It is perhaps the busiest week of the year at Greenbelt - our annual Art in the Barn art show is open at the Cox Reservation in Essex and it is an all hands on deck affair. So my time checking in on Annie and Squam this week has been limited. To date, no sign of a third chick in the nest and I would have expected that egg to have hatched by now. We will know for sure in a few more days, but we may be looking at another 2 chick brood for this pair in 2025.
Annie is busily caring for their 3 day old chicks, and I just watched her complete the morning feeding session (see photo), with the two chicks flopping over at the end with full bellies and Annie resuming brooding them (and presumably the third egg). This will be the routine for the next 2 weeks or so, until the chicks get too large to nestle under her. At that point she will still guard them closely, and can often be seen providing them shelter or shade with her wings and body.
Around the region, reports are coming in of many nests with chicks. And that is normal and right on schedule.
If anything changes with Annie and Squam, I'll report it here as soon as I can.