Nesting Diaries
For about one hour today, two adult osprey were sitting at the nest. Then one left, the other stayed a while, then both were gone and remained away for the rest of the day.
Calusa Heritage Day so ospreys were center of attention. Two chicks and parents seemed totally unaffected and unconcerned by the activity. Chicks both actively feeding, male continues to bring large sticks to nest that female then works to fit in.
Nest still has two chicks both looking strong.
3/7/2014 report to eBird: Nest has two recently hatched chicks. Father came with fish, and I watched mother feeding them. She later turned on her back with talons reaching to the sky, gradually to lower them, then relax, and flip upright after what seemed like 3-4 minutes. I phoned Mark Bird Westall about this behavior. He founded the Osprey Foundation and has observed nests on Sanibel for many years. He's never seen such behavior himself before but says it's consistent with an osprey defending itself against an eagle. He said an osprey wouldn't do that for a crow or another less threatening species, but since this was daylight, she probably perceived an eagle. From my position, there were too many branches in the way for me to clearly look into the sky above her. Mark Westall said that she was protecting her young. He's 99% sure that that is what was happening.