Two Chicks Hatch at Once..
Its been an intense few days. We've been working flat out on the live streaming, working and rehearsing with the BBC for Springwatch, and, if truth be known, been just a little apprehensive that the worst April weather on record had had an effect on the three eggs. We shouldn't have worried.
On incubation day 40 (UK average for osprey is around 37) we could see the smallest of cracks developing in the first egg laid all the way back in mid April. By the time the Olympic torch had passed right outside our Cors Dyfi reserve at 09.50, the crack had become a little hole with bits of fragmented shell forming the rim. After that everything went bonkers!
The first chick (egg 1) took an eternity to hatch and by mid afternoon we thought we could see cracks appearing in egg 2. By early evening we were featured live on the first Springwatch episode of the 2012 series and as we listened to Iolo talking about urban foxes in Potters Bar, a tiny little beak complete with egg tooth, was hammering its way out of the first egg. Here's a video of the sequence of events from that point to around 15 hours later by which time both chicks had hatched and were gulping down their first ever meal..
Select 1080P for High Definition and Full Screen for even better clarity
The first chick (egg 1) was completely out of its egg by 21.38 on May 28th, and the second chick a few hours later at 06.23 on May 29th. They were basically hatching at the same time. Incredibly, this is almost exactly the same pattern of events that unfolded a year earlier when Monty and Nora bred for the first time.
This time though, there were no mistakes. Monty's first task of the day was food provider and by 07.00 he was back with a large sea trout. Nora soon took over and started to feed the youngsters, delicately at first, and then with considerably more vigour by mid morning. By midday, both young chicks were flat out in the middle of the nest, completely satiated.
Monty brings more nesting material in before his new chicks arrive
Names - Just to explain, we will be giving our chicks names again this year but not for a while yet. We need to know what sex they are first and we won't know that until we ring them in a few weeks.
Live Web Steaming - Tomorrow folks. Wednesday 30th of May at midday, we will be showing you the Dyfi ospreys live for the first time ever. Please don't expect miracles, we only managed to get the two (out of four) lines we required to host the streaming. Nevertheless, testing over the weekend and today has gone well and we're pleased with the results.
Loads of you have sent messages via various formats and ways over the last couple of days. Thank you so much for these, we can't respond to all of them, there are literally hundreds, but we do read them all. They mean a lot to us, thank you.
So, until tomorrow and the big day for our new hosting web-server. Andy and Oly, our IT guys, have worked miracles over the last few days to get us to this point so quickly after we got the lines in. Sleep well tonight boys!
The two little bobbleheads receive their first ever fish meal
hav been following these two ever since they arrived back. what a wonderful story that is unfolding. thank you so much to everyone who helps with this, you are all wonderful. and this is the best coverage of any nest i have ever watched on the net. well done all. here's hoping the third egg hatches soon
Thank you for a great blog, very informative. I am looking forward to seeing your live streaming... perfect timing for this to come on line.
Brilliant to be able to watch all this again this year, I bet it's two girls one boy this time.
thank you
Totally enthralled by all the activity thats going on right now with the new arrivals plus obviously the proud parents,Monty and Nora.Well done and congratualations to you all for your blogs,fantastic footage etc etc.
My partner and I went to the Osprey Project on Sunday it is so fantastic to have been so close to the nests and the hd tv s are amassing. The dedicashion you all have is brill.
Thank you all the staff that maid our day so memberabull
I have not stopped chatting about it.
They arrived at the same time as my first grandchild - congratulations all round!
I feel so lucky to be able to watch the hatching and feeding of the baby Ospreys. I feel sure my breathing and heart rate slows down when I'm watching. It's so joyful and calming.
Thank you so much for your dedication, I love your fantastic pictures, information and humour, my favourite site ever! Looking forward to coming down again soon, thanks so much for keeping us all up to date.
Well done Monty and Nora!
Great news about the live streaming. I think I know what I'll be doing from midday tomorrow! No housework now!
We visited the Dyfi Osprey Project on the 19th April and have been completely hooked since. It is so humbling to see these beautiful creatures. Wish I could have stayed there to see them hatch. You have done a brilliant job! Perhaps you could call one Jubilee as watching the hatching has made everyone feel Jubilant!
Congratulations on the hatching. Great news all round.
This is such a wonderful story. I started following Nora's & Monty's activities last year (in Springwatch) & kept checking on your Dyfi project. I was out in Jamaica when I picked up on my niece's iPad that they had returned! Been checking the site regularly since! There are a few fans out there (Jamaica) to whom I'll be passing on the good news! We all send you our good wishes!
This is such a wonderful story. I started following Nora's & Monty's activities last year (in Springwatch) & kept checking on your Dyfi project. I was out in Jamaica when I picked up on my niece's iPad that they had returned! Been checking the site regularly since! There are a few fans out there (Jamaica) to whom I'll be passing on the good news! We all send you our good wishes!
Excellent Emyr. Can't wait to see the live stream. Monty and Nora doing brilliantly once again. A huge thanks to you and the Team together with Springwatch for bringing all of this to us.
This is so brilliant....and an amazing site wih all the info and videos Its such a privilege to be able to see Monty and Nora and their news kids Congratulations all round
Its been great watching the developements from African days onwards. Its great that Springwatch are in your area as well. Thanks to all of you for the hard work you've put in to educate and enthrall us. Looking forward to picking up the live stream later today. Well done
Fantastic video footage...... great close views of chicks being fed!
This beats jubilees and olympics for me. Live streaming will probably top Springwatch (and aren't the Beeb luck to have our ospreys to film). As I said on my Facebook comment, do consider Shane as a name for one of them - it would be appropriate this year - you know why!
Brilliant to see these amazing birds looking so proud and parental again. Can't wait for next week to visit. thank you all.
Congrats Em and Dyfi Team going live today at noon - I will be glued to the computer! Love your film clips of the birth of the twins and their first ever feed - all the best to you xxx
Congratulations Emyr and all the team, the live stream adds so much to an already terrific set up. Let's hope number 3 makes its bow soon!! Hope to meet you all in a fortnight!!
6 day spreadover and a 3 day gap
and two in one go.
Ospreysextraordinaire Amaizing!!!
Marvelous!! I'm so excited about this project!! Great work guys!!
Sad time folks.
Indeed a lesson for all on just how cruel some untimley and inclement weather can be despite best efforts of parent birds in attendance
Perhaps timely reminder to us of last season when so many nests went down, odd though it may seem some neighbouring nests were indeed seriously successful
Onward!
Thank you for super coverage and lovely images!