Monday 13 June 2011

Chicks are growing up.

The three osprey chicks are really growing up in to fine healthy young birds now. The two older chicks have the characteristic stripey heads and are bigger than the youngest one.
It has been a busy time for the parents and despite the horrendous weather this summer has brought for the Tweed Valley, the male bird still manages to bring in plenty of fish .
The herony cam shows such a contrast in the two species lifestyles, the heron parents are very much more indifferent towards their chicks it seems. The parents rarely ever sit on the nest with their young and they have to huddle together for warmth and are never sheltered by the parents. We never see the young chicks being fed and as they are growing can only conclude that they get an early meal prior to cameras being swithched on.
Ospreys by comparison are so very attentive to their little ones and shield them from weather and any likely threats of danger.
The blue tits have now fledged and the other nest cams have no residents. One box has been visited by a grey squirrel and also a great tit. We will be keeping a look out for any other likely nests for cameras to capture second broods.

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