Extreme frustration here!
For various reasons, the nest has only been viewable sporadically over the last few days. I have been given so many varied explanations by the tv station that I cannot believe them all to be true. Some people that I've spoken to seem very knowledgeable about the nest and how to get it broadcast on their website. Others, instead of admitting "I don't know anything about that", will make up an excuse. Today's excuse is that the web team hasn't come in yet. From past calls I've learned that the web team aren't the only ones who can control the broadcast.
A young man that I spoke to twice yesterday was very helpful. The first time, I explained that I was concerned about the nest because one of the chicks appeared to have died on Thursday and the other two chicks had been panting heavily, even as the sun was setting. He said he would pass it along, and apparently he did because the nest went online about 20 minutes later. The nest stayed online for the next 3 hours or so, then they switched over to a live feed about the New York hospital shootings which took up the rest of the afternoon. When I checked back later in the evening they were broadcasting a skyline that was definitely not Columbus. I'm guessing it was New York. I called again and was connected to the same young man as earlier. He said he would try to get the nest back online but he wasn't sure there was anyone around who could do it (apparently there wasn't, because the dreaded "We'll be right back" message came on later). He also told me that they had someone from ODNR (which would be the Ohio Department of Natural Resources) view the nest and they felt the chick had probably died due to the high heat on Thursday. They also said that the remaining two chicks seemed to be doing fine at that time.
That is a relief, but I am still concerned. For one, during the 3 hours the nest was online yesterday there were no fish deliveries (I did catch the tail end of a feeding when the camera first came online, so they did at least get fed). Dad didn't show up once. Now that I think about it, I haven't seen Dad at the nest since earlier this week, possibly Tuesday, but I'm not sure. On Wednesday I saw Mom bring a fish to the nest. On Thursday I saw Mom pick up a chunk of leftover fish from the nest and start feeding the two surviving chicks. Now, since the nest hasn't been online much in the last few days, Dad's visits could easily have been missed. I hope that's the case!
Another concern I have is there have been instances over the last few days where Mom appears to be calling out repeatedly. Whether she's calling out for Dad or warning off intruders, I do not know. Yesterday just before the cam went offline, I'd say she was definitely warning off an intruder. She was standing protectively over the two chicks while looking up and swiveling her head around calling out:
I hope everything's ok and I'm just worrying about nothing. I may end up making a field trip just to confirm that there are still two adults around the nest.