Bird Watching: All three chicks have fledged., 1 by MargaretK

MargaretK wrote:
Iris, I have been seeing a bit of squabbling on the nest when two of them are present when Big Hook brings a fish. Nothing serious, though.

Yes, GG, I'd love to see all three. It just seems a bit too long to have only seen two and not heard the third.

Kim, I don't think "sharing" is in a juvenile osprey's nature. It's every bird for itself.

I'm glad you are continuing to enjoy their lives, Jan.

Duc, from what Resin says, it is probably Dad. That dark spot in the iris is a dead giveaway. Whopper never had any distinguishing marks. What a shame no banding is taking place. It would be so exciting to be able to follow individuals.

Thanks, Resin. I remember a couple of years ago Madam X and I were concerned about a strange bird with an obvious bib sitting on dad's branch and it was around this time of year.

BeaHive, the sky here is very blue, but not that blue. I often have to desaturate the blue sky in Elements because it's just too blue. I didn't desaturate this time.

Thanks, Burn. Yes, it is interesting seeing the nest from a different perspective. It was so dry and so undisturbed down there that for the first time, I was actually keeping and ear and an eye out for snakes.

Here's a cropped shot of that poor fish. I was sitting up the top on the embankment a couple of weeks ago and noticed this rather awful smell. Only a few inches away was the drying carcass of one of these fish, or one very similar. By the marks on it, I'd say it had certainly been in the clutches of an osprey.