Two weeks since the first egg hatched, how are the Bobs getting on?

Two weeks have now passed since we first met Bob 1. Bob 2 is 13 days old, with Bobby Bach four days behind him at 9 days old. Over this short period of time an incredible transformation has been witnessed by those glued to the live stream, and it is now getting easier to believe that our three tiny chicks will be preparing to fledge in just over five weeks’ time.

Three Bobs having a feed this morning

The first 10 days are crucial

Every year we talk about the 10-day window for chick success, and for good reason. It is in these first days that the chicks are in the greatest danger of predation, starvation, hyper- and hypothermia.

By far the greatest predatory threat to the chicks at this age are the corvids. Having not yet developed the talons and sharp beaks of their parents, our three Bobs are virtually defenceless against predators such as crows. 

Though significantly larger than when they were born, these are still not capable of inflicting much, if any, damage to predators

Noisey neighbours

We see the crows around the nest every single day, but they are usually chased off by Monty while Glesni sits with the chicks making a lot of noise! Corvids are opportunists, and are an exceptionally clever family of birds. We have seen them attacking Monty, mithering Glesni, and even working as a team to get at the nest; one landing close-by to try and get Glesni away from the chicks, with the others waiting to take advantage of her absence.

The crows are yet to succeed in their mission on the Dyfi nest, owing to the experience of both adult birds. Our ospreys will continue to defend the nest and protect their young for the remainder of the season, no matter how old the chicks are.

We must not demonise the crows, however. We know that there are several corvid nests in the area, all with hungry chicks to feed. They are just doing what comes naturally to them; the same instincts prompt blue tits to catch caterpillars, buzzards to catch rabbits, and ospreys to catch fish.

10 day forecast

We have had quite a mix of weather here on the Dyfi over the past two weeks, but thankfully nothing that Monty and Glesni could not handle. Glesni has been doing a grand job of incubating the chicks, sheltering all three from wind, rain and, believe it or not, the sun! 

Monty sheltering Glesni, sheltering the chicks

Despite the rapid growth we have seen over the past two weeks, the chicks are still vulnerable to exposure at both ends of the scale. As they are still growing, they are very much reliant on brooding to maintain a stable body temperature; their thermoregulatory systems are not yet fully developed. This will, of course, come in time, and as they grow and feather cover increases, they will gain their waterproof coats and be far better equipped to keep a constant temperature irrespective of the weather conditions.

It looks as though we are due for some pretty dire weather over the next few days. Monty and Glesni have both been adding to the nest today with clumps of grass, small twigs, and what can only be described as a small tree…

Bobby Bach’s fair share

There was a lot of worry at the start of the season surrounding Bob 3; the main concern being that he wasn’t getting enough food. He is often first in line for food, and has been giving as good as he gets when it comes to sibling squabbles. Even though he is still noticeably smaller than his two siblings, Bobby Bach has definitely been making his presence known in the nest!