HT has fledged. As of 6:30am this morning, we no longer have any juvenile osprey on our communications tower. Bea and Jasper have had another successful year rearing their chicks.
15 July 2024
12 July 2024
10 July 2024
We believe the juvenile, HT, fledged this morning a little before 10am. The lone juvenile watched its sibling fly around the tower. A little envious. Bea and Jasper have been encouraging the two juveniles to take flight by flying past the nest for several days or hovering over top the tower.
It shouldn't be long for the second osprey to join its sibling.
Update: Friday, 6:38am - Correction, it is AT that has fledged. HT is still on the nest. Another female osprey along with her mate tried to get HT removed from the nest, but he didn't budge. Maybe HT with muster up his courage and take his first flight soon.
01 July 2024
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.
25 June 2024
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.
24 June 2024
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.
21 June 2024
30 May 2024
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.