Season 2021: Part 3C Learning to Fly

6/11/2021

First fledge: Sage fledged June 25, flying to the rail.
Second fledge: Poppy, the first born, fledged on July 1, flying and landing well on the crane, greeting his brother, who seemed to be coaching him.
Third Fledge: Lupine, the third born, fledged the morning of July 2, to the railing.
Scroll down to the bottom of this post for photos and video of the three fledges.

The chicks' feathers have come in, their wings have grown large, the chicks have almost reached their adult weight, and they have become more independent. The next few weeks will be all about wings, as they exercise their wings then learn to hover and finally fledge. This is an exciting but nail-biting time for the human observers. See the calendar below for the approximate dates. It is assumed that since this set of chicks hatched earlier than in years past, they will also fledge a bit earlier.
For more detailed pictures by video, see the sfbayospreys Youtube page.

feathers coming in June 9 gif by Robin

Wingercizing June 7 cap by C

Chick Dancers June 10 cap by lurker

Wing stretch June 12 cap by lurker

Lupine dance June 11 cap by lurker

June 16 crowded nest cap by midi

Wingercizing at night cap from video by VA June 8 (see full video at Youtube channel sfbayospreys

The chicks spend their time preening, eating and practicing flapping their wings. They sleep some too or lie quietly watching. Richie goes out to catch fish and Rosie has been sitting on the crane boom more. Is it because there is no room on the nest or is she demonstrating how to get to the boom? Only she knows.

VZ flapping at feeding time June 16 cap by midi

late night flapping June 16 cap by midi

ZP eating guts, other two wingercizing June 16 cap by midi

Preening June 16 cap by midi

Rosie demonstrating a perfect landing? June 15 cap by C

All 3 flapping June 17 cap by VA

ZP practicing June 16 cap by C

asleep at night June 16 11 pm cap by midi

The chicks do not sleep all night. They awaken, look around, take a poop, maybe even exercise, then fall back asleep.

Classic nest shot June 18 cap by midi

June 19: The chicks are all beginning to hover. This year, they are closer in development and are hovering at the same time. Who will be the first to fledge?

ZP, the oldest and the first to hover. June 19 cap by C

Wing stretching. June 19. Video by VA.

ZP hovering June 20 gif by J

VZ eating a long fish gut. June 21 cap by midi

Three in a Row June 20 cap by midi

Lined up for id's June 21 cap by lurker

Sage (WR) sunset hover while siblings watch June 24 cap by Crow

Id of the 3 chicks June 24 by Robin

(ZP)Poppy hovering taking the nest with him June 25 video by VA

(WR) Sage hovering June 25 video by VA

Sage fledges to the rail, June 25, 2021

Sage (WR) fledged to the railing around the nest on June 25. There was some discussion whether this was a true fledge or accidental. But he proved his mettle afterward by flying back to the nest and subsequently flying up on the crane. Each day he has flown, quickly becoming adept and flying out of cam sight. The other two watch with interest. Rosie seems to fly to the crane to encourage Sage and the others to fly to meet her.

Sage (WR) on the rail at first fledge June 25 cap by lurker

Sage (WR) flies high, with siblings watching. June 25 cap by Lurker

Back on the nest June 25 cap by lurker

Sage goes even higher. June 25 cap by lurker

First fledge. Sage on the railing. June 25 cap by PP

Sage on boom June 26 cap by lurker

Sage on crane June 26 cap by lurker

Two sleeping upright like adults. June 25 cap by C

Flapping at night June 25 cap by midi

The other two watch their sibling. Poppy (ZP) has tried flapping but can't seem to get airborne. Lupine (VZ) is still a baby, lying down to sleep and wanting to be fed. He is also the youngest.

Watching big brother. June 25. cap by PP.

(ZP) Poppy hovering. June 26 cap by midi

Lupine (VZ) being fed June 26 cap by midi

Poppy hovering June 26 cap by J

Lupine hovering June 28 cap by lurker

(WR) Sage taking off to fly. June 30 cap by midi

8 minute hover by Poppy (ZP). From video Flight School by VA. June 26

Lupine hovering in the mist June 30 cap by Tama

(WR) Sage expertly flying over the Bay June 30 cap by midi

Double hover Sage teaching Poppy? June 30 cap by C

Lupine and Poppy watching the boats go by June 30 cap by midi

After fledging, Sage quickly learned to take off and land and frequently flies to the crane and even circles over the Bay. Lupine and Poppy watched and on June 30 began to hover more. Both had long , successful hovers. But Poppy had trouble landing, using his claws to poor effect and not folding her wings.

sThe morning of July 1, one chatter's birthday, Poppy finally fledged. Apparently she had learned overnight how to land. She landed on the boom of the crane, a bit awkwardly but holding on well. Her brother was up there to cheer her on and to greet her. The parents were absent. Perhaps they decided that it was time for the offspring to learn on their own.

Poppy's fledge from VA video July 1

The fledgling are not accomplished fishers yet and they will continue to return to the nest to sleep and to get fed. Like good human parents, Rosie and Richie will be glad to comply with both their teenagers' need for independence and their need for their basic needs still to be met.

Tug of War over fish June 30 cap by midi

food fight July 1 cap by PP

Lupine fledged on July 2 in the morning.

She flew to the railing where she sat a while trying to figure out how to return to the nest. Richie flew in and perched on the rail to encourage her, then demonstrated how to fly (this is human interpretation). When Lupine heard a fish on the nest,s he managed to get herself back, where Rosie fed her all by herself.