Nesting Diaries
No nest or adult osprey present.
Female not on nest. Male sitting on board beneath nest, seemingly smaller and looks to be physically in distress. Nest empty.
8 AM male on lower part of power line, Female could be seen moving in nest. She is safe and not a mortality.
Not sure if female is in nest. Male returned about a week ago and is seen on lower strut bar of power line, solo. Usually there, not in flight or beside the nest. Nest too high to observe activity, i.e., if F is actually on eggs and nest deep, F missing, etc..
This nest is by bridge over the Western Branch of Elizabeth River, highway 17. Today Female on nest and male still in process of bringing branches for construction. This year's nest nest on same power line as last year's, but on higher strut of power line, and much larger than past nest.
Branch fell out of nest when male brought new material to nest, and he dove from nest and retrieved fallen branch from the water.
While pair was in nest, three other ospreys were in close proximity. We could see one over Tartts creek, flying high in air, then diving and returning high in altitude, repeating this about four times. Chase then occurred with all three ospreys leaving Tarts creek and flying overhead of us as we stood on bridge. The nesting pair on power line were not affected by the other three.