Coping with the Heat

Here in the Tweed Valley we are sweltering in the heat, with hot muggy conditions and some sudden thundery downpours that haven't been unwelcome!

With the osprey nest being so high up and exposed, there is of course, no shade to be had for the chicks. Our female Osprey has therefore been doing a great 'parasol' impersonation, trying to provide enough shade for all three of her young. She has been standing with her wings outspread, almost like a cormorant, and with her own feathers fluffed out to increase air circulation. Heat and dehydration can be a real risk for young Ospreys who are getting all their water needs from their fish diet.

Fascinatingly, when the male has arrived with food over the last couple of days, mum hasn't made her usual quick grab of the fish to feed it to the chicks. She seems to realise keeping the chicks shaded is even more important than food, so she has held her position. Dad therefor has stepped into the breach and been feeding the chicks himself- not very common behaviour, but a sensible way around the problem. Osprey parents are nothing if not dedicated!

What to Expect Next

As our chicks reach their 'halfway mark' in the fast race to fledging, its a good time to look ahead. We've had lots of questions about what to expect over the next few weeks, so here's a guide.

Our chicks will quickly gain adult feathers now( these currently showing as wee brown smudges in their down), and will begin to look a lot more like miniature adults.

The chicks legs will start to develop strength and they will begin to stand more on the nest , whereas they are still currently 'walking' on their knees and their elbows! They will likely be much more adventurous on the nest too, venturing out of the central cup to the edges.

We expect in a week or so to see the chicks start stretching their wings and develop their muscles. They will likely fledge at between 7 and 8 weeks- watch out for the thrills and spills.

We also expect to ring the chicks sometime in the next ten days to two weeks: this special day will be organised by an expert team- stay tuned for the date to be announced. This event will be televised in the centres live.

The Name Game

Here in the Tweed Valley we have decided to break with convention this year and name our young Ospreys on the nest. There are three chicks at approximately three and a half weeks old, who are definately developing their own unique characters so we thought it high time they had names!

We have asked three of our local primary schools to help name the Osprey chicks , as hopefully these birds will part of the future of the Borders just as the children will be. The school holidays will be the ideal time for the children to come and meet their 'namesakes' and see for themselves just how fast they grow, and follow their eventful progress.

With very kind assistance of the local primary school children we now have names for two of our youngsters: The largest and bossiest chicks has been named " Tokyo" by Eddlestone Primary pupils and the second, darker chick has been named " Caledonia" by the pupils at Kingsland Primary School, Peebles. We are waiting for confirmation of the name for the third, youngest chick, but it is currently going by the nickname " Stig".

Hotting Up

Our baby Ospreys are now three weeks old, and taking on a speckled appearance, as they get the first tiny adult feathers. Their wings seem to be growing faster than anything else, and they seem to using these long appendages as 'props' . All three youngsters are quite mobile now and as they move around the nest, they balance on their wings as their feet are still quite weak.

Dad excelled himself this morning with three nice fish delivered within 3 hours- the demands of a hungry family just keep growing! The fishing conditions are near perfect, with calm clear water, at a good depth.

Mum has spent most of today shielding the youngsters from the hot weather- what a difference to last week when she was struggling to keep them warm. She has been standing over the chicks with her wings spread to provide as much shade as possible!

Intruder Drama on the Nest

At Osprey nests, it is common in the early days of the season to have intruder Ospreys harass the nest. These are usually young juvenile birds trying to muscle in on the established pairs, who are given short welcome by resident birds. Regular viewers of our main nest here in the Tweed valley will know we certainly had our fair share of these dramas back in April.

It is more unusual however, to have intruders later in the season, so today's events were certainly a surprise! At approximately 11.45 the female started giving alarm calls, and the chicks obediently 'played dead' in the nest. Mum started to mantle ( spreading her wings defensively ) and the shadow of a large bird was seen passing over the nest a few times.

Then dramatically, a strange adult Osprey landed on the nest, clinging to the right hand side for a few seconds before mum flew at it in a rage and chased it off. This intruder bird seemed to fall to the lower branches of the nest tree, stunned, but then took off, and the female gave chase!

She was absent form the nest for at least 10 minutes, which the chicks didn't seem to mind, though we were very relieved when she reappeared to keep them safe. Though another Osprey would not harm the chicks, and opportunist predator may have take the chance to steal a chick, or a heavy shower could have chilled them fatally.

Is this the same intruder female who we saw at the nest in April? We could not seem any coloured leg ring during the brief visit so it is certainly possible- and would account for her boldness. Or could it be another of our youngsters returning to its natal nest? These questions can only be answered if it returns to the nest again- though we hope for our chicks sake , things remain quiet and peaceful.

Fledging Youngsters

News today of our other nesting birds on live cameras in the centres.

The swallows at Glentress have begun to fledge from the nest- all six are absolutely huge and hopefully will therefore have a good chance on the wing. The jackdaws have also fledged but are still using the box to roost in.

The Kailzie nuthatches are doing well, with several of the ringed young appearing on the feeders at the window very regularly. We are still hoping their parents will lay another clutch in the televised nest box.

The Herons are still using the nest their nests in the colony on camera, and are often to be seen sitting in a loose group in the field along the river bank- sometimes up to seven or eight of them!

We also have a blue tits live on camera at Kailzie at the moment on camera.

We are hoping to have more youngsters on camera in the centres soon- just in time for the school holidays!

Second Week for the Chicks

The second week of our chicks lives has been a happy and uneventful one. There have been plenty of fish delivered by our dedicated male, and mum has been working hard to keep the chicks warm and dry during the recent heavy showers of rain.

The chicks are 15, 14 and 12 days old today, and all are doing well- and even the smallest chick is managing to get his fair share of food- his size doesn't seem to an impediment. The squabbling is seemingly subsiding as the chicks sort out their 'pecking order' and things find a quieter equilibrium.

The change this week most of you will notice is that all three chicks have entered their very dark grey phase with distinctive white stripes on their backs. Some unkind folk would say this is an 'ugly' stage with the chicks looking decidedly reptilian! We'll let you decide!