Nesting Diaries
The female arrived first as she has for years. She even practiced sitting on her nest. The sexes are quite distinctive this year as the male has a blindingly white chest. She was observed to be sitting down in the nest continuously by 4/10. Today the two are on the platform occupied by something interesting in the nest, we hope, a chick.
We didn't record the beginning of incubation because it wasn't clear. The first chick was visible 6/5. The last chick was demonstrably smaller and very hesitant to fly, even after his first flight 7/21. He hung around for a long time after all the others had left, still whining.
The first osprey, a female, reappeared March 4. On March 9 3 ospreys were contesting the nest, but by 3/13 a pair had taken possession. They have been busy rearranging the furniture ever since.
Egg laying and incubation seemed to be successful. One of the chicks disappeared early this season but the other grew to the point of stretching its wings regularly, but on 7/17 was observed prone in the nest feebly waving one wing all day. Presumed injured by a predator but there could have been some other reason for its death 7/18. The mother brought a fish yesterday but today is no longer standing guard, though she continues to visit.
There was a territorial battle today. A third osprey hunkered down in the nest with the two already there for at least a half hour. When a fourth osprey came, one flew out to chase him and the interloper also flew away.
The first osprey appeared around 3/5/2020, disappeared and reappeared 3/9. The pair were united 3/18 and have been busy reconstructing the nest ever since.
The new male moved in, and the two cohabited happily for the rest of the summer, but did not raise a new brood. We last saw the last osprey 9/16/19.
Two chicks have been visible in this nest. The male turned up dead on our lawn 6/8, no obvious reason. The female carried on feeding and the chicks seemed to thrive. But on 6/14 a new male appeared. She fought him off but eventually, that evening, accepted him and he helped shoo away other interested males. On 6/15 the chicks were still there, but they weren't seen on 6/16 and she removed a dead chick to the side of the nest this morning. The new male came with food but she has spurned him, so far.
The male osprey returned March 13. Another osprey appeared a few days later and then disappeared, but today a pair mated on the nesting platform.
This nest was destroyed last year and a new nesting platform built which the pair ignored. This year, for the first time ever, a male arrived first, on 3/21. He sat on the old pole but didn't attempt to nest. Both male and female were observed on the new platform today, and the female was observed bringing in nesting material.
Incubation began on a nest constructed on the pole and lines 4/24/17, although the power company assured us the ospreys would move to their new pole. The picture with 2 ospreys was taken 5/7/14. On 5/15/17 the nest was knocked down. We weren't home so we don't know how though we suspect the power company who visited this weekend. The ospreys continue to sit on the baffle and call.
On 3/6/17 after ospreys began reappearing on the creek, the power company installed a new pole and nesting platform nearby and covered the top of the pole the ospreys have been using with a baffle. For the last three days, the pair have been trying valiantly but unsuccessfully to construct a nest where they've always nested. The sticks slip off the rounded top and the ground is littered. They're still trying.
This pair returned 2/28, but left for a week in early March (it snowed). They've returned and are busy mating and rebuilding their nest. This picture was taken 3/11/2016.
Chicks first observed 5/24 -- 10-12 days after the mother was observed perching on the edge of the nest instead of down inside.
The power company came 4/2/2015 to safeguard the nest, resetting a wire and trimming some branches. The female was off her 3 eggs for about 2 hours, watching, but then returned.
Female returned 3/6/2015. Her nest had been cleared away by the power company. She gathered sticks which were blown away in a windstorm. She gathered them again; they were removed by the power company after fuses blew 3/30/2014. The male returned 3/20/2015 and both are now energetically rebuilding the nest and mating.
The female osprey (with the heavier breast markings) returned 3/12/14. Three ospreys were observed on 3/13/14 but 2 of them were chased away and not seen after that. The female began to pile a few sticks On 3/18/14 what appeared to be her mate returned. Nest construction began immediately and they seemed to have no problem with the new baffle the utility company put over the insulators on the pole. On 3/20 mating was observed. Nest construction continues enthusiastically with one osprey sitting on the nest and the other gathering sticks. Another osprey was chased away 3/23. As they do every year, they've taken many dried fallen branches we've laid out on our lawn for them. The new nest is already, as of 3/24, a substantial structure with sides rising 8-12 inches.
In late September 2013 workers for the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company dismantled this nest and installed spikes on the pole they hope will discourage further nesting. Their explanation was that they were worried that the birds might electrocute themselves, though that hasn't happened in years of successful nesting.
We believe the chicks from this nest have left. It is much quieter in the neighborhood and no chicks have returned to the nest since 9/3 although there are still other ospreys feeding in the area.
7/22/2013 The last chick finally left the nest on 7/20 - more than two weeks after the first. After an early flurry of activity, he showed little interest in exercising his wings, and continues to sit for long periods on high places nearby-including on a neighbor's boat- whining for food and looking as if he dislikes heights.
One fledgling tried fishing today, splashing into the creek several times. One perched for a long time on the electric wire before taking off successfully - probably his first day of flying. A third is still on the edge of the nest, flapping and strengthening his wings.
We can't see into this nest but the parent activity has changed. Today they perch on the sides instead of nestling down inside. It may be that there are chicks inside.
This pair seemed to have returned together. First seen in the neighborhood 3/7 they were on the nest together by 3/11. Today (3/12) the female is busy gathering sticks we've strewn on the lawn (among others) and repairing the nest. Both in their nest repair and in their fishing they look very competent and experienced.
As of 9/3/2012 all the ospreys but one had left the area. The lone chick remained for another week, calling hopefully, fishing successfully and returning to the nest to share before taking its fish to a tree to eat.
As of 7/15/12 all 4 nestlings had fledged and are now flying independently, though still hanging around for food.
The four nestlings are actively exercising their wings, jumping up, peering over the sides, and occasionally grabbing sticks from the nest.
There are FOUR nestlings feeding! They are regularly visible now, peering over the sides of the nest. There has been a great deal of nest remodeling as well.
5/16/2012
It will be a while before we will see nestlings but the nature of the adult activity has changed. Today one adult sat quietly while the other appeared to be feeding something inside the nest, picking food off his feet. There were quiet peeps, possibly from an adult and possibly from chicks.
After a week of flying around and heavy fishing, the ospreys began rebuilding their nest yesterday. This morning a third osprey appeared with a fish. At least two of the three sat on the nest at different times this morning, and one continued to add new sticks. Now one stands guard.
This nest was started but not completed in the summer of 2007. In 2008 the pair raised one chick. In 2009, two, in 2010 the three pictured, and in 2011 two again.
The female returned 3/8. She was observed sitting on the nest this morning (3/10) and calling and within 2 hours, the male was observed as well.
In the late fall of 2009 the nest was destroyed by fire caused by a lightning strike. The pair rebuilt their nest completely in 2010 before raising the three young that year.