Nesting Diaries
Nest abandoned, no adults or chicks present.
No ospreys visible on arrival. Could not determine via scope any activity in the nest. Osprey flew over nest, but didn't land. One caught a fish and flew over. After more than an hour, adult landed on nest, stayed on edge, appeared to peer into nest. Second bird landed, and first one flew away. Neither bird had any food. Second bird also flew away. Nest abandoned.
Male brought a fish, and flew off. Female busy feeding chicks and herself. Can see movement, but too far away to see chicks.
Via scope - three chicks were seen in the nest with the female. One has a lot of white down and is probably the last hatched. The adult was preening while the chicks lurched about the nest. The male flew in and landed on the nest with a fish which the female fed to the chicks. The male did not stay.
Female perched on edge of nest. Male flew in and dropped off a fish. Female feeding herself and chick(s)? Can't see the chicks. Female then flew away for about a minute, and the came back. Male perching on nearby mile marker #13.
Adult osprey was on the edge of the nest and was very active, moving around a lot and every once in a while spreading it's wings as if to shade the nest. It also appeared to be eating or feeding something in the nest. This busy activity went on for quite some time and at one point the bird took off, flew around the nest, and went right back on it. It then settled into the nest but stayed to the rear of it instead of it's usual incubating position. Although I could not be sure on 5/31 when I came that there was a chick in the nest, judging by the osprey's behavior today I would say there has to be at least one. Unfortunately, distance prevents any confirmation of this without the use of a scope. Another osprey spent quite a bit of time sitting on marker 13.
One osprey present and seemed to be feeding. She moved around a lot and could have been feeding babies as well. We need a scope to verify, since it is quite far away. No sign of second bird .
When I first arrived a bird was on the nest in the incubating position and was very vocal using it's whistling call notes. A little later on it appeared to be standing and either eating something or feeding a baby. I honestly couldn't tell because the nest is quite far and it was difficult with the binoculars I was using. After a short time it settled back into the nest. The mate had been flying around in the area all this time. When a boat passed by he, or she, sounded the alarm call and flew into the trees bordering the creek. I thought this was unusual behavior as I had never seen an osprey frightened by a boat. Later on another boat went by and the same bird did not panic. I should report that the mate to the bird on marker 15 also exhibited this same behavior today.
Still incubating. A second osprey was perched on a nearby mile marker for a little while but then was no longer seen after a time.
Still incubating. No sign of male.
Both birds on nest as I arrived. One flew away and did not return to nest but remained perched on nearby mile marker. Still incubating.
Osprey still incubating. Second osprey perched on mile marker #13 for at least an hour. Eventually flew to nest, exchanged places, and that bird flew away. No food was brought or eaten.
One osprey on nest alone, incubating. Another osprey was out on mile marker #12 eating a fish, but did not approach the nest during hour and half of observation.
One osprey present on nest, incubating. However, on marker 13 nearby an osprey was standing there eating a fish. When it was finished eating it flew to a sandy spot on the shore behind the duck blind and proceeded to dip its beak in and out of the water for approximately five minutes. Could not determine if it was drinking or just practicing good oral hygiene after a meal. It then flew around the nest but did not approach it and disappeared into the trees.
One osprey present, incubating. A second osprey was perched on mile marker #13for part of the time I observed, but flew off and did not visit the nest.
Both osprey were present but standing on the side of the nest. They appear to be non-incubating.
Observed one bird perching on nest. Second bird flew in and out. Could not determine if incubating.
4-1-2014 The osprey pair were together on the nest. hje female did not appear to be incubating.
03/23/2014 by nzedr (edit)
3/23/2014
An osprey was observed perched on the nest, which had been built late in the 2013 season possibly by the pair who nested on the blind near Marker 15A. That nest and blind were destroyed in a storm.
2 osprey were sitting on the nest, which is much larger. The male flew and perched in a tree overlooking the nest. After snapping off a branch he flew to the nest and dropped the stick onto it before perching on the left corner pole.