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Regarding the chicks catching their own fish

I really do not recall the chicks bringing a fish to the nest to eat. I will say to the best of my recollection that by this time, they were eating their fish off nest on some favorite perch. When I say their fish, I mean the ones that Dad dropped off. The winner of the fish would fly off with it - no doubt to guarantee the siblings couldn't try to steal it while she/he was eating it. They spent most of their time off nest. The oldest only appearing when Dad was spotted inbound fish in toe.

Mom has been bringing in so many fish and with only the two to share, they really haven't had to seek seclusion to eat.

I keep trying to remind myself - these chicks lost what would amount to about 4 - 6 days in development. The two days of being down and out and then the recovery - and I am guessing - like humans with the flu - 2 - 4 days to return to normal and then the catch up time. Some one like Bev Day at OWL could probably give a better estimate of the time it takes for juveniles to recover and catch up from a physical trauma.

Bluebird - What time were the three chicks spotted yesterday. I did have the recording going all day and before I delete it, I will check out that section and save it - and post the images if I can find them.

BET

10:22 am
Just looked in and see an empty nest. Looks like there are lots of birds down by the sand bar, but I don't see any that look dark (though hard for me to tell).



I wasn't quite awake when I posted earlier - thanks, Janet, for the pictures to go with your earlier update of the excitement under the nest! Wonderful to see that they can fly off with fish and eat elsewhere, as that is an important development step. I wonder if the person being chased was ever caught - I'd think the river would be a chilly escape route if one stayed in it very long.

I was reading all the posts here.... so much happening on this nest...

Here is a scap of the one and only time i saw a chick arrive on this nest with a fish in his talons... we are not sure if he caught it himself or if if he got it from Mom.. it was a mile stone for him that he brought it to the nest...CL for bigger.... you can see the fish in his talons on the right....

10:57am
Nest is empty..good sign and as it should be... hopefully the chicks are flying around and fishing also....

Quote by: BET

Bluebird - What time were the three chicks spotted yesterday. I did have the recording going all day and before I delete it, I will check out that section and save it - and post the images if I can find them.

BET

That happened on Sunday afternoon, BET, and my comment was late, sorry.
LuvtheO's came close to capturing it but did catch the intruder flying away after our 2nd youngster came in and flared her wings at it. I didn't post the time as didn't think that you were home yet.

Luv caught the action at 1:57 pm Sunday, Sept. 9 and posted it at 4:42 EDT or 2:42 local Calgary time. I had too much going on here to post then. ( I tried once but failed)

10:58 am Nest is empty. everyone.

BACK TRACK to Sunday at 1:57pm

Since the nest is so quiet, I went back to check the video of the extra visitor on Sunday. Slow motion reveals a lot.
A juvie O is inbound to the nest at 1:57:34pm


The juvie landed right by the dried fish - just settled down and went into alarm mode


Another O is inbound - the reason for the alarm - juvie takes off

Still at 1:57pm but time is 40 seconds

Newest juvie (inbound) to the nest appears to start to give chase


And a Forth O appears in the upper right - juvie arriving at the nest settles down


Both the flying O's go out of cam view, but the two on the nest remain in the alarm mode. One O flies just above the nest - a glimps of wing and tail feathers. Then appears again down over the river.

At 1:58:12 an O again appears in the upper right corner. It appears to have an fish in talon.


It does not land Both chicks remain on the nest - status quo