only saw 2 chicks today at 2:30 but a male red wing blackbird was constantly buzzing the nest and hitting the female osprey on the head as she was trying to shade and then a female red wing blackbird got in the act, somehow the adult osprey maintained her composure but its not good to have this happening. I have told the community to trim the phragmites and groundsel plants that are surrounding the nest platform, the black birds nest in there and will cause ospreys to abandon nests. this is a reason to not place nesting platforms where there is tall plant growth
female up in nest and appeared to be shading, male arrived to T perch and red wing blackbird dive bombing him mercilessly. too many phragmtes and groundsel bushes growing up around the platform pole, poor placement, never a good idea, blackbirds are relentless when nesting near osprey. female then settled down into nest oh so gently. i am calling it hatchlings
definitely a pair at the nest today but definitely being given a run for their money by another female osprey. there had been a pair of geese off and on this platform, so happy the osprey will be free to nest.
one juvenile in nest, one in tree with a fish. last time i saw the entire family including the adult female was 8-19-18 when she was feeding the youngest on nest. one other juvenile had its own fish and adult male flew in with fish. 3rd juvenile was calling for a fish, busy family that day!
last younger chick of the 3 fledged today. the adults are a bit elusive but they do have to fly out of the narrow creek area to catch fish as even if there were plenty to catch there are lost of boaters coming and going..
2 large chicks standing in the nest today and then I saw a third wing stretch up to confirm the smaller chick is still in the nest. I expect they will be flying any day now
no adults seens today. i have not been able to confirm the males guard/dining perch, nor the females favorite perch, and often the nest has no adult present.... today i did confirm all 3 chicks are still in the nest. one was self feeding and one was laying in the far corner, possibly the smallest, and one was up and then down also., chicks look to be about 4-5 weeks old
finally got a good ook at the nestlings today, 2 regular size and one laying off to the side looked a bit younger with some down still on its back. i did not see or hear any adults though... sometimes a female will leave a nest unattended and especially with the red wing blackbirds bothering this location she may have been perched nearby.
so far the osprey are continuing to incubate, there has been 7 solid days of heavy rain and yesterday I watched the bird in the nest constantly shaking the rain off its head
This is the first day I see incubation behavior so the date is just an estimate, probably this pair been on eggs a few days. We approached by boat and as we turned around we watched to see if the nesting bird would be stressed and she didn't even lift her head up out of the nest. hoping for a productive season for this pair who's behavior points to them likely being a mature pair from a fallen snag nest in 2016...2017 a pair spent all season in this general location but did not chose the platform.
well guess i do not know osprey ! :) there has been a pair on the platform since around the 9th of April, sort of coming and going. today the nest was looking like it needs quite a bit of work but both osprey were at the platform and I observed 2 attempts at copulation. This is great news for the woman who had the platform built early 2017 in memory of her late husband. I talked with her today and she named them Diana and Chuck.the bulkheading company is still working at the marina so this may be a good sign that this pair will handle some human disturbance "in season".
no ospreys anywhere near this new platform as the marina is under construction and equipment is just a few 100 feet from the nest site. doubt there will be any pairs claiming this site to nest for the 2018 season.
no nest material on platform and no osprey activity seen this season for this new platform. may be too close to marina traffic and night time lights..but maybe next season a pair will claim it.
new platform placed at the entrance to marina, has a 2017 plaque, no nest material was placed in the platform and no osprey has claimed it so far although there are a number of ospreys hanging out in the nearby new community "solitude" off clubhouse Rd.
Past Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2020 2019 2018 2017
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Nesting Diaries