually flew off to have a bath and Dad took over nest duties. He actually started to settle down on top of the chicks a couple of times, but it was almost as if he was uncomfortable with them moving under him. He is more used to sitting on eggs and he quickly got up but would reposition himself on top of them briefly. That was the first time I've even seen him even attempt to sit on the chicks. After a couple of minutes he decided he'd be more comfortable squatting next to them. Here's a couple of shots.

I'll start a new thread later today.

I'll find a photo of Dad manoeuvring on top of the chicks. Bear with me.

This is about as close as he came to actually settling down on top of them.

He did stay like this for a few minutes, sheltering them from the sun.

Oh......That second shot is soooo precious!!! DAD and those 2 little heads!

Wonderful pix, Marggie! I agree with nanny, the second shot is precious!!!

Aww that is so sweet. Dad might have been afraid to do them harm, by sitting on them.

Wonderful pic's again. This is so much fun!

Excellent pics Margaret!

Margaret,
Number 2 is killer..............that's a Hallmark Greetings card!! As a matter of interest are these shots with the hired Sigma lens? If so I'm really impressed with the detail and sharpness, you could have found your solution to greater reach without taking a mortgage out for the Canon version!
I must say seeing these images makes me very jealous - for all of you other followers Margaret and I are common Osprey tragics - my problem is I'm sat at work looking down the river to about 12 Kms away where the birds are! Keep them coming Marg and see you at the WE although I still hope to get away early today or tomorrow!

wonderful..

Fantastic pictures Margaret!

Thanks all.

It's been a frustrating couple of days as far as photography goes. I hired a 150-500mm lens yesterday in the hope of showing some shots of the chicks in greater detail. Very disappointing. The above shots were sharpened in elements. Pete, I'm really hankering for a 500mm Canon lens.

Dad continues to come and go, delivering and taking away fish he has brought to Big Hook to feed to the chicks. She is feeding both chicks, which is a relief, as there were fears that the larger chick may dominate and the smaller one may starve. Big Hook, as if she's realized the error of her ways, moves sticks around the very shallow nest in an effort to build up the sides and make it safer for those two gorgeous little bundles. However, moving sticks around in such close proximity to the chicks actually increases the danger - she may clonk one with a stick or send one flying as she moves it. We'll just have to wait and see and hope that they survive.

I'll be back shortly with a link to the new thread. In the meantime, here's a shot of Big Hook coming up to the nest from a different angle today.

Here's the link. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1133620/



This message was edited Oct 7, 2010 8:53 PM