Osprey Cameras

[TonyT]

Our osprey camera at the second nest was taken offline because the babies died, most likely from pneumonia during cool rainy weather two weeks ago. The first nest camera is still live with 3 healthy babies in the nest. Check in periodically and watch papa bring back a fish and momma feed the babies.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Watched for a bit this morning...cool stuff.
This morning, 2x chicks active and over to the right...and 1x check over on the left that appears very weak and looks to be a bit behind in development..hope it makes it.

[TonyT]

Watched for a bit this morning...cool stuff.
This morning, 2x chicks active and over to the right...and 1x check over on the left that appears very weak and looks to be a bit behind in development..hope it makes it.

Yeah, the runt will probably die. That's usually what happens, the biggest one will kill it. He's been pecking it daily in the head, sometimes the middle one defends it.

[Lefty]

We have an osprey nest in the shipyard. Majestic birds. I love them.

[Philip]

Amazing to watch up close, thanks Tony.

[Easto]

Wow, sound too.

[Ken]

Yes, the runt is doomed. He drug himself over to get a bite and the larger started attacking his head. I doubt that he makes it another day.

I wonder if the parents will eject him from nest after he dies... Tony, how do they deal with death of their young? (Hopefully not like the MadDoc does!!!! )


I really like the cache. As you click on the live feed, you can go back a few hours! Nice job!

[TonyT]

Yes, the runt is doomed. He drug himself over to get a bite and the larger started attacking his head. I doubt that he makes it another day.
I wonder if the parents will eject him from nest after he dies... Tony, how do they deal with death of their young? (Hopefully not like the MadDoc does!!!! )
I really like the cache. As you click on the live feed, you can go back a few hours! Nice job!

Thanks! Re dead chicks, one of the adults will remove it if/when it occurs.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Yeah, the runt will probably die. That's usually what happens, the biggest one will kill it. He's been pecking it daily in the head, sometimes the middle one defends it.

Yup I've watched that a lot since growing up....having salt water cove (and tons of ospreys) in the back yard growing up. Often see the body on the ground after a while, birds are "mean" that way. But it's mother natures way of population control. It's called "siblicide"

I do miss the King Fishers too.

Just peeked in today, the runt appears weaker and weaker every day, they just finished feeding and it was cowering over in the corner. When the two big 'uns were done feeding it tried coming over and getting a scrap..and one of the big ones beat it down. You can tell the runt is psychologically beat down now, it went right over the corner, faced away, and cowered.

I'm giving it til this weekend when it'll be rolled out of the next and it'll plop on the ground.

[YeOldeStonecat]

The runt appears done...we had a pool at the office I had "over the edge by Monday". None of us expected this quick...he was quite energetic yesterday although still many beatings.
Been rewinding looking for the attack that finished it off but can't find it.

[Ken]

Yeap, he's gone. Nature has always been cruel and violent. C'est la vie...

I wonder if they flew off with his body or merely flipped him over the edge.

Perhaps being as ospreys are raptors and are carnivores, albeit fish eating, I wonder if they made him a snack... (I know that they most likely didn't as long as they have access to their natural food source. However if fish were scarce, perhaps...)

[YeOldeStonecat]

The comments on the site say that the "dad" kept flying back with fresh grass and covered up the body, so I guess it's still under there.
I've seen then on the ground under the nest..usually not for long since a possum or raccoon will usually scurry off with it.

[Philip]

It's sad, and nature is cruel, yes. Still, he covered the body? Wow.

[TonyT]

Yep, the runt is gone.
Now the threat will be from great horned owls. There are a few pairs of owls nearby. They are larger than the ospreys. Last year a horned owl killed and ate a baby and the mother too. This female osprey is a first time mother.

Eagles are also a threat, but when they enter the osprey territory the ospreys from 3-4 nests will all fly up and chase the eagles away. Amazing how ospreys will holler and yell at each other but will join together to fight common threats. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

[YeOldeStonecat]

Waiting for that first flight....should be fledging soon.

[TonyT]

Waiting for that first flight....should be fledging soon.

Yup, I thought they would start this week. Last week the older one was perching at edge of nest a lot.

[Easto]

I completely forgot about this thread. They're huge now.

[YeOldeStonecat]

1 took off this morning.....hasn't come back.

2nd baby took off for about 30 seconds ...hovered up about 5 feet..came back down.

Been watching them work their wings the past few days, sometimes hovering up above the nest for a couple of feet. But this morning..1 took off..flew straight out and away.

[TonyT]

They will start flying with the male soon and learn to fish.

[YeOldeStonecat]

They will start flying with the male soon and learn to fish.

Catching fish is innate...surprisingly they don't need to be taught ....
http://ospreywatch.blogspot.com/2013...from-dyfi.html

Being doing a network/wifi project at a big boat yard for the past 2 weeks and they have a few osprey nests around there, watching those youngin's do their short flights as they build their muscles up.