Update for Saturday, May 11, 2024
Ares got his first chance this season to feed one of the chicks. It happened in the mid-afternoon, shortly after Astrid had conducted a meal. Ares picked up some scraps off the floor and began to try to feed one of the nestlings. As usual, it took him a while to get a nestling to look at him and the fact they were full already meant they were more apt to ignore him. As it happened, one of the three decided it could still manage a bite, held its beak agape and aimed it towards Ares. It then received from its father a tiny bit of skin and feathers. After that historic event, he picked at the scrap on his own for a little while and left. Indeed, it was a small meal for a chick, but a highly satisfying one for a father. At least Astrid did not stop him from doing it. Also of interest, one of the chicks gave its first cackle-type alarm calls today. No worries, it was merely a practice call, and the nestling wasn’t actually breaking the glass and pulling the alarm.
