Blog #283 A Day in the Nest

 Orpheus bringing dinner to his family after the rain. Screenshot from the Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam. 

The fully feathered Salt Point chicks are about six weeks old and almost the size of their  parents. The nestlings have been flapping their wings since they were small, but now  the flapping is more purposeful with far less space within the nest. Long before they  have any chance of flying, these nestlings practice flapping their wings to build their  flight muscles. At six weeks old, both chicks have a full complement of  flight feathers. Yesterday, first-born Hope started coordinating his/her wings and feet by walking around the nest flapping, and Lucky emulated this behavior today.  

With foot-long bodies and nearly three-foot wing spans, the exercising chicks turn the  nest into a crowded gym. To avoid the whirl of wings and large, ungainly feet and  talons, Ophelia takes refuge on the nest rim or nest box perch. 

Ophelia feeds Hope and Lucky. Screenshot from the Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam. 

Hope and Lucky see Ophelia as she returns to the nest after a short break. Screenshot from the Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam.

Clockwise: Hope, Ophelia, Orpheus, and Lucky in the front as six weeks old. 

Screenshot from the Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam. 

Ophelia still dominates the fish and doles it out to the siblings, but she also lets the  young ones feed themselves. Since Ospreys get all their water from the fish they eat,  they must eat a lot on hot days. Still, with only two offspring, Orpheus can easily keep his family well-fed, hydrated, and satisfied. 

Hope defecating over the side of the nest. Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam Screenshot. 

Hope spreads her wings taking up space in the nest. When both siblings exercise  there is no extra room in the nest. Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam screenshot.

For the next two weeks, the chicks will concentrate on flight training. No more lazy days  sleeping. The chicks have graduated to flight school: hours will be spent practicing lift off in place (“helicoptering”) or running short distances within the nest. Eventually they  coordinate jumping with flapping both wings at the same time. At seven to eight weeks  of age, when the time is right, the wind will lift the young flapping ospreys into the air for  their tentative and even perilous first flights.  

Eyes to the sky!  

Candace  

Candace E. Cornell  

Friends of Salt Point  

Lansing, NY  

cec222@gmail.com 

ALL EYES ON OSPREYS 

WATCH! 

Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam 

READ! 

On Osprey Time 

Ospreys of Salt Point 

VISIT! 

Cayuga Lake Osprey Trail

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