9K5 at SIX WEEKS
Blue 9K5 is now 6 weeks old and gradually becoming a little more independent every day. Clogwyn can now leave the nest itself for more prolonged periods, however she is never very far and certainly within earshot.
Intruding osprey (top right) Syfaddan left, Clogwyn Right, 9K5 lies flattened in the nest
Syfaddan was kept busy with air traffic control all week, successfully chasing intruders out of the immediate territory and defending the nest vociferously. Only Thursday was seemingly incident free. None landed on the nest or could be identified, although at least one produced a distant flash of a blue ring for the trained Watchers on the towpath watching through the telescopes.
There has been an increase in self feeding in recent days and 9K5 is gradually becoming quite efficient at holding and eating fish. On one occasion, Syfaddan even left him to deal with live prey. Although the fish was quite small and without much fight left in it. But both parents still continue feeding their chick and the food soliciting calls are ever louder and clearer to human ears. However, at 6 weeks old, 9K5 has now passed the highest point of weight gain, and will not be needing quite so much food heading towards fledging. Body mass could even decrease slightly to achieve optimum fledging weight.
9K5 tucking into a fish
Fish have been plentiful this week, with Syfaddan delivering the first from around 5am and the last as late as 10pm with up to 7 fish per day of varying species and size. Often there are still fish remains on the nest when he brings the next, but nothing is ever wasted.
Both Syfaddan (left) and Clogwyn (right) have a fish. They take turns feeding 9K5
Clogwyn continues to be a model mother and still spends her nights around the nest. She moves periodically from the nest, to the rim, the nest perch, the cup camera or occasionally a low branch to roost. On Friday night she was awoken by a barn owl in the early hours, but only after it had already circled around her once on silent wings. 9K5 slept on, undisturbed by the night visitor.
Clogwyn roosting on the cup cam pole and 9K5 asleep in the nest as the barn owl approaches
In terms of physical development, wing and tail feathers still have some growing to do before 9K5 fledges, and those huge wings will need more exercise to strengthen the muscles. So far, 9K5 is only barely leaving the base of the nest, with the helicoptering and hovering phase of flight practice still ahead.
The latter end of the week saw the highest temperatures that 9K5 has had to endure so far and both parents did a good job helping their chick to cope; Syfaddan supplying sufficient fish for fluid intake and Clogwyn becoming a shade from the sun. Female ospreys excel at this, moving around the nest to keep the sun at their backs and casting their shadow on their chicks. Clogwyn demonstrated this well and sheltered 9K5 under her wings when the sun was at its hottest.
Heatwave - Clogwyn shelters 9K5 during the hottest part of the day
9K5 seemed far less enthusiastic about wing flapping practice during the heat wave and reserved it for the cooler ends of the day. Gular fluttering was almost constant, except when preening of course, and movement restricted to following the shade whenever Clogwyn moved. All good signs that the chick was using energy sparingly and wisely and behaving just as expected.
Clogwyn keeps watch on the harvesting in the adjacent field
Sunday evening saw the arrival of agricultural vehicles and harvest equipment, in advance of Monday’s planned and vital work in the adjacent field. The ospreys should, to a great extent, be able to habituate to seeing this type of work going on close by and while we could obviously wish for it to be further from the nest tree, we recognise the importance of the work. So far, 9K5 has responded by lying quietly flat on the nest when Syfaddan and Clogwyn leave. With fledging still likely to be some way off (a week at least) perhaps it is better to get any disturbance over with now.
The family on the hottest day of the year so far. Left to right: Syfaddan, Clogwyn and 9K5