10:00 a.m. Kate Arrison tells me that her husband installed a camera on this nest which is not working right now! I am quite sure this camera is not linked to the internet and probably only has a film loop, although perhaps they have a pick-up at their home. I will inquire more carefully in the future.
9:45 a.m. A third chick flew into the nest and landed on the perch. This confirms there are three off spring at this nest this year. Through my scope I can clearly see 3 sets of red eyes. I have not seen the tower empty so I am reporting 2 fledglings. I suspect the third is capable of flying also.
8:00a.m. It was quite foggy this morning, but had mostly cleared when I arrived at the nest tower. I parked on Old River Rd. I saw one chick sitting on the nest platform, and an adult on the perch. The chick was eating something in the nest.
At about 9:00 a.m. the adult flew off the perch, toward the river. The one chick continued to eat whatever prey had been left on the platform and calling intermittently. After observing three birds on 8/6, two of which were definitely chicks, I wanted to arrive early and stay long enough to assess the family dynamic at this nest tower.
10:00 a.m. One of the babies flies off toward the river. I can't tell if it is one that earlier flew in, or if it is the third, the one I have not seen fly. Thus I still can't positively confirm that all three have fledged.
At 9:20 a.m. a second chick flies in and lands on the perch where the adult had been sitting. The sibling continued to eat, and both were calling loudly. Both are very vocal. After a couple minutes the chick on the perch hops down next to its sibling, and eyes the prey! Vocals continue
A lady walking her dog passes, and sees my equipment. She asks how many chicks are in the nest and I tell her. She said she thought there were only 2 this year, but I tell her I can definitely see that all three on the tower now have red eyes. It turns out this is Kate Arrison, whose husband has installed this tower (twice...once after a lightning strike 3 years ago took out the first tower) and has watched this nest (for 10 years). They live just north of the field where the nest tower is.
When I arrived at 12:30 p.m. across from the platform on Old River Rd, there were three osprey on the platform, one on the perch and two in the nest. One of the two on the nest was eating prey. The second bird on the nest flew away before I could get good photos of it. I believe it was a fledgling, and I reported three but there is a slight possibility that it was an adult. I will try to observe early a.m. and confirm the number of nestlings.
I stayed for quite awhile watching the two remaining birds. Both were nestlings. I do not know if either has fledged yet.
The one who was eating, continued to do so while the one on the perch called constantly for its own fish delivery. Finally, the one on the perch flew into the nest and continued to call while its sibling monopolized the fish meal in the nest.
Activity reports
Photos of this nest
Nesting Diaries