Nickname
Georgia's Nest/Lower Valley Road
Coordinates
(48.1452, -114.206)
Substrate
Osprey Nest Platform
Followers
None
What to look for
a
Adult Arrival
Look for 2 adults on the nest. The adult pair will show pair bonding behaviors such as vocalizations, aerial sky dances, and the male feeding the female fish. You may see the pair copulating, which typically begins 14 days before laying eggs.b
Incubation Initiation
Females will lay 1 - 4 eggs at a rate of one egg every 1 - 2 days. After laying, incubation starts. Look for adults taking turns sitting low in the nest incubating eggs. The incubation period can last 35 - 43 days.c
Clutch Hatching
Chicks hatch ~39 days after incubation begins. Look for adults bringing food to the nest and making "head bows" into the center. Chicks typically can't be seen until they are 2 - 3 weeks old, so feeding behavior is the only way to know chicks are there.d
Nestling Count
Around 4 weeks after hatching, look for the heads of chicks to show over the rim of the nest, particularly when adults bring food to the nest. Other times they lie flat and are harder to see. Count the number of chicks in the nest before they learn to flye
Fledgling Count
Chicks begin flying around 7 - 8 weeks old, and are still fed by the adults. Count the number of chicks who have successfully fledged the nest and are observed flying.f
Chick Last Observed
4 - 10 weeks after fledging, chicks begin leaving the nest area to migrate south, once they have learned to fly and feed themselves. Record the date that the last chick left the nest.x
Nest Failure
Look for signs of nest failure like adult abandonment, adults no longer incubating eggs or feeding young.Review All Observations
| 2016 - spartanmt | 2015 - spartanmt | 2014 - spartanmt | 2013 - spartanmt | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aAdult Arrival | 4/11/16 | 4/15/15 | 5/18/14 | 4/6/13 |
| aOccupied | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| aActive | ||||
| bEgg Laying | ||||
| bIncubation Initiation | 4/28/16 | 5/3/15 | 5/12/13 | |
| cClutch Hatching | 6/9/16 | 6/12/15 | 6/26/13 | |
| dNestlings | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| eFledglings | 3 | 0 | ||
| eFirst Chick Fledging | 8/6/15 | |||
| fChicks Last Observed | 9/6/15 | |||
| xNest Failure | 8/11/13 | |||
| xReason For Nest Failure | other |
Select Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2016 2015 2014 2013
Activity reports
2013 Nest Activity Report by spartanmt
| Adult arrival | 04/06/2013 | Nestlings | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 0 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | 05/12/2013 | Nest failure | 08/11/2013 |
| Clutch hatching | 06/26/2013 | Reason for nest failure | hail storm killed chicks |
2014 Nest Activity Report by spartanmt
| Adult arrival | 05/18/2014 | Nestlings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | ||
| Clutch hatching | Reason for nest failure |
2015 Nest Activity Report by spartanmt
| Adult arrival | 04/15/2015 | Nestlings | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 3 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | 08/06/2015 | |
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | 09/06/2015 | |
| Incubation initiation | 05/03/2015 | Nest failure | |
| Clutch hatching | 06/12/2015 | Reason for nest failure |
2016 Nest Activity Report by spartanmt
| Adult arrival | 04/11/2016 | Nestlings | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | 04/28/2016 | Nest failure | |
| Clutch hatching | 06/09/2016 | Reason for nest failure |
Photos of this nest
Nesting Diaries
07/28/2016 by spartanmt
moving out of area next month, will be unable to complete my osprey nest monitoring :-(
07/14/2016 by spartanmt
mom feeding beta chick, alpha chick full and gazing over side of nest, do not see any sign of gamma chick, unless the chick i'm watching getting fed is s/he, but i don't think so :-(
07/10/2016 by spartanmt
mom standing, two chicks laying down, all on the side of the nest where that darn glob of baling twine is hanging down
07/07/2016 by spartanmt
only see two chicks moving around nest. mom standing on edge of nest, one chick moving sticks around
06/30/2016 by spartanmt
dad in nearby tree, mom finishing a fish, two chicks w/backs to mom obviously full, didn't see 3rd chick, hope it's in a food coma
06/26/2016 by spartanmt
mom standing on side of nest, caught sight of all three chicks. #1 appears significantly bigger than both #2 and #3
06/23/2016 by spartanmt
first nest with verified 3 nestlings. mom busy feeding. #1 is full and has back to mom; #2 is being fed; #3 is waiting patiently next to #2. didn't watch long enough to see any beak bonking, hopefully i didn't miss it
06/19/2016 by spartanmt
finally see a bobblehead in the nest! mom laying down, it popped up briefly, dad is eating a fish on nearby telephone pole
06/13/2016 by spartanmt
mom standing on side of nest (or is it dad?) chicks too small yet to see/count
06/10/2016 by spartanmt
mom fussing with nest material, then laid back down. no longer incubation posture, i'm sure of that...
06/04/2016 by spartanmt
hatch watch week - looks like mom is still incubating, dad is in his favorite tree overhanging the river
04/26/2016 by spartanmt
female laying in nest, not quite incubation posture, maybe an egg coming soon?
09/11/2015 by spartanmt
no chick in nest, but dad showed up - fishing from his favorite tree next to nest
08/19/2015 by spartanmt
one chick in nest when i arrived, then a great blue heron flew by, and the chick took off after it!
08/12/2015 by spartanmt
One chick laying in nest, home alone, don't like that he's laying down, but maybe it's ok
08/06/2015 by spartanmt
two fledgers flying around the nest, chasing each other, the 3rd chick squawking at them from the nest. both fledgers returned successfully to the nest
07/31/2015 by spartanmt
doug maccarter just called to report 3 chicks and mom in the nest, all appear healthy
07/27/2015 by spartanmt
mom standing on nest perch, i think i can make out 3 distinct lumps laying down in nest. very cool, rainy morning
07/24/2015 by spartanmt
lovely morning - mom feeding smallest chick, the other two chicks satiated and just looking around at their world
07/21/2015 by spartanmt
one parent resting in tree right above the nest. all 3 chicks laying down in bowl but alert.
07/15/2015 by spartanmt
3 healthy-looking chicks home alone, but then mom returned with nesting material a few minutes later
07/12/2015 by spartanmt
mom standing in nest, saw two chicks laying down, could not confirm all 3 still there this morning
07/08/2015 by spartanmt
oh, no, another 3-chick nest. such a hard, hot, dry, summer for this many babies, but apparently they are hanging in there so far. this nest has had one tragedy after another, praying hard for success this year.
07/01/2015 by spartanmt
mom standing on side of nest, two bobbleheads make an appearance, seem to be almost the same size - yay!
06/24/2015 by spartanmt
mom is feeding but at an angle i cannot see bobbleheads. dad is resting in his favorite tree by the river
06/15/2015 by spartanmt
saw 2 bobbleheads in the nest bowl today! must have just missed breakfast - mom is preening, then moving sticks around the nest bowl, caught sight of two little heads
06/08/2015 by spartanmt
got back from 2-week vacation to find mom blissfully incubating, dad on guard from nearby tree.
04/16/2015 by spartanmt
two unsuccessful seasons in a row here, but the pair is now back and together on the platform. fingers crossed for these parents. per georgia, male arrived yesterday, saw female for first time today
07/06/2014 by spartanmt
one osprey guarding the nest. RED-TAILED HAWK UPDATE: FLEDGE for at least one, because i found him frozen in a nearby tree, with a male bullock's oriole swooping at him from above - the fledgling didn't move a muscle. i didn't see any other fledgling around the nest, which is definitely empty now.
06/21/2014 by spartanmt
the pair is on the nest platform, i'm guessing staking their claim, but no chicks this year. RED-TAILED HAWK NEST UPDATE: nest is still hanging in there, we have at least one chick w/mom or two chicks in nest, couldn't tell for sure (pix)
06/07/2014 by spartanmt
no osprey, no activity. REDTAIL HAWK NEST UPDATE: bad storm blew apart many nests on monday, some redtailed hawk chicks rescued from blow-down nest about 3 miles from this one, all chicks accounted for but the nest tree has clearly suffered some damage and the nest is now more exposed. fingers crossed they will fledge successfully
06/01/2014 by spartanmt
no osprey in sight, very little work's been done on the nest (she said with a sigh of relief) RED TAIL HAWK NEST UPDATE: observed at least 2 white chicks in the nest today, very peaceful setting in which to grow up.
05/26/2014 by spartanmt
no one in nest. finally had a chance to talk to georgia. she said the pair has been mating and bringing in sticks, but so far no eggs. i'm hoping they spend the summer bonding and fixing up the nest, getting so late for babies...
05/21/2014 by spartanmt
well whatdayaknow - the lone osprey has been joined by a female, who appears to be down in the nest, incubating? it must be this nest's pair, and they waited out the goose somewhere. glad to see the nest occupied, hope it has better luck than last year, but it's getting late :-(
05/10/2014 by spartanmt
goose still occupying the nest. i don't think this nest will have ospreys this year
05/03/2014 by spartanmt
doggone it, still have a goose hunkered down in this nest. i haven't seen an osprey anywhere around, either
04/25/2014 by spartanmt
well, i was wrong, this nest isn't empty, there's a mother goose hunkered down in it. it is a deep nest, so she could have been here for awhile and i just didn't see her. no sign of any upset osprey around, though
04/21/2014 by spartanmt
still empty. i checked the carver nest about a mile away on this same stretch of river, and that nest is still waiting for its occupants to return, as well
04/19/2014 by spartanmt
still no birds observed at this nest. i think they arrived on easter sunday last year, we'll see if they keep to their routine
04/11/2014 by spartanmt
no bird on the nest as of 4/9, but the birds have begun to return as of today, so i'll be checking daily from now on!
08/16/2013 by spartanmt
talked to georgia today (257-5081). there were 2 chicks in this nest all along. a severe hailstorm hit the 1st week of august, hail was size of golf balls, damaged their roof, trailer camper, snapped trees, etc. georgia advised that the day after the storm, one chick was gone. the other chick moved around in the nest, but it never flapped its wings and seemed to have difficulty getting to mom for fish. about 5 days ago it also died. that hump i saw in the nest is the dead chick. mom was seen flying around the nest for the first few days after her 2nd chick died, but georgia hasn't seen her in the last couple days. it's time for the magpies and vultures to do their job. georgia advised that these parents raised two chicks successfully last year, so at least there's that. i'm guessing the 1st chick was blown out of the nest and predated. i wonder about the 2nd chick possibly being caught up in fishing line or baling twine, but the fact that his difficulty in the nest seemed to start immediately following the storm means maybe it was the hail that injured him. very sad update.
08/14/2013 by spartanmt
again, no sign of osprey activity at this nest. next step is to call georgia for information. :-(
08/13/2013 by spartanmt
this nest is definitely empty. i've seen no action in or around it in 3 days. i'm hoping that my hatch date is off and this chick has fledged; will continue to watch it in hopes i see it back in the nest getting fed. can't really count it as a fledgling at this point, can i?
08/12/2013 by spartanmt
either the chick was laying very low in the nest or it's fledged. no parent around, thought i could see a bit of a hump in the nest, but it never moved, so i might have been staring at a pile of sticks. seems a bit early for this one to fledge, though...
08/07/2013 by spartanmt
mom on perch bar, chick eating fish in the nest, mom talking and dad responding from a spot out on the river (couldn't see him). sweet.
07/14/2013 by spartanmt
mom perched on side of nest, saw one large chick wing in the nest box, still no sign of a 2nd chick
07/02/2013 by spartanmt
watched mom preening on side of the nest for almost five minutes, about to give up and move on when a fairly big bobblehead popped up!! based on my vast experience, i'm guessing this chick is at least 6-7 days old. only saw one, but at least now this isn't a failed nest!
06/30/2013 by spartanmt
mom still incubating what i believe are nonviable eggs at this point. dad also in nest when i arrived but left shortly after.
06/27/2013 by spartanmt
mom still incubating, no sign of chicks, i'm wondering if this is another failed nest
06/26/2013 by spartanmt
well i arrived early enough in the morning to see mom finishing up a fish in the nest. if there are chicks, they already got fed and were down for a nap, because once again i did not see any bobbleheads.
06/22/2013 by spartanmt
i'm going to have to call georgia, this mom refuses to budge any time i'm near.
06/21/2013 by spartanmt
same old story, can't seem to catch mom doing anything but laying in the nest! i'm sure she has a chick but refuses to show me...
06/16/2013 by spartanmt
still looks the same - mom deep in nest box, dad on favorite tree limb overlooking river
05/31/2013 by spartanmt
didn't make it to this nest today, road closed for electrical crew, will try again this weekend.
05/14/2013 by spartanmt
big hail & wind storm last night, this nest is ok, with mom quietly incubating this morning.
05/12/2013 by spartanmt
yep, she looks like she's on the egg now! watched dad go into nearby field and bring back nesting material, too - very fun nest today.
05/10/2013 by spartanmt
it almost looked like incubation yesterday, but today both standing in nest for quite some time - darn!
05/07/2013 by spartanmt
another female osprey fussing in her nest this morning - i think tomorrow's gonna be a big day in the flathead valley! male on his favorite lookout branch...
05/03/2013 by spartanmt
well for pete's sake, the one nest i thought was all settled is not. saw female and 2 male flying around nest, then female landed in nest while one male continued to chase the other for the entire time i watched (about 5 minutes). i'm guessing no eggs yet!
04/22/2013 by spartanmt
both in nest, female seemed somewhat crouched down, but i can't say for sure she was incubating.
04/11/2013 by spartanmt
male arrived 4/6/13; female arrived 4/7/13. Observed courting behavior today! this is first pair i've seen this spring.
04/11/2013 by spartanmt
this platform is on georgia's property. last year both m/d arrived together on 4/8/12 and fledged two chicks.