Nesting Diaries
One fledgling with parents who join the Sunrise Beach pair and their fledge to fly over top our houses twice a day now for the past week. Squealing with happiness because it finally RAINED! :)
They were both feeding the nestling or else they assume the posture of feeding a nestling. I'm fairly certain there is one in that stand. They survived the night, the male stayed close but was freaked out, didn't know where to stand. Those perches off the stands have been heaven sent....or Ben sent, thank you!!
Observed 6/25 and 7/3 - appeared empty.
These are two wackiest osprey ever! Each year they barely cover the stand with nesting material but somehow manage to produce. They have at least one. I'll be able to see more from my great room in the next couple of weeks. Thankfully the eagles have steered clear again this year.
Mom and dad on nest today!
Two adults and on the nest this afternoon, one on the perch and one in the nest.
Appears a nest bed was added to the frame they are nesting like crazy as of yesterday
Both Osprey have returned and are perching on nearby grasses as there is NO NEST BED on this stand
Nest bed/frame is gone from this stand as of this morning. Stand remains but nest bed is now missing. Odd, it wasn't that windy here.
They tried, on and off for a few weeks and have been gone now for over a week. This stand takes a beating and too much traffic with fisherman & para sailing occurring, they run their boats up onto the shore so it can't make the osprey happy.
Saw two osprey on the stand two days ago. Today, just a seagull. Guess we'll see if they return.
Think the male has returned. At the beginning of the season the male on this stand and the male on the Sunrise stand tussle upon their return for the first couple of weeks. Today, we have 3 osprey between the two stands.
Occupied by both after the storm but there were no young this year. This stand is loaded with all matter of stuff that has been swinging from the stand since the early spring wind storms
The eagle appeared on the stand early day about 3 days ago, they stayed nearby and waited for over an hour until the eagle departed and then back to the stand they went. This was a very disappointing year here in Forked River.
They have continued to hang at the stand but I don't see any behavior that leads me to believe they were lucky enough to save eggs after their nest material flipped out of the stand a few weeks back during one of the many "wind" storms
So this morning it appears their nesting material has all flipped out and is hanging under the stand. They were both standing in the bed this morning. She flew to a nearby post at the waters edge and it appears he is taking new nesting material to the stand. These two were doing so great and this weather has slowly ruined everything they've accomplished. The stand is hit by wind from all directions and high tide brings the bay to its base now.
These two were back for a few days but now no sighting of them. I was so encouraged by the amount of building they began when they first returned but the weather seemed to take the wind out of their sails. There is something flying off the bottom of the stand but I haven't see them in the past 2 days.
They're back, both standing in the middle of the stand this morning. Looks like a garbage bag flying off the underside of the stand
Pair appears to be in good shape. They had a big bag flying off the underside of the stand this morning but it must have finally blown off.
They actually appear to be adding to the stand which is a good thing, it's appeared pretty spare of nesting material since they took it over 3 years ago
Female has returned to the stand
Appears we have an osprey in this one as of this morning!
Two fledges began taking flight today!
Two chicks & Mom sat up in the bowl today when the monsoons struck. After a day of roasting in the stand they seemed to enjoy the hour of pouring rain to spread their wings.
Husband broke ankle so we haven't been able to get out in the boat, but it appears they have TWO chicks in this stand, they too are just beginning to lift those wings for testing! We should get out in the boat next week and will confirm the count, hopefully to include photos.
Husband broke ankle but we are hoping to get over there in the boat in the next two weeks. They definitely have at least one chick based on viewing their behavior over the past couple of weeks. Feeding every morning and afternoon and almost always around 4pm at the same time the Sunrise Beach couple are feeding their three. Hopefully I'll get better eyes on this stand soon.
I was beginning to believe they abandoned this stand. This morning the eagles decided to sit at the waters edge about 10 feet from the stand. She left the stand to join the male as they swooped and squawked at the eagles. The two adult eagles sat there for over 5 minutes while they osprey swooped and at them wings wide, talons flying. They took to the air but the Osprey made it almost impossible for them to get air. They headed west towards the Forked River where they live in the trees on the Game Farm. The female osprey was right back to the stand, she spent a minute rooting around with her head before settling back in. Their nest is so low in the stand you can't even tell they have a NEST in there. Dad went back to the perch a few feet from the stand and continued fishing.
She appears to have been staying low in the stand for the past few days. I'm reluctant to state that as the wind has been horrendous here facing the bay but she's staying low and he is fishing. Again, their nesting abilities are really lacking...fingers crossed they succeed this year.
They have a large piece of plastic or netting hanging from the bottom of the stand which is blowing in the wind. It appears they have added very minimally to the nest itself. These two need some guidance!
These two are back.....question for the ages, will they figure out how to fix their nest and actually hatch and raise a chick this year? First year was great, year 2 left eggs in the stand and deserted the stand, year 3 they had one but....it never made it cause again, they deserted the stand mid summer.
12:05pm One Osprey just landed on the stand, wind is wicked here, sat a couple of minutes then flew to ground a few feet away from stand.
Eagles were here yesterday....
zip, zilch, zero but the parents keep returning...
I thought they had deserted but there is defnitely something going on at this stand. Both adults are there and from the distance it looks like they have something in their nest. Going to boat over there this week...more to come...
Soooo..there were two, badly making a nest. Then it appeared she disappeared, he hung about, then he disappeared. He returned, it APPEARS that stand is empty but yesterday, there looked to be two adults there. We'll glide on over there in the boat in the next week and see if they are there or have once again deserted this stand. I will say, as of last year and again this year, we have a boat anchoring there periodically, walking into the game farm area, but not too close to the stand and then Windsailing. No idea if this has upset them or not. I'm repeating myself but I thought last year you recorded 3 abandoned eggs in that stand. The nest is really sad looking :( They need mentors!
One showed up this morning, second Osprey in stand at 2:58pm today. We have a pair!
they had TWO, Two fledges almost the size of the adults!
He's been in the middle of the stand flapping both wings and attempting to lift off...so far, just lots of flapping!
So far so good, this young pair seem to struggle to prepare stand & then maintain it, even this year it is sparse BUT they one ONE young one who seems to be growing nicely.
ONE chick sitting up on the stand, they have every type of trash in this sad sorry excuse for a nest. This is the stand that was abandoned last summer leaving eggs unhatched.
will be boating over to this one today or tomorrow, at a great distance, it appears there is ONE.
she is still staying low in the stand but I suspect we will see her up within the next few days. This stand & #4808 both went low in stand within days of each other.
She was sitting on the perch on the stand most of the day, guess no eggs here yet. Hoping to get the boat out there in the next two weeks to get a better look.
I must say these two don't seem to be very adept at padding the stand but having said that, as of today I believe she is lying low. I have not see her on the side or on the perch out front. Last year when Ben checked on this nest he found abandoned eggs.
Yesterday 4/8/17 two older teens appeared down by this stand were sitting on the perch near the water. I waved them off from the end of Sunrise. They then moved under the stand the bird took off. After a few minutes they walked on the south side of the wetlands towards RT 9. I'm assuming they somehow gained access from Game Farm Road which has a gate & signs. My understanding is you can hunt there but you have to be able to get onto the property. Next time I'll call the Lacey PD.The birds have been down there but I don't see any progress "feathering" the stand to create a nest. We'll see what the next week brings.
Yesterday 4/8/17 two older teens appeared down by this stand were sitting on the perch near the water. I waved them off from the end of Sunrise. They then moved under the stand the bird took off. After a few minutes they walked on the south side of the wetlands towards RT 9. I'm assuming they somehow gained access from Game Farm Road which has a gate & signs. My understanding is you can hunt there but you have to be able to get onto the property. Next time I'll call the Lacey PD.The birds have been down there but I don't see any progress "feathering" the stand to create a nest. We'll see what the next week brings.
As of 4/5/17 there are a pair of Osprey on the stand. They didn't do well in 2016. I believe Ben found eggs in the stand after the pair deserted the stand after about 8 weeks. Fingers crossed they successfully reproduce in 2017.
Ben visited today, stand has been empty for about 2 weeks, no signs of life here.
As of last week the chick is gone. They still haunt the stand but the nest is empty. :(
They have definitely been feeding a young one for at least 10 days, but today, both left the nest. One was on the post 8 ft from the stand, the other was on a post about 20 ft away. They were off the stand for approx 30 min. One returned to the stand and was in the "bowl" now both are on the perches jutting out from the stand itself. What does this mean? I can't tell if there is a chick in the bowl from this distance. Boat is in for maintenance hoping to have it back by Friday so I can check on this stand. Don't know what to make of it..... :(
Nesting pair still low in the stand as of today.
I've no clue how much nesting material is in that stand but again this year the pair has obviously laid an egg. Typical nesting behavior with Dad bringing food and sitting on the small perch just off of the stand. Today, he delivered a fish and the seagulls decided to go in for a bite he made quick work of dispersing them while returning repeatedly to check on her. She rose up once but went right back down onto what I am assuming is an egg.
There are two on the stand again this year. As of today, it appears they are both still leaving the stand and sitting on the perches on either side of the stand.
Mom & Dad were feeding him when we floated by today. I've attached a picture of him, he's a good size.
This stand is in the Forked River Game Reserve. We were finally able to float up close enough today and there was a white adult head that popped up! She called for a few seconds and the male appeared hovering above us before landing on the stand! There is sparse nesting material and she is very very low in what is there. We'll keep our eye on this one, we're very excited that it's been claimed!
Watching this one daily along with #4808 but this one seems to be used as a perch for flybys, of the six Osprey spotted thus far, none have taken up residence in this stand or attempted to build a nest not the stand. This stand is in the Game Preserve in Forked River.
It appears there is ONE Osprey on this stand as of today. A lone Osprey appeared on this stand last year but then vacated the stand which remained empty last summer. Will keep an eye on this stand to see if a pair takes up residence this year. Fingers crossed!
Floated by yesterday, the parents are staying close and we were able to spot a couple of heads popping up. We'll check on them in another week.
Out on our boat today and we sidled up next to this stand. The parents were not happy to see us, took off immediately, circled the stand and then squawked loudly at us so we floated away. Good size birds who were feeding their young.