It has now been nearly three weeks since the first chick hatched on the Manton Bay nest and two weeks since the fourth hatched. It’s been fantastic to be able to watch their progress over the past few weeks and amazing how much they have already grown, and their plumage developed, all thanks to a high protein diet of fish!

Male 33(11) is still doing a fantastic job in bringing back fish, mainly comprising of Roach, which are a surface-dwelling species, but he has also been bringing back Trout, Bream and even some Pike - there is definitely enough food to go around. The fourth chick is continuing to make excellent progress and has even started to push itself to the front of the queue during feeding times. It has even begun to be a little bit feisty, initiating some bickering with its siblings, which has been very entertaining to watch!

The weather has been warm and sunny this past week and Maya has been doing a brilliant job of keeping the chicks shaded and cool, along with 33(11) bringing a surplus amount of fish back to ensure the chicks and Maya stay hydrated.

With all four chicks growing there will soon be little room left on the nest! With that in mind, Maya will start to spend more time sat on the perch directly above the nest, where the camera is, keeping an eye on her family from there. A good tell-tale sign to look out for is a bit of a camera wobble if she lands/takes off!

Below is a short video featuring feistiness, intrusions and more...

Osprey Education At Home

The Osprey Education Team are continuing to upload new resources to their Osprey Home School initiative for the whole family to enjoy, to help you stay connected to nature at this time. Follow the link below to find out more!

Osprey Home School