We possibly have a pip in the second egg, the left egg. Will keep you posted.

Become an Osprey Watcher

For those that can't get enough of watching ospreys why not consider joining OSPREY WATCH. The Center for Conservation Biology - a partnership between researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University and The College of William and Mary - allows citizens to gather nest data on breeding osprey.

The website has a wealth of information and if you know of a nest site that is not being observed you can register - no charges -  and help them document nest activity. I registered a few years back and have been listing our nest activity.

The site lists observed nests all over the world so you can follow them too. 
Check them out! 

When an osprey chick is ready to hatch from its shell, it uses a pointed egg tooth located on the tip of its upper beak to break through the egg shell. The chick is usually awkward and quite tired from exerting itself. The initial break in the egg is called a "PIP" when the chick begins to crack the shell to free itself.

Watch this YouTube video of a chick hatching at the Montgomeryshire Wildlife Trust (MWT) in Wales. Turn up your volume so you can hear the chick as it emerges from its egg.

 

We have our first chick of 2016. 

The first chick hatched at 8:47 this morning. The chick's name is KS.
Pictures pending.

Updated: 11:14
 
KS receiving its first piece of fish since hatching.

 

The first chick is still attempting to break free of its shell. You can see that Bea is checking on the little one in the photo.

Updated photo of chick hatching.


Our Osprey Chicks Are Hatching!

We should have a chick hatch today as we have a pip (see photo).  :)

Today marks the 41st day since the first egg was laid. The second and third egg are 38 and 35 days respectively. Now that the weekend storms have passed hopefully the chicks can hatch with calmer weather.

It's been pretty quiet on the nest the last few weeks though all that should change possibly by next week. March 22nd will be the beginning of the fifth week since the first egg was laid and we could see the first chick very soon.

Today marks the third week since the first egg was laid. Jasper has been relieving Bea of incubating duties, allowing her to stretch her wings. So we are about half way through the incubation stage. The pair should have temperatures in the mid 70's beginning tomorrow and into next week.

 

It's just over two weeks since the first egg was laid on February 16th. We are anticipating that egg hatching could begin the week of March 22 - which will be the 35th day for the first egg. 

In previous years Bea and Jasper's clutches normally hatched in April. In fact April 10, 2015, was the earliest hatch the pair has had since they've been frequenting the communications tower.

Below Jasper is incubating the clutch as Bea is off eating a fish this morning.