BOP got some news about the chick and I quote:

Hi Lesley - thanks for getting in touch and glad that you are viewing the osprey cam. Yes, sadly we lost one yesterday morning. Likely not due to falling out the nest as a ground search was done around the tree and nothing was found, but more likely a juvenile bald eagle that was seen circling in the area. can't confirm this as we don't record the tapes.
We hope that the other two make it.

Cheers Angus

Angus Glass
Communications Coordinator
Fish & Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP)

Thanks for the update BOP. Wishing it was better news but glad to know they at least did the search.

I'm so sorry, Judy.

My thanks to you and BOP for following up on this - and to FWCP for going out to look.

Quote by: jkr

Hi All
I phoned the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area Administration.
They have no idea how the chick disappeared off the nest. The receptionist is checking with Carla (who is in charge) to see if they are going to the nest to see if the chick is on the ground. She has my phone number and said she would call me back if they find out anything at all.

The nest is right on the CVWMA property.

I also let her know that I am Bev's designated pick up person for Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation and could get an injured chick to Delta by flight from Cranbrook if necessary.

I don't have a good feeling that a chick would survive the fall at this age. :cry1

Now I have to go back to work.

JKR, a nestling would not survive a fall at this age...unless recovered immediately. As we know, ospreys are very hard...but not impossible, to rehab....but the younger the better.

I have a hard time believing a juvie eagle was the the cause of the nestlings lose, ....I don't have Bald Eagles in my area...JUDYB would be the expert on this issue ( sorry Judy)

We can only hope the the two, surviving, nestlings, fledge...

Thanks for your follow up....This has been a hard season..EAST, WEST, NORTH and SOUTH

Celebrate the wins and track the loses ...that is why we observe.. BALANCE, we monitor our birds.

JAZZEL

I'm not an expert, Jazzel, but seeing the post about the youngest one appearing sick before it disappeared, I'd lean towards natural causes. The adults might have removed the body, and an eagle might have scavenged it from where they dropped it - but I don't know.

I'm thinking the chicks are getting to the size where their food intake increases quite dramatically - which makes it a potentially risky time for the youngest chick if there's not quite enough food - that's around 5-6 weeks, isn't it, Jazzel? But we'll probably never know unless someone who doesn't post often happened to be watching.

Sending good thoughts to the remaining chicks - and my sympathy to those who watch.

Quote by: JudyB

I'm not an expert, Jazzel, but seeing the post about the youngest one appearing sick before it disappeared, I'd lean towards natural causes. The adults might have removed the body, and an eagle might have scavenged it from where they dropped it - but I don't know.

I'm thinking the chicks are getting to the size where their food intake increases quite dramatically - which makes it a potentially risky time for the youngest chick if there's not quite enough food - that's around 5-6 weeks, isn't it, Jazzel? But we'll probably never know unless someone who doesn't post often happened to be watching.

Sending good thoughts to the remaining chicks - and my sympathy to those who watch.

Judy, I've never seen a report of an osprey nestling being taken from a healthy nest by an eagle. There have been no reports of the male or female fighting with eagles, and they most certainly would if the nest was threatened. I do believe this was a weak nestling. I don't know much about the food supply at this nest, I don't even know the hatch dates...this nest was on line late in the season.

I can say the most critical time for osprey nestlings is hatch to 3 weeks, but, food supply, weather and hatch dates between siblings can make surviving to 5 weeks very hard.

This is a very nice cam when it's working, but has been down a lot, or not clear. I did send an email to the site, asking for any information they have, they are very good with replies.

JAZZEL

I just started to read the story about the wonderful osprey's in Creston. As I was looking through the pictures and the events that have happened in the last couple of days, the story of the youngest chick sounded too familiar. I had been following the life of Phoenix, the eaglet on Hornby Island when he first had problems with sneezing, then increased lethargy, didn't want to eat, beak opening and closing, shortness of breath, before he collapsed & died. Phoenix was only 11 weeks old - almost ready to fledge. It was so difficult for everyone. Seems like the symptoms for this osprey chick are similar - could he have had a type of acute fungal pneumonia as well? I guess we'll never know. I sure hope the other two make it to fledge and enjoy the wonders of flight & living. I learned a lot from the article by David Hancock about raptors and eagles. We do need to take care of our earth.

love_birds, to HWF.

I watched the chicks last evening and the one that was sneezing didn't seem to be sneezing as much. We'll certainly be keeping an eye on them but not much we can do if she becomes ill.
It was such a tragedy to lose Phoenix to such a terrible disease and so unfortunate that there was nothing anyone could have done for her.
I have great hopes these osprey chicks will be fine.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 2010
WEATHER Mostly sunny, High 28

4:17 am
Camera came up instantly this morning.
The two O's are sleeping cuddled in the bowl.
No sign of Mom


4:23 am
Up for a poop shoot.


4:24 am