Yep, we have ourselves a girl band - all three chicks are female.
Very sorry that you were not able to see some of the event "live" this morning, we just were not able to sort the technical faults in time. However, the video is back now.
Heavy rain overnight and some light drizzle this morning, almost caused us to postpone, but when we set off out to the tree it was dry and on the plus side, it was relatively cool at 17 degrees C which compared to the hot & humid weather of late made for good ringing/tagging conditions.
I don't know if the sound was working (I suspect not, given that the camera wasn't) but you might have heard EJ alarming as she saw us approaching. She high-circled above the nest, and her alarm call was the chicks' cue to lie motionless in the nest.
My colleague, Robert climbed the ladder to bag-up the chicks and bring them to the ground. The youngest/smallest, Garten was weighed, measured and ringed, photographed and them promptly put straight back into the nest.
We then beat a hasty retreat with two boxed-up osprey chicks, back to the Centre for tagging. The chicks were kept cool and in the darkness of the box until it was their turn to be tagged. To calm them further, during tagging Roy places a falconry hood over their heads, which subdues them almost to the point of dozing off. Anyway, rest assured, they were handled very gently, preciously and carefully throughout. In return? They both pooped on Roy and I as we held them for photos!
As hoped and predicted, EJ, who had been overhead throughout, came back towards the nest and perched in the adjacent tree to the nest. I don't think she came back on to the nest, but I wasn't watching all the time, too busy with other things. Whenever I checked she was sat quietly nearby.
The dampness of the morning had made it hellish midgy, so we set up table and chairs inside the Centre building, at which to tag. Roy Dennis ringed both first, then fitted the tags, taking time to explain to those of us gathered to watch, each step in the procedure. Once both birds were fitted with their tags, there was a photo-call for all those with cameras including the local press, and a thrilling once in a lifetime experience for young Alfie, Jack and Erin, children of some of the staff, to actually touch an osprey.
Then it was promptly back out to the tree with Rothes and Mallachie to replace them in the nest, check for any fishing line and clean the camera lens. By this time Odin was back and at one point he valiantly made a half-hearted stoop at Robert at the top of the ladder.
The details are as follows:
Oldest chick: Rothes
Middle chick: Mallachie
Youngest chick: Garten
You will notice that the oldest chick Rothes, is the lightest in weight. Roy explained that on a growth curve they increase in weight with age, obviously, but that once they have reached a certain peak point, they actually lose a bit of weight - heavier fat, converting to lighter muscle, as they prepare to fledge. I am very pleased to report that all three chicks are in very good condition indeed, according to Roy, all of a good, if not decidedly chunky weight, and no sign of "checks" in feather growth which result from food shortages.
We've had two fish today so far, one at 04.30am and another just in at 14.40 pm.
Fledging will likely be between 19-22 July for Rothes, the other to follow a few days later.
Sorry for the delay in posting this blog. Further lightning strikes knocked-out the office computers.
Three girls? How lovely, and I don't think anyone guessed they could all be female! I'm so very glad it all went well, and it's lovely to see all the photos, you've done us all proud, for which I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Not forgetting Roy of course.
That's very good news indeed, glad all went well! I'm still hoping for a fledging at 14:00 on the 18th July!!!
Thank you Richard for the very detailed update and photographs. It was lovely to hear all about it and to know that the chicks are healthy and doing well. you have all had a very busy day on top of everything else you have to do. So I think now you can sit down have a cup of tea , a piece of cake and pat yourselves on the back for a job well done and for getting the camera sorted out for all us "addicts" out here. Well done Team Loch Garten and Roy!!
well Richard, THANK YOU so much for posting this so quickly.
What a great update and the pictures are lovely to see. I almost have tears in my eyes seeing the chicks being held so gently. They are so beautiful.
That is a surprise to me about being all girls but what do I know!! Thanks for explaining about how Rothes is a little lighter than the other 2. Also so pleased to see Mallachie is weighing in at a good weight as she always seems last in line at the food table:)
What wonderful news as well they are all looking so healthy and no sign of food shortages (which wasn't too much of a shock) LOL
So, as always and more so this time, thank you.
So well done and it's not till I see them in your hand that I relaise how big they are. Mallachie is still my favoutire boy or girl. (glad I didn't put a bet on 'cos I was so sure she was a boy lol) It;s a priviledge to look at all those photographs and to think I've known them from an egg. Totally wonderfull Babbling lost for words. Just one thing Richard please tell me what it was like to hold an Osprey!! THank you to everybody involved. xxx
REPLY: In short? Awesome. - Richard
Fantastic info and pictures, I have printed them out. New two of them would be girls from their behaviour,but suprised at the middle one as more laid back.
Originally you said the oldest two and heaviest would be tagged. Now on weighing them did you have the thougth that the youngest should of been tagged instead of number 1 because of the weight?
I was willing Garten to eat to overtake the middle one but never though she would overtake the weight of the first chick, well done to her for being very determined to survive.
Were you a little sad to have no males or were you not bothered as long as they were healthy?
Have you had 3 successful chicks flegged before at Loch Garten nest, if so how many times and when?
Sorry about the questions but soooooooooo excited. Hoped you kissed them from us despite poohing on you with nerves. Jillian.
Will call them the Three degrees now.
REPLY: Ultimately it was Roy's call as to which to tag, but once he weighed them and checked them over he concurred that it would be the older two, as it generally would always be, but Garten was also in the frame, she could have been tagged, but was just that wee bit smaller still (wing) and just that bit behind the other two. Sad, that none were boys? Nah, so long as they're in good nick, that's what counts. Have we fledged three before now, yes, many times. - Richard