Nesting Diaries
Visited this a.m. Busy place. Male addeed nesting material. No sign of chicks. Male spent time in nest and on his usual perch nearby.
First trip this year. Nest occupied. Female on eggs? I heard the male, who was close by in a tree.
Visited this a.m. Adults still adding nesting material. Finally observed a hatchling in the nest. It was being fed by one of its parents.
I observed this nest for the first time in mid-March. I left off traveling and observing this and other nests because of Covid-19. I resumed watching in early July.
I'm not sure what to make of things here. One would expect chicks at this point.
I showed up and watched the nest on 7/4. The adults added nesting material. At one point, both adults were in the nest, and the female(?) appeared to be shading young.
Will continue to observe, and will keep fingers crossed.
The first photo was taken on 3/1, and the second on 7/4.
Nest is empty. Chick has fledged.
Observed for a while this a.m. There is 1 large chick, and 1 only, in the nest. Also saw both adults.
Observed this a.m. Finally observed a chick in the nest. The chick was small. I also observed the female brooding. Had never seen Ospreys brood before. I assume there's more than 1 chick. Also observed the male deliver nesting material. For a time both parents were in the nest.
Footnote: Brooding by female continual, days 1-14, and intermittent afterward, up to 4 weeks. I'm now guessing that eggs hatched around 6/15.
Have visited several times since 6/09, including today. I'm sure chicks are in the nest. Today both adults were on the rim most of the time. One had its head in the nest as if it were tending something there. At one point, both adults left, but they returned.
Visited the nest this a.m. No sign of chicks.
Female still deep in nest. Male roosted in vicinity and visited once or twice while I was there.
Female still on eggs. Observed male nearby.
Female hunkered down on nest—confirmed! Please see photo. Her head is just visible.
Visited in a.m. Nest has grown. A female is very likely hunkered down and on eggs. I observed her mate in flight in the vicinity of the nest.
This a.m., I discovered nesting material on this platform for the first time this season. Maybe the pair that had built a nest just upriver (Seahawk Crane nest, nest # 7467) has relocated?
No sign of the Ospreys. I believe the juveniles have vacated the nest. Only crows there now. One adult flew overhead during my morning visit.
Visited again this am. Juvs. spent most of their time in the nest, and vocalized much, but they also flew around. At one point the pair appeared to chase off a vulture. Captured one of them in flight. See 17/19. Both still very much dependent on adult. Did not observe either attempt to fish.
Observed this am. Juvs. on nest and squawking the whole time. Observed an adult deliver a fish. The squawking subsided right away. Today's photo is 16/18. Alas, photos still not arranged in order.
Observed fledgling fly to tree with a fish. It remained there for an hour or more. Photo, at least for now, is the second to the last photo.
Chicks have gone airborne. They fledged a week or 2 ago. Observed pair on nest and in flight this am. Posted photo of one of the chicks in flight (first photo in fourth row).
Chicks are getting huge and are flapping a lot. I thought for sure one would go airborne. They were left alone in nest much of the time.
Chicks are growing fast and are flapping their wings. Female left briefly to chase away a too-close Great Egret. Male visited several times with food.
Nestlings are getting noticeably bigger. Saw much of male today.
I'm getting attached to this place. Yes, female was brooding, and yes--there are chicks. At least 2 of them! I observed one nestling stretch out its wings. Please see latest photos.
Observed off and on for an hour plus this am. Female mostly alone (and brooding?). Male visited several times, once with a small fish. Observed female eating. Female never left nest.
Visited in early am. Male delivered a big stick to the nest. Nest building continues (nest building can continue into nestling period and beyond). Adults were always on nest rim and never in nest. I assume hatchlings are in the nest.
Observed nest in am. Nothing much new here. I thought I could barely see the top of an Osprey head.. I assume the female is deep in the nest and is still incubating.
Female on nest and male visited often. When I left, male was on limb nearby.
Visited early. Female is clearly incubating. Is deep in the nest and difficult to see.
Observed this am. One of the Ospreys continues to deliver branches and fish to the nest. See latest photo. Female may be incubating. Copulation had been observed by several, including myself.
Observed from the end of Inland Rd. This is the best location from which to view this nest. Nest building continues. And the nest is huge! Two or three times observed one of the Ospreys drop into the river's edge and grab a clump of fine material (grasses--and maybe some mud?). So they're lining the nest as well as still adding heavier stuff. No sign of incubating. Both left the nest at times.
Visited this am. Nest building continues and nest is noticeably larger and deeper. No sign of incubating.
Spent 3 hours observing nest and taking photos of same this am. Nest building continues unabated. The male, and I believe the female, both participated. I saw the Ospreys deliver large sticks, finer material, a pine cone. The male, presumably, brought in a fish. At one point both flew in together, the male above the female. The female landed and the male landed gently on the female. It appeared that copulation ensued. Also, at another point, a third Osprey appeared. It looked like a young bird. (Feather color on the back of the head was a tan color.) Was it theirs? All three stayed in the nest for a while. Had never seen an Osprey adult trio in a nest before. Had never seen Ospreys copulate either!
Nest building continues. I hadn't observed this before. Both large and small sticks being added, and perhaps finer material. No signs of incubating. Much calling. Busy couple!
Observed both Ospreys on and around nest this am. Much vocalizing. Great estuarine habitat here. Observed numerous interactions between Ospreys and Bald Eagles, both adult and juvenile.