School Osprey Monitoring
2/24/23: Just one in the nest today, no chicks or eggs from what I can tell. The one that was there had a large stick, and doesn’t seem impressed. Flew off the post, thought she would drop it on me, but brought it back a different rotation.
2/28/23:
I believe it’s the female I’m seeing in the nest, and she’s still alone. I swear I saw 2 in the nest once. The next is bigger, it actually looks like it could support an egg at this point.
I saw a kestrel on a goal post, pretty little thing, just looking around. I glanced back at the Osprey, and when I looked back for the kestrel, he has disappeared. I’ll keep an eye on him too, if I see him again.
She flew off, a truly majestic flier, like a kite being driven by the wind currents, never rarely flapping. She’s a long way away now, barely a black siluetee in the sky. And when I looked down to write this I lost her. I will see her tomorrow then. While walking to the car, I heard her chirping somewhere in the air
3/2/21
I saw both of them! Mated pair. The male, I’m assuming gender here, didn’t stay long. He flew a good distance away with a stick once, then came back and I had a great shot of them together. Nest doesn’t seem any bigger, for now. I take that back it’s actually grown quite a bit.
3/6/21
I can’t tell if there is an egg, it’s an average sized nest, and I don’t think I’ll know if there is one until it’s hatched. The Nest looks stable. Nothing very interesting to report. She seems happy though.
It’s going to rain. I will see how the nest held up tomorrow.
3/7/23
It didn’t rain, the nest is fine
I interesting things happened today, begging with the fact that the kestrel was up on the goal post again. Probably the same one
So, not sure which, the mama or papa (I have yet to see them sitting next to each other for long enough to compare) was sitting up in a tree, not on the nest. Took me a while to find her too, I was sat looking at an empty nest, and off to my left I heard the recognizable chirping. So ofc I shifted to watch her for a while, and she was just sat there, chirping. (Again, still assuming genders) I began to think that something may have happened, was that the make up in the tree? Had the female disappeared and he was up there calling her? I had no idea.
So I kept watching her, listening to her chirp, when suddenly there was 2 birds chirping! I looked up and there was the other one! Soaring above my head! It was like they were talking! One saying “hey are you okay?” And the other saying “yes dear I’m fine”
He circled the tree she was on, but then soared off again, to, I assume, look for food. I’ll watch her behavior on the tree, and see if I can get a picture
She was eating a fish!
Fuck I just scarred her off by walking under her. She flew off (with the fish) to above the baseball field. I may have messed up, we’ll see though.
As I drove off, I saw her in the nest
3/8/23
Both were there today! Actually managed to see the male hang around for about… half a minute before leaving.
Definitely the female, based on size. Talking about the bird now. She flew off to gather a stick, came back a few minutes later. I think that means they haven’t had an egg yet?
3/9/23
She was on a different light post today, eating. I’m glad, she didn’t fly away.
Tomorrow will me the last day I can see her before a week long break. Nothing super interesting. Well, that’s not quite right, the bird itself is very interesting and I love her.
Ewing (Teacher) saw us, and u let him look. I learned some bird lore. Apparently mama and papa had a nest going for a few weeks, and then the whole thing fell. I’m glad that didn’t happen later in nesting season, but I’m also worried it will happen again if they keep bringing sticks. I’ll have to definitely keep an eye on that.
One good picture from today
3/10/23
Last day to see them before a week break
Not much to say honey. Mama was just up in the nest, chirping.
I’ve now confirmed a red shouldered hawk, and an American kestrel that live around here. I see the American kestrel enough to think definitely at least hunts around here, and the red shouldered hawk lives somewhere in the neighborhood.
When they showed up, the kestrel was right behind the hawk, but then the kestrel landed far away. I don’t know what that was about. However, Mama did not like their presence.
3/20/23
She scared me today, I thought the nest was empty, I know she was just difficult to see from any angle. Glad to know she’s still here after spring break. In her position, she might have laid an egg.
She flew off for a sec, pooped, and came back and laid back down. Not sure if that’s “egg behavior” but, I’m hoping.
3/21/23
Couldn’t see her, didn’t hear her. I saw my kestrel though, up there on the goal post