Good morning all!
After all that heavy rain yesterday and overnight ( which was sorely needed by the land and the loch actually) our chicks are doing just fine as mum kept them well covered and warm. You can imagine that the tiny short down coats the chicks are wearing are very poor insulation and make it very hard for them to thermoregulate, hence mum being so careful with them.
You will also notice that the older chick is starting to look a little different, as it is already moving into the next stage of its coat- one we jokingly refer to as the reptilian phase. Osprey chicks change amazingly fast -just look at thier size compared to the egg to appreciate how much they’ve grown in just a week. By week two they begin to leave behind the baby white and become a darker grey colour, which makes them look for all the world like a baby dinosaur I think.
We have already had a fish delivery this morning and the chicks have had two feeds, as well as some classic intruder activity around 7.30am ( well done laird for joining in the defence) – thats to all the overnight bloggers!
Emma Rawling Perthshire Ranger