Hatching at the Arb

 Well we had a momentous day on the Arboretum osprey cam nest! As most of the viewers know, the eggs were laid about three days apart, and usually eggs hatch sequentially. But it’s not uncommon for them to hatch closer together than they were laid. In this case it was just a few hours apart! I had just posted about the first hatch,  and I went back to look and there was the second chick! And big eggshells lay on either side of mom. I guess the second chick just thought, I have a lot of growing to do and a lot to learn, so let’s get on with it! The chicks can’t thermoregulate at first so they really need good care from their parents, with frequent fish deliveries to keep them hydrated and providing shade for them. We had newly hatched chicks a few weeks ago when the temps soared into the upper 90s with very high dew points, and tho many ospreys looked miserable, it appears that all the chicks have survived. I was a bit worried when the Arboretum male came with a fish and the female stood on the edge of the nest and ate it all....without providing any shade for the little wigglies. It’s a hot day here! The female ate very quickly because she knew she had to shelter them. The chicks at this point couldnt even hold their heads up long enough to be fed. They will gain strength very quickly and will be eating soon. I have watched other males in the metro providing shade for chicks, wings out,  while the females fed them during this unusually hot month in Minnesota. We hope that MS will learn these finer points of being a Dad! 

We had another nest hatch in the past five days also, so that brings an end to hatching season here in the metro, as far as the nests I know about. These are late hatches, but we have had chicks arrive this late in the past and they survived fine, with their Dad staying into early October to care for his offspring. However, he was an experienced male....we hope MS will have as good instincts about caring for his first family.  

So pop those champagne corks! Stay tuned as we welcome these newest little ospreys...