Nesting Diaries
The male delivered a long piece of rope to the nest, which already consists of landscape cloth and maybe a pipe. Nest building continues.
I noted in eBird on 4/15 that the female is incubating. My guess is incubation began around 4/8.
Both male and female were on the nest when I arrived this a.m. I watched the male as he hunted and brought in nesting material.
Discovered a pair on the nest this a.m. I assume they'd arrived earlier. The female stayed on the platform, while the male both hunted and brought nesting material to the nest. The nest needs to be rebuilt.
Photo'd for the first time this year. Nest has grown. Female on eggs?
Observed a newly arrived male on the nest. It appeared he had added a few sticks.
Observed today. The nest is flat and all are gone. I assume the nestling has fledged.
Observed this a.m. There is one large chick in the nest. While I was in the Money Point marsh and well over 200 feet away, the adult female flew from the nest 3 or 4 times and buzzed me, talons down, giving those grating alarm calls. She'd spotted me and obviously considered me a threat.
Have observed a # of times since 4/08. Female is always hunkered down. One time, though, male and female switched off, and male brooded eggs. Today, observed male bring a long rope to the nest. So, nest-building continues. Hatchlings due soon, I expect.
Was showing Laura Mae around the Kinder Morgan property and Elizabeth River Project restoration site when we spotted this platform and occupied nest. We observed one of the birds bringing nesting material to same. The 2 birds we saw could be the same birds that abandoned the "boom nest" just downriver.