The oldest chick will be five weeks old tomorrow! Time just seems to fly, and it won’t be long until the chicks do! We’ll be ringing the chicks at around six weeks old, and at ringing we will be able to determine their sex. People have been asking recently if we can tell whether the chicks are male or female yet, and we were talking about it ourselves today. The answer is – no! Not yet, anyway. We could guess, of course, but as we decided today – it’s still too soon to tell. We need to wait until the chicks are weighed, and then we’ll know for sure.
Whatever their gender, all three chicks are growing incredibly fast – even little’un is almost fully feathered! They have been stretching and flapping a lot more recently, and one chick even tried a little jump at one point today! In the next couple of weeks the chicks will become much steadier on their feet, and will gain more control over their wings. They will be flapping away enthusiastically, preparing for the the day they take that leap of faith and fly… But that’s not going to happen just yet, so let’s focus on today. Here’s a video of one of the chicks having a good old flap!
Flapping
Maya has been bringing lots of sticks in again today, and making sure that nest is just as she likes it!
Maya flying in with a stick
Maya landing with the stick
Maya moving a stick
Just there will do
An intruder came over this morning, at about 08:40, and 33 came to the nest and mantled. Maya didn’t seem too bothered, though, and while 33 shouted and made a fuss she just moved a stick about!
Mantling at an intruder
33 brought in a trout at around 11:00, which the chicks enjoyed in a nice, orderly fashion!
Trout
Orderly queue
As yesterday, he came back for it, ate a bit then returned it later. Maya took it from him and fed the chicks again.
33 brings the fish back
Feed me
The next fish, a pike, came along at 16:30, and it only took 33 about five minutes to catch this!
Pike
Eating the pike
It’s been a lovely day overall, with the warm weather creating the perfect conditions for lying around in a nest, with a nice view and plenty of fish. What a life these Ospreys have!
33 with the chicks
