Fly high, fly free

Yesterday was a sad day for not one but two of the nestcams I've been following quite closely this summer, and that's how it goes sometimes with this hobby, but it's hard not to feel a bit heartbroken after the news.

I had a feeling of saying goodbye when taking those last screenshots of the Cornell Red-tailed hawk nest featuring K-2, and though having been in good hands after being retrieved from the nest, K-2's injuries proved too severe for the chick to recover. Official post is here.

What was much more unexpected were the news from Satakunta Ospreys, where things had been going great lately at both occupied nests. Yesterday nest #1 was attacked by a raven, and it ended in the deaths of both the mother osprey Alma and the youngest nestling A3. Though A1 and A2 survived, they are too young for the father Ossi to be able to take care of them alone, but fortunately with us humans having a window into their lives and knowing about their predicament, the decision was made to retrieve the two osplets and have them be fostered in another nest, giving them a second chance. Post on the situation is here (in Finnish and English).

Life still continues for both hawks and ospreys even amidst the sadder events. I'm happy to see K-2's siblings thriving as they learn to be fledglings and capable juveniles, and little N2 at the #3 osprey nest growing fast. I hope everything goes well for them and for A1 and A2, and for Ossi, who will hopefully keep the nest and territory. And hoping is all I can do about it, things in nature will go as they do. No hard feelings towards the raven, either; it's just being an animal doing animal things.

Red-tailed hawk fledglings K-1 and K-3 hanging out at the nest. (warning for visible prey in the screenshots)

Nuppu and N2 at nest #3 of Satakunta Ospreys, with dad Ahti perched in a tree in the background on the right. N2's primary feathers show well as pin feathers here.

Breakfast.

Ahti and N2.