Thank you Judy! That helped. So.....we have a male who possibly is providing for the chicks and hopefully will teach them and wants to become the new male on the nest.......and an unknown female who might be related to mom, or not; or just looking for refuge. And a plethora of chicks! And all are being fed......

I guess you could not ask for more (dare I say that?)......
Thank you so much I now understand,
carolyn

Good Morning all
9:04am
Two chicks eating on the nest

9:10am
Chick at 12 moved the fish over to 1..both chicks cont. to eat

I'm not sure if we have an extra female or if Mom was having a very bad "hair" day. One of the adults that we decided did not look like Mom turned out to be male (Mom is quite slender right now, after a busy season raising three chicks, and an even busier couple of weeks as sole provider for hungry fledglings, making her not that much rounder than a well-fed male).

I'm getting confused myself and need to get back to work rather than read over the comments from last night, but I think the feather patterns of the female-looking adult last night did not match Mom's - but those can change some with wind, rain, or a possible confrontation with an intruder. The possibly messy tail feathers (the barred one we were seeing on top, as if it was partly turned over or something) suggests that other feathers might be mussed up as well. Maybe.

I think what we need to do is watch as much as we can, and hopefully we'll be able to sort it all out eventually.

I think Christine was hoping to go down to see what she can see onsite either today or tomorrow - hopefully that will help us figure out how many osprey there are in the area.

I am still hoping to go down to the nest area. It is raining in Calgary right now -- not heavy but enough to get me pretty wet so I will have to see how the day turns out.

9:51am

Morning all

Finally get to sit down and watch for a bit (have been recording)

Three chicks on the nest - still working on the leftover fish - and a big dark bird on the bar.


Skimmed over the early am recording and reports. Mom brought in a small fish- the third Juvie flew in and wanted it. Mom shared by feeding him. It has not been uncommon for this Mom to feed the juvies occasionally. For that matter - Dad has occasionally - very occasionally - fed the juvies too.


Regarding the female last night. I believe it was Mom. Tail feathers messed up but still Mom. The chicks had no reaction to her that was different from the norm. If it was a stranger - fish or no fish, they would have shown some stand offish behavior. I am so sorry that I had forgotten to turn my recording back on yesterday :cry1:so I could have a record of that male's arrival. I am recording this entire day. I will not forget to turn it back on!!!!

I would tend to think momma had a bad hair day also.I have watched an osprey over Mundy Pond in St.John's NL,and herring gulls
often harrass ospreys fishing,this one particular day the
Herring gull pulled out a perfect full tail feather off this osprey.Momma had to go into fishing mode for her babies,the osprey avoids
them but when eyeing fish,and hovering in one spot like a
Harrier helicopter like the British have,gulls will try to pull at their feathers,and also over Mundy pond Herring gulls by the locals have
been observed in numbers to body check them in the air to release their prey,
and have been successful at getting the osprey to drop a trout just as the Bald eagle does.I would never believe it but i have observed
them so close in their habitat live,and fishing areas,they are the only hawk i have
ever witnessed that avoids all engagements with other birds during these times,they avoid the fight at all times,i gather because it is so
solely important for them to preserve their flight and fishing feathers.But! when it comes to a Raven,
if an osprey even see's a Raven he will immediately attack it,chase it,they hate them haha,i love the Raven and the osprey,funny to
watch.They also hate eagles,and at another nesting site,if they see one,as this local
man who observed them told me,they will chase it for miles.

P.S-But when the osprey catches a trout and the eagle moves in with tremendous speed and power,well the King of the castle wins that one
and ospreys must be careful not to get injured,better to drop and run,go catch another!

10:06am
Saw Osprey wingercising and then leaves the nest and the rest of the fish he was eating...



10:07am
Remaining Osprey is wing flapping

10:07am
Same Osprey hops /flies to front of nest


10:08am
Stays there looking around