Flying? Easy as falling off a dead tree

'What's all the fuss about? Dead easy, this flying business. Easy as falling off a log.'

Or a dead tree. Young Osprey took first flights today. No trouble flying. Not even too much trouble landing. Problem was the standing. Steep branches proved a challenge, even given almost total lack of breeze. Fidget. Wobble. Turn. Nearly topple. Flap. Flap. Skid down branch. Big flap. Virtually fall off tree. Refind gracefulness. Circle troublesome tree twice. Head back to nest. Security and stability! Later in the morn, lessons learned. Bird now confidently atop another dead tree. Parents impassive throughout. 'What's the fuss? It's what we do.'

Not such happy news for Bush Stone-curlew and eggs (earlier post). All OK one day, gone the next. Plenty to go wrong for ground-nesters. And this bird was close to info boards, most used parking bay, and regularly whipper-snipped verge.