Update: I have had a closer look at the 3rd egg and can’t see any cracks yet. There may be on the other side of the egg though. Hopefully mum will turn it at some point today so we can get a good look. There’s no reason to worry about it just yet as it was only due to hatch today going on averages, but it could easily be another 2 days yet before there is any movement. Fingers crossed!
Fiona

As our first two osprey chicks are four and three days old respectively today, we have to say they have been very lucky, coming into the world in good weather ( warm and crucially dry as they are so vulnerable in just their tiny down coats). The female has been dilegently nursing them- helping maintain just the right temperature for them alternately using herself as a duvet or a parasol as required. She has been serving many small meals of fresh fish , and tenderly feeding the chicks fairly. She has even been stowing away some fish for later (as she knows they need little and often) and it sometimes looks like she’s incubating half a fish alongside the chicks!

However, the biggest surprise so far has been our male osprey , who has amazed us all with his dilegance and sudden improvement. He has jumped from two or three fish a day to five or six , and has been regular as clock work in his deliveries. He has even been seen tenderly feeding the female himself- a truely touching moment. Credit where it is due- I have to say he has exceeded my expectations wildly and has been a model father so far. Mind you , last time I said nice things about him he gave us a nasty scare the next day with his negligence- so lets just hope he keeps up the great work!

Will our third egg hatch today? My guess is -probably , simply because I am on a day off after a whole weekend of night duty and it seems to be sods law that I miss the hatchings! I’ll be following online though, just like you, so here’s hoping!
Emma Rawling
Perthshire Ranger