Wow the last month has been a whirlwind and a challenge. I learned in July that I would need to have some surgery, so spent the two weeks prior frantically checking all nests. I was working 11 hour days, every day to confirm fledging and get as much info as I could. Then had to take about ten days off to recover, and am just weaning myself off the pain pills and starting to check some nests again. Of course a lot of birds fledged in those ten days and some disappeared.....but I am trying to locate as many as possible and confirm at least one chick has fledged successfully on each nest. There are always so many lose ends to tie up. I also learned of many injured ospreys and at least one found dead, tangled in baling twine. Sadly most of the birds that were rescued had to be euthanized.
For those that are watching the Arboretum nest cam.....the window for possible fledging has opened for that chick. Most chicks fledge at around day 55 of their life, but some fly earlier and some later so I consider the window to be from day 50 to day 60. So pay attention in the next ten days as that youngster exercises his wings and prepares for his maiden voyage!!!
I also want to send out a huge thanks to Bernice Caruth and Rick Endo for their generous donations! It’s been an especially difficult year with many, many miles driven so the financial support from so many people has been deeply appreciated!
The adult male that we rescued, and was mentioned in one of the previous posts, sadly had to be euthanized after developing neurological symptoms. But the single Dad that was at the nearby nest has done well and successfully fledged his two chicks. I thought you would enjoy this photo from Lisa Jude who helped keep such a good eye on that nest! A special thanks to all the volunteers who have worked so hard this year watching
over all these nests and and especially during my down time. It takes a village!
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