Nesting Diaries
As with last year, the initial osprey had a fight for the nest (March 18). 3 eggs were laid. Only two chicks made it. Both appear to be females. Reese Banded them...See note below.
June 20, 2019 banded two chicks with purple bands 75/D and 76/D. See photos.
Banded two nestlings on June 27 with purple bands 38/D and 39/D. See photos.
June 7th, mom feeding two chicks. Can barely see their bobble heads above the nest.
About March 25 there appeared to be a pair on the nest. But they didn’t seem happy with one another. On March 28th an osprey dove down and attached one on the nest, throwing it into the water and tried repeatedly to drown it. This went on for about a half hour. Finally, the downed bird flew away and immediately a pair sat on the nest. My March 30th it appeared they were ready to lay eggs.
Reese Lukei and his team came by yesterday and confirmed eggs, two, on this nest.
No activity for weeks since the duck and the previous osprey both gave up. Now a new pair, maybe subadults, are hanging out. Female is missing a few wing feathers so is easy to ID. Male hangs in a tree close by. He brings here fish. We think they may have mated and she's sitting on eggs, but we're not sure.
March 27th-Mallard hen on the nest in the AM. 4 osprey circling for hours. Hen snapped at them but eventually left. Pair of osprey now settling in. Some mating behavior yestday.
March 28-both osprey are on the nest this morning.
Sub adult pair spending a lot of time at the platform, especially the female. She continues to squawk a lot, trying to get the male to bring sticks and fish. Today he got a big stick but dropped it well before the platform.Occasionally, a pair of mallards land and the osprey scare them away.
Probably a sub-adult pair. Female at the platform a lot. Male comes and goes. Very little nest building happened. Interlopers seem to have moved on.
Noticed a pair for 6 days in a row. Then finally the male bringing sticks and fish to the female. Now we have 1-3 interlopers.