Bird Watching: Raising Aussie Osprey #8, 0 by MargaretK

MargaretK wrote:
I've been going to the nest site a couple of times a day as do my fellow observers. Mum hadn't been seen off the nest for more than two days. Mum certainly seems bright enough; alert and looking around her. Her remaining eye is still clear and bright. She doesn't appear to be distressed and in Aussie's absence, seems remarkably content. She did some of the head rocking that was a precursor to her leaving the nest three days ago. Sure enough, she left the nest in a comfortable and controlled flight. Three of us were watching at the time and held our collective breath awaiting her return, hoping it would be with a fish. Not to be. She did a poop on her return. I didn't see it but the others did and said there wasn't much of it, but it was white. A good sign.

She took off again not long afterwards and almost immediately Aussie arrived at the nest sight. She did a little bit of calling, but mostly watched and waited for Mum's return, which didn't happen whilst we were still there.

I'd become very concerned about Aussie's well-being as she hadn't been see for a couple of days and the last time I saw her, her voice was very scratchy. After checking in on Mum late this morning, I went for a challenging walk along the foreshore and was happy to see Dad in one tree and Aussie in another, about 50 metres from him. I could see Mum still on the nest.

The attached shot is one from my co-observer, who took this shot in late 2007 or early 2008. Her left eye is still intact. He believes that the injury occurred between early and late 2008 and has had to adapt her behaviour during this season. Whilst she was hatching the eggs and rearing the chick, she was being brought fish by her mate. Over the past three weeks, Aussie has become more independent and the food supply has dried up, the male thinks he no longer needs to provide her with food as well, which under normal circumstances would be fine. My friend believes that the resulting conflict - Mum can't fish, Dad has cut down the fish supply believing she can and delivers enough fish only for one.

He concludes from this, and I agree, that as a result, poor Aussie isn't getting enough fish and may be at risk. He reiterates that the conflictual behaviour is completely out of character and both he and his wife described seeing Mum, Dad and two chicks flying around together and all living in harmony at the nest long after the chicks had fledged.