No-ring and Mrs. have done it again!

Not ONE, not TWO but yes, THREE beautiful chicks!!

Excitement mounted as early this morning our team of climbers and ringers entered the wood. Mrs. watched their approach warily for some time before flying up and crying her alarm call. This warned the chicks to lie flat in the nest and also sent out a plea for No-ring to come and help. (No prizes for guessing that, as in many previous years, he was off fishing!)

Our Forestry Commission and National Park climbers Alex and Ian got swiftly to work to scale the tree and set up a pulley system. What would they find at the top? Above their heads the bulk of the 6ft wide nest hid their view until the last minute when they clambered into the topmost branches alongside the nest edge. There huddled down in the bottom of the nest was a camouflaged tangle of heads legs and wings with 6 bright eyes peeping out. Three chicks! After all our predictions of only two - what a moment!

The trusty green bag was sent up and the first chick popped into it. As we expected, their instinct to stay flat and still was strong and they were all lowered without incident one at a time to the ground.

The 2 Peters had meanwhile set up their shop to start ringing. In England and Wales ospreys have their colour ring placed on their right legs (In Scotland the left) These rings with their bold lettering are designed to be seen through a telescope and in the future can be used to identify the bird from a distance. Metal rings with their unique British Trust for Ornithology code are placed on the left legs. Should you ever find a dead bird of any species it is this number you need to send up to the British Museum.

Weight gives an indication of whether the chick is a boy or a girl. Females are heavier than males, although relative hatch dates have to be taken into account. It seems this year we have 2 strapping girls, ‘White Ring YW’ at 1450g and ‘Yellow Ring 7V’ at 1410g and a bouncing little boy, ‘White ring YY’ at 1300g.

Were we right on our estimation of their age? Absolutely! Wing length measurements indicated that 7V is eldest, 39days YW the middle sibling, 37 days and YY youngest at 35 days old today.

Above the canopy, at last, No-ring hove into sight bearing a large fish. As in previous years he appeared to be quite blasé about the whole thing and just pottered back off over the hill, presumably to eat the fish himself, and leaving his harassed wife to continue agitating.

Whilst all this was happening Paul was filming the process. A couple of hours later Visitors Volunteers and Staff were going dewy-eyed over the resulting DVD. These chicks definitely command the highest ‘aaaah’ rating of any we have had. Their reaction to their captors was one of shy inquisitiveness, rather than the passivity of previous years. It shows a rare and indescribably lovely sequence of the innocent trust displayed by a wild creature before it has learned to fear man. You’ll just have to come to Whinlatter and see the DVD for yourself.

As soon as the measuring and health check were completed back the chicks went in the bag, and again one by one were ferried back home. The climbers dismantled their gear, the ringers packed their bags and talking loudly so Mrs. knew they were departing, they made their way out.

Within a few minutes she was back on the nest. As far as she was concerned she had scared the predators away and there were her chicks safe and sound.

It took a longer wait before No-ring arrived. You’ve got to understand it does take a man a bit of time to eat through one large meal and then go and catch another!