Chick 2 (0U1) Takes Flight
Empty nest at last
In the early weeks after hatching regular camera watchers will have seen with dismay how the second chick was on the receiving end of sibling aggression. With a 3-day delay in hatch date that second hatchling (ringed 0U1 on 4th July) seemed powerless until it learnt to ‘play dead’ and the older and larger sibling, 0U0, relented. Growth rates ultimately evened out as fledging neared and so at approximately 7.5 weeks of age at fledging they became harder to tell apart. Confirmation via the leg-rings became more important, as we all hope that reading those rings in future years will give us an insight into their futures.
As noted in our last blog, chick 1 0U0 fledged on 19th July at 52 days, and 0U1 took its maiden flight at 13.53pm on 23rd July at 53 days.
0U1 clears the nest on her maiden flight
There had been several occasions in the days prior to this flight that it appeared Clogwyn and/or 0U0 had departed the nest with the hope or expectation that 0U1 would follow them out. And so, as many observers were considering if she (the ringing team believe that both chicks are female) needed a ‘push’, that came in the form of a Hercules plane that flew at moderate height up the valley on the 23rd - she decided to follow Clogwyn and 0U0 out of the nest and tree respectively. After a short but measured flight she eventually followed Clogwyn into an ash tree close to the nest. Two UVO Field Watchers from different vantage points reported these events, and one indicated that 0U1 took two more short flights within the hour before returning to the nest.
It was perhaps fortuitous that she took the plane’s invitation to fly rather than on the following day when the delayed harvest of an adjacent field of oats occurred. Even in those 24 hours, 0U1 had proved to all that she was a capable flyer.
Syfaddan continued to bring fish to the nest in ensuing days with minimal fuss or squabbling between recipients. There was a suspicion that Clogwyn was already catching fish of her own again on the afternoon of 27th - this being confirmed by a Field Watcher at lunchtime the following day who reported a successful plunge-dive and catch from the River Usk.