The death of the second of two osprey chicks in a nest which had been live streaming on the Town of Osoyoos website has resulted in an outpouring of grief.
According to manager Dale Belvedere of the SORCO Raptor Rehab Centre, her phone and that of the municipality’s had been ringing off the hook after the tiny bird went missing from the nest Thursday evening.
“We think it (chick) may have gotten up on the side of the nest and have fallen out,” said Belvedere. “The parents hadn’t been around much and I think there may have been something wrong with the nest, I’m going to ask them (FortisBC) to take it down.”
The nest was on a de-energized hydro pole near the Osoyoos Elementary School and through a co-operative venture between the company and the town a camera was installed to allow the public to watch.
Belvedere had been concerned earlier about the adults’ actions of moving large branches around the nest and feels it may not have been deep enough to keep the young one inside.
The camera was stopped by the town on Friday with this explanation: “This (camera shut off) is due to the last baby bird falling out of the nest and succumbing to its death sometime during the evening of July 18. We are just as devastated like all of our viewers but unfortunately this is “Mother Nature” which we cannot control or intervene outcome(s). The bird has been retrieved and disposed of properly. If you have questions please contact SORCO at 250.498.4251.”
“I had to unplug my phone at quarter after one in the morning (Friday) there were just so many calls, people were just so upset,” said Belvedere.
READ MORE: Osprey chick raises concern in Okanagan
The parents had kicked two eggs out of the nest in late April and early May and the female laid two more in June.
READ MORE: Osprey camera goes live in the South Okanagan
They hatched the first week in July, the first one going missing shortly afterwards.
Initially, there were only a couple hundred views on the site however towards the end that number jumped to nearly 2,000 a day.
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Mark Brett | Reporter
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