HOG ISLAND, ME~2019 - 2025

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

Dory initially was making sure to bring the half shell back under her when she repositioned to continue to incubate it as I think she was about to do in this gif by Fish Hawk Watcher, but I saw it out from under her finally just before dark. Hope it's gone by morning.

Dory with her newly hatched chick, the remaining 2 eggs and that worrisome half shell.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

For Dory and Skiff this morning. The oldest chick got it's head caught in the half shell from the newest chick for awhile, but was able to get out of it. Unfortunately, feeds not accomplished yet for the oldest as being 1st time parents it is going just as you might suspect it could go. Skiff brought in a fish early this morning that Dory ate part of from the rail, occasionally she would stop and peer down at her chick and you felt she knew she was supposed to be doing something, but just not quite there yet. Later she did move the fish down into the nest and stood with her back to us and you were hoping she might make an attempt, but didn't and the chick was faced the wrong way when it came back into view on the cam. The newest chick hatched later on and Dory and Skiff have their talons full at this time, but hoping they will get it figured out later today.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

A very difficult day of viewing 1st time parents who obviously have no experience in the care of hatchlings. I never saw Dory nor Skiff offer the chicks a bite to eat today. Skiff brought fish in, but Dory ate and at times he ate.

Both chicks were up and food begging with open beaks during what should have been the last feed for the day and both seemed to wear down some and then they would rise again trying to be fed, but they didn't get anything. They have been stepped on at least once by each parent with their talons tucked thankfully. One had a fish dropped on it partially as Dory tried to take it from Skiff and lost control of it. It then flapped it's tail several times whacking the one it had been dropped on. The chick didn't move at 1st and it was unsettling, but then the chick did raise up and it was a relief.

I am aware of someone saying earlier today they saw Dory try giving a chick a bite, but it was too big. I never witnessed this. Later if I have time, I am going to go back over the day that's still on the DVR to try and see if I missed anything. Late in the evening I saw Dory eating on the fish that was nearby as she brooded, she had her back to us and it was difficult to see. The fish was flown out of the nest before dark and I am sure consumed.

Dory is the primary brooder and it is if she is incubating the chicks as if they were still eggs. The oldest chick is probably close to 28 hours old as darkness fell. Hoping somehow this will improve tomorrow morning for them. They still have 1 more egg to hatch.

Unfortunately, Explore did not open the chat for these hatches and so you do not get the benefit of what others see and with a sense of the time seen, much less what a mod might be able to add. Really disappointed that Explore instead of exercising their right to ban viewers causing problems on the chat, chose to shut it down entirely, not once but twice this season. It has been down for well over a month this last time except for a weekly Q & A for 1 hour by the new mod here. They chose to ban all of us even though the overwhelming majority had absolutely nothing to do with the disruptive behavior that was seen here.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

FEEDS!! I've been watching them back on the DVR for a few hours, stopping for each feed and letting them play out in real time. At the crack of dawn Mom's day started as she had been doing. Then I believe a little before 8 I noticed Mom drooling from her beak as she would pause every now and then while she continued to eat and it reminded me of as they do when feeding their young and I wondered.. and just like that she started feeding one and I had a boo hoo! Hahaha! I think it was the youngest, but not sure. Then slowly, but surely as the morning, then afternoon progressed, so did she and both have been fed multiple small meals. What a relief!! The one, maybe the oldest is usually last to be fed and is not as efficient receiving the bites, but is getting enough I think. One got stepped on again today, but bounced back up shortly. One concern is the 3rd egg is capped with a partial shell from a previous hatch, but hoping it will be rolled off soon. It's turned out to be a great day at the Boat House!

ljames · **Posted:** Mon Jun 20, 2022 6:28 pm

I only checked in later and saw the beautiful chicks, and both parents in the nest . I wasn't aware that they weren't being feed. Surely , they will figure it out.

So today, I watched a couple of long feedings, very painful. I don't know how they hold their little mouths open for so long. It seems she fed one chick until it was either full or exhausted, you can only imagine how the 2nd chick felt. Sill, they had food, as awkward as it was. The male was there the whole time watching, perhaps cheering her on.

I know I am. :spingirl:

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

Thanks for your gorgeous captures ljames and your thoughts. It's so nice to see someone here enjoying 1st time parents Dory and Skiff with their hatchlings!

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

The 3rd Boat House chick is trying to hatch even though it is capped with a piece of partial shell from a previous hatch!

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

Not only did it try, it did hatch this afternoon! Congratulations to Dory and Skiff. And they have names:

maeve_audubon Mod MimiMA • 2 hours ago
The chicks are Schooner, Skipjack, and Sloop! :-) A whole nautical family in the boathouse nest - which couldn't be more perfect. We received these name suggestions through our contest form and the favorites were voted on by Hog Island staff!

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

Dory tried to give the 3rd chick about 3 bites this evening when the others were pretty much finished as it had it's beak up and opened. Don't think it got a whole bite maybe, but If nothing else it got the juices from it. Will try and post a video or gif and captures of the main event today, tomorrow. So, I guess the baby's name is Sloop!! Sloop did break through the capped end of the egg when it hatched!! Meanwhile, Schooner the oldest chick took a rest on Sloop while it was trying to hatch by putting it's wing over him and laying against Sloop for support. :teehee:

Skipjack was oblivious to anything new in the nest during that time.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

Skiff brings in fish through out the day and always stays with the family during the feeds. Dory has really improved with her feeding skills. They don't go very long between feeds here. All 3 chicks are thriving.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

Here's a gif by Fish Hawk Watcher from hatch day of chick#3 last Tuesday on the 21st in the late afternoon during the hatching process of an incident I had posted about previous:

I think this is the oldest chick taking a rest with it's wing outstretched over chick#3 that it is leaning against for support as the hatchling is trying to come the rest of the way out from it's shell last Tuesday. This chick hatched from the end of the egg that was capped with part of the shell from a previous hatch. Lucky for the hatchling part of the crack it made in the shell was just under the capped area and parts were just barely out from under it. At any rate, it made it!!

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

All continues to go well at the Boat House nest. Plenty of feedings as Dory and Skiff are very attentive here. She does the feedings that I have seen, but he usually has a fish there before you can even see the sun in the mornings and throughout the day and another before night falls. One of the chicks made it to the top of the bowl earlier this morning, but back down. Also, there is a piece of netting lying on top of the front railing, hoping that disappears soon off the side of the nest and away from all of them.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

I think Dory had an intruder around as it was getting dark. She stood suddenly and was on high alert, some vocals and I did see her throw her wings up once early on. She continued to be vocal. No way of knowing if Skiff responded, if he heard her I believe he would have. The cam op is gone and there was only the fixed view. She remained up for awhile. All 3 chicks were in the deep bowl and remained safe. Eventually she settled and remained as complete darkness fell.

Saw where the netting I talked about above is connected to the green string that has been here for a very long time and I believe it is that bait pouch they have talked about previous. They lost a fish over the side of the nest earlier, but Skiff brought 2 more in since. One of the chicks went part of the way up the side of the bowl this time, I worry some as there is not much room for a chick to maneuver in outside of the bowl it seems and am concerned about one getting caught in the railing. Hoping the intruder stays away.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

Earlier today a couple came to the dock and flew on a short leash what looked to be a kite of some sort and were recording it with a phone. Noticed that Dory was alerting and upset before you could actually see them and when they finally were on the dock, she continued to be on high alert and vocal. She left the nest a couple times to do fly arounds, however the couple seemed oblivious to her plight. It was a very windy day and I'm unsure if they could not hear her distress as the wind was blowing toward the nest or they were just too absorbed in what they were doing. The cam op turned the cam where we could no longer see them and eventually she settled down. We could not see if Skiff responded as his perch was out of view. At times today, Dory and Skiff were soaked, but she kept her babes dry. Once Skiff brought in a fish during the rain, but she refused to get up to feed to keep them protected.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

Actually saw Skiff feed 1 of the chicks earlier this evening, unsure if was the 1st time or just the 1st time I witnessed. He started out feeding himself and the 1 chick kept raising up for bites and Dad finally decided to give it what it was asking for after awhile. Mom watched from above perched on the stick.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

Boat House nest back up. Had been on highlights for almost a day. Just checked and saw all 3 chicks with Mom on the nest.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

Steve is still in the area and does stop by the old nest occasionally. Unsure if Callie is still around, but possibly not. Getting word on that situation is very sketchy. They did not end up nesting at the new site even though they worked on it and were seen there at times. Owls are heard by staff near the new nest also. And juvie eagles have been in that area too.

:CLAPS:

Boat House Nest: As of yesterday the 3rd chick of Skiff and Dory finally fledged and that means all 3 of their chicks had successful fledges. The cam was down frequently recently and it made it very difficult to know which chick is which as they had growth spurts during that time. (They did give us the long view using the cam from Steve's nest, but it was difficult at times to tell much. Some of the chicks fledged during this time and we could see it, but not really tell which one.) But they are saying it was Sloop who fledged last. The last chick to fledge hangs about the nest or the nest perch most of the time, whereas the other 2 take flights out. All 3 chicks are in the nest tonight and Dory is on the perch. Usually the older chicks have been spending the night on the perch with Dory. I don't think I saw Dory on the perch last night for the 1st time and that may have been because all 3 chicks were up there. Skiff usually spends the night atop a pole that is on the other side of the dock and just out of our view. Occasionally the cam op will swing by there just before they end their shift to show he is there. Dory and Skiff are still bringing in fish for their crew and sometimes Dory will feed some of them, but all 3 are also self feeding. They have been an absolute joy to watch and continue to be.

Beth · **Posted:** Sat Jan 28, 2023 4:57 pm

Please post info-news-photos for 2023.
See page 1 for cam and nest info. Links will be updated as cams go live.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

An osprey couple landed on the Boathouse Nest early this afternoon, that may be Dory and Skiff. Awaiting confirmation. If so, they arrived together last season too...

Edit to add: Confirmed!

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 9:41 am **Posts:** 12734

Steve returned to Hog island from migration today!!

Video by Regina Hornung, "Steve returns and starts Nestorations immediately! - Hog Island Osprey Nest/explore.org 2023 04 14"

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