Looduskalender

The German translation of the article about this event is already on the German LK main page

http://www.looduskalender.ee/n/de/node/534

Today in a German forum someone said that Ospreys were attacked in Estonia by a swarm of bees. Does anyone know anything about it. I have observed a few days ago that many insects have besieged this nest. But can not tell what it was. Pictures I have unfortunately not saved. Can anyone help to answer this question?

sorry, but the pages in Forum Looduskalender are sometimes very confusing

I've been moaning for days about how upset I'd be if Neeme fledged & I missed it, since I missed both Paavo & Ivar 's fledge. But I just had an extreme wake-up call that made me realize I want him to fledge soon, whether I'm watching or not.

I know we're not really supposed to talk about other nests here, but I feel I should explain my reasoning. Another osprey nest I watch, a Maine nest in the U.S.A., was just attacked by bald eagles which took 2 of the 3 chicks who were just days away from fledging.

I can't help but think that if those chicks had fledged already, they might have been able to flee from the nest, saving themselves. Please, Neeme, learn to fly soon!

Elli wrote:Today in a German forum someone said that Ospreys were attacked in Estonia by a swarm of bees. Does anyone know anything about it. I have observed a few days ago that many insects have besieged this nest. But can not tell what it was. Pictures I have unfortunately not saved. Can anyone help to answer this question?

Hello Elli

Yes, that happened on 23rd July. It was discussed from this posting:
viewtopic.php?p=489981#p489981

It was first assumed that the insects were flying ants, but it was told later that they were bees.

Here is a video of the situation on the front side of Looduskalender:
http://looduskalender.ee/n/node/534

Konrad!!
Nice to see you here!

Elli wrote:Today in a German forum someone said that Ospreys were attacked in Estonia by a swarm of bees. Does anyone know anything about it. I have observed a few days ago that many insects have besieged this nest. But can not tell what it was. Pictures I have unfortunately not saved.

I received a reply in the German forum. In the videos you can see what I mean

http://www.looduskalender.ee/n/de/node/534

Hello Elli
In this video, I only see ants. The whole nest crawling with ants.


Neeme sitting for some time on the branch. Will he not fly? He looks around and is not sure. Even if he is the younger, so he should fly but already.

[quote="Swenja"]Hello Elli
In this video, I only see ants. The whole nest crawling with ants.
...............

Hi, Swenja, the text on the videos said, that it is a swarm of bees. That's why I think also now.
I saw that day happened to be in live stream. But at this time I could not tell, what besieged the nest for insects
Luckily our little eagles have come through everything well

I'm not sure I trust the article's opinion on what they are. Sure looked like ants. Maybe someone more knowledgeable on insects can shed some light on what species they were?

I watched also this video. In my opinion, if it were ants or bees, both would not a menace for the ospreys, because bees sting only by danger. The osprets lay flat and rest, no worries without reason.

Hello!
Why Mai don't go fishing?

It is main task of the males to provide the family with fish.

During the last years observations we could see that the females also bring the one or another fish (only when osprets are already quite big, like they are now), but the amount is no compare with the fish the males are flying in.

It is also quite individual, some females bring a bit more, others hardly any fish.

As the females are leaving the family earlier for migration, they may begin to claim more fish for themselves, to collect strength for their journey. Perhaps they will go fishing for theirselves then, too. We can´t see this in cam view ;)

When the females left for migration, the males will continue providing their offspring until ca. beginning of September, then they will also leave for migration.

Whenever I open the cam today Neeme is either lying (mostly), scratching, preening or eating. Though he has tasted the feeling of freedom that flying gives.

Summi wrote:Whenever I open the cam today Neeme is either lying (mostly), scratching, preening or eating. Though he has tasted the feeling of freedom that flying gives.

Maybe he is waiting for a fish...

Gavril wrote: Maybe he is waiting for a fish...

...and he got another big fish at 18:14

Was it Mai last year who got mad at her chick and fought violently about a fish? It was dramatic. This year she hasn't attacked her offspring?

Yes, it was a fight between Mai and the other of the two girl chicks, Carla on 6th Aug, here starts the documentation:
viewtopic.php?p=414848#p414848

First a stranger appears in order to steal the fish:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BNqOIGTxPQ

Then Mai gets mad at Carla:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvhAtrDttXU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuHMXaawR4A

Kukelke thought it might have had to do with Mai's recent stress:
viewtopic.php?p=414950#p414950

now that the kids have left the nest, there do they go to migrate?

Maxie4Paws wrote:now that the kids have left the nest, there do they go to migrate?

The kids have not left the nest, they get food from their parents in the nest.

Gavril!
I'm will have to wait till my tomorrow to find out if Mai and Neeme return to the nest today.