HICCUP

Just a very quick note to apologise for the lack of camera on YouTube at present. We have a wiggly amps problem in the electronics which my vast experience of matters electrical (ie turning everything off then on again, wiggling the wires and hopefully tapping the offending bits of kit) has failed to resolve. Luckily, there’s not much action being missed as the chicks are spending most of their days away from the nest but I will try to resolve it.

Like typical kids, the juveniles have left the days of nervous short flights with swooping take offs when they forget to use their wings properly and only slightly-in-control crash landings on the nest (preferably softened by landing on a sibling or adult) behind them. They are now super confident, even cocky, racing around the sky, swooping, climbing, stall turning, twisting and chasing. A group of us were watching 4 of “our” ospreys, plus a possible intruder, all manoeuvring above the field a few days ago and we were spinning like tops trying to follow them all. I was very flattered to be asked if I could recognise which bird it was that we were watching at one point. It was still a dot, even with binoculars, but even I can’t distinguish specific ospreys at that distance, but thanks to the questioner for her confidence. It was interesting to see that the youngsters were willing to join in protecting the territory from the intruder but honestly, I’m not sure that they were an actual help!

One further bit of progress is that 9J7 (chick 2) returned to the nest looking a little soggy and clutching something that looked like riverweed a day or so ago. It looks like she, at least, is practising her fishing technique. It is nevertheless a fact that most juveniles set off on migration having never caught a fish themselves. The sensible ones find somewhere to refine their technique before getting too far. Brian’s home is near an estuary on the south coast teeming with fish and most years locals can watch a youngster breaking their journey there and mastering catching fish on a regular basis before travelling on. Far easier to do than waiting until they are really hungry and the fishing conditions are less benign.

That’s all in front of them and our family seems to be just enjoying life. Both parents are fishing and the juveniles are probably having the easiest time they will have in their lives. No worries, the freedom of flight, food being delivered regularly and still having the protection of their parents. I hope they enjoy it while they can as life will get tougher for them in a few weeks’ time.