This week will begin the juveniles seventh week from hatching. It looks promising that the two will fledge and take their first flights soon. Last week we noticed Jasper fly in and take the fish that Bea was feeding their offspring, most likely encouraging AT and HT to take flight.

Notice the semi-transparent lens in the second to last photo. This is the nictitating membrane which keeps their eye moist and clean and they use it while diving into water to catch fish.

It's been 6 weeks and three day since the first chick, AT, hatched and exactly six weeks for HT. The juveniles have been developing skills for flying by stretching and flapping their wings. Juveniles usually take their first flight seven to eight weeks after hatching. We haven't seen either of the juveniles hop and hover over the nest yet, but that may come soon.

Jasper has done a great job providing fish this year as well as assist Bea with fending off crows that been about the nest all season. The two juveniles often mimic Bea with tidying the nest and stretching their wings when a crow is too close.

Our host provider for the osprey nest corrected the website page problem. You can view the nest again at https://www.palmetto.coop/osprey-habitats.

We have reached out to our host provider to see what the problem is with publishing the osprey nest images. We hope to have it resolved soon. Below are a few recent images of AT and HT as they both are growing into beautiful juveniles. 

The two chicks, AT and HT, are almost three weeks old. The siblings are doing well with Jasper providing an abundance of fish. There is a little bit of sibling rivalry, though not as much from previous years. A peck or two from AT seems to be all that is needed at this time.

AT is on the left in both photos.

This morning, Friday, May 24th, there are only the two oldest chicks (AT and HT) on the nest. It's possible a crow took FTF. We don't see the third chick anywhere on the platform. 

All three chicks are doing well at the nest. The third chick, FTF, is about half the size of AT and HT, but still hanging with its older siblings. The two older chicks often tussle about with FTF keeping its head down. Jasper has done an excellent job suppling either Spanish Mackerel or Blue Fish to his family.

The pair and their chicks have been bothered by crows and both parents have been fending them off. Predation by crows is possible with the chicks only 11, 10 and 8 days old.

Bea and Jasper's third chick, FTF, hatched today at 1:40pm.

As a pair, Bea and Jasper have produced 41 eggs with 17 chicks fledging since 2011.

Jasper brought in a nice fish to feed the two chicks breakfast before more rain heads our way. The third chick is currently breaking through its shell. You can see the chick's "egg tooth" in the photos. The egg tooth is a handy little tool that the chicks use to break the egg's shell.

Jasper brought in a small fish as the chicks had a little breakfast. Hoping he catches another fish soon as we anticipate rain in about two hours.

Not sure if the egg has the beginnings of a pip or if the egg is just scratched. The chicks process of breaking open the eggshell is referred to as pipping.