Sad news about the chick in rehab - I've just learned that she didn't make it.
(Note - I don't know the gender - that was the initial guess, and it's easier than he/she.)

When they ran the blood work on the osprey, it was very strange and they at first suspected lead poisoning - she may have been hiding it well in the way top-level predators often do, but she was very sick. She was very skinny and malnourished - which certainly suggests that she was not a chick from the cam nest, as they were all very well fed, thanks to Mom.

As is often the case with even reasonably healthy osprey in captivity, she wouldn't eat so they had her on a feeding tube. They took her for x rays which turned up nothing of interest, but unfortunately the little one never came out of the anaesthesia. They are planning to do a full necropsy (animal autopsy) to try and find out the cause. They are thinking that she may have gotten into some bad carrion (dead animal) but aren't sure at this point. Hopefully there will be more information after the necropsy.

That crazy hail storm did a lot of damage to surrounding nests and this young one may be another victim.

I would ask that this not be mentioned on the CWRS facebook page or website - I may not agree with their policies, but it is their news to share or not publicly as they see fit. Thank you.

And now that I know more of the story and a bit more about them, I'm back to my initial belief that they are a caring organization which does good work - and could use a bit of improvement in the public relations area.

Rest in peace, young one, and fly free forever.

10:38am...........:hello:Good morning Judy and anyone else who might be here! So now the nest is left for the squirrels and whoever else might pay a visit! Our family has gone now.......seems so quiet, even though we had no sound before! Yes Judy, I noticed that about the sandbar yesterday too. There were some birds down there but it wasn't many. I was wondering if they were all going away.

:cry1:Judy, I just read your post about the 3rd chick. Such sad news.........no matter which family it came from. Perhaps it was not this nest's chick after all. Mom was doing a terrific job of feeding these ones. Let's hope that our 3rd chick from this nest is out there somewhere enjoying and living its life as it should.

Judy.....Thank you for the information. I expect that our chick missing either is out there or migrated early (possibly with that young male?). Let's keep high hopes that is the case.

And RIP, little chick that was taken care of both by Rick and the rehab organization. Thank you! Life is hard for osprey and many other raptors. We are lucky to have caring people to step in and help.

I can now say a true see you next season to this nest......and our valiant mom. Y'all are absolutely tlhe best - thank you yet again for the warm welcome!
carolyn

Thanks for the news on the osprey chick JudyB. It certain doesn't sound as if it was our missing chick. Ours were on the "fat" side and certainly healthy --- at least up until they each left the nest, but then again things can change rapidly for osprey when they are in captivity.

Such a sad fate but at least he wasn't alone and suffering out in the wild when he died. RIP little one. :cry1:

It is good to have a conclusion to the story of the chick in care. I am sure everyone here will respect the CWRC and not speak of this anywhere off this forum thread. I will keep an eye on their FB and Website and report here if they post any public notice about the chick.


4:01pm empty nest and a few birds on the near point of the sandbar.

Saturday Sept. 15, 2012

Good Morning All! Thank you Judy B for this sad news about the chick..

RIP SWEET ONE FLY FREE FOREVER ....:cry1:

6:58 pm
The nest looks just the same as it did yesterday morning. There are lots of white birds out on the sand bar; I don't see any darker ones.



BET, Terry - and everyone - thank you for the summary, highlights, and memories.

Safe travels, Mom, juvies - and young male. Have a wonderful winter, with lots of fish.

THis is a quote from Hellgate - Missoula Montana. I thought you all might be interested in this migration and might want to keep track of the other O's they have transmitters on. Note: SHe actually crosses over Rockie Mountains. I do not know the altitude at her crossing point -

Hi all,
Thought you would be interested in new data on Osprey migration! As we posted before, we have (had) virtually no information on where Ospreys from around here migrate. We know that Ospreys breeding to the west of us (e.g. coastal
Washington and Oregon) tend to go to Baja, while some Ospreys from the Teton Park area can fly southeast to Florida and Cuba. Our collaborator and colleague Rob Domenech (Director of Raptor View Research Institute, http://www.raptorview.org/
) has put some satellite transmitters on five Osprey near Florence, Montana (about 20 miles south of Missoula). The adult female from one nest took off, and holy cats did she go!! She covered about 200 miles a day, and was down in the Yucatan when the last satellite data came through. Check it out at: http://www.raptorview.org/101-ospery-wi ... 91312.html


Erick Greene of Project Osprey

One of our female osprey carrying a satellite transmitter left her breeding area near Florence, MT on 9/1. On 9/11, she was approximately 110 miles north of Veracruz, Mexico. She travelled a distance of nearly 2,000 miles in just 10 days. Her mate and two young, who also have satellite transmitters, are still hanging out near their nest in Florence. We'll be posting regular updates on the locations of this and one other osprey family throughout the migration season.