Growing in an Osprey's Garden #6

Harmony is now 58 days old and it is very capable of eating the fish brought to her by both Dad and its mother, Big Hook. There's lots of exercising of those wondrous wings and it frequently lifts off the nest, but only a few inches at this stage.

Pete (unsteady) who has been observing this family for the past three years suggested posting some comparative shots of Harmony and Aussie, last years chick at the same age.

Aussie hatched much later in the year, October 20th, and was the survivor of a clutch of two. Harmony was hatched on September 26th this year.

Here's Harmony from yesterday.

And here's the link to the previous thread. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1056583/


This message was edited Nov 23, 2009 12:16 PM

And here's Aussie at the exact same age. Old Ma Osprey proudly looks on. Viewing my photos from the few days around this time, Aussie and Harmony would seem to be on par.

They even stumbled during practice on the same day.

These two shots of Aussie were taken on December 16th and it was observed to have fledged on December 27th. So, we'll wait and see, but all things being equal, Harmony should fledge on or about the 4th December.

I have never seen your Aussie thread, that was before I came to DG. Is that the same nest? and what happened to the others? I guess I,m wanting to know how Osprey's go about getting a nest.

Hi, Burd. Yes it is the same nest. Same adult male but different mother. Here's a link to Aussie's thread. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/915026/

There are some interesting sites that explain claiming, retaining and attracting a mate to a nest. I'll see if I can find a couple and will post the links when I do.

If this question has been asked and answered, forgive me, but how is it that you are able to get above the nest?

These are some super shots.

Hack

Edited for spelling errors.

This message was edited Nov 23, 2009 10:04 AM

Oh Burd....take your time and read all the Aussie threads. It was was quite a journey to follow as it unfolded. And of course it ended way different than we had all hoped. But it is that ending that has given us Big Hook and Harmony to enjoy this year!

SO Aussie may well have been a male too then.....

Gee, Margaret, it looks to me like Harmony has progressed very little when you compare the two and there's more than a months difference in the date of births. There's just a little more darker in the wings of Harmony.

Your photos are both just perfectly gorgeous!

Hack, since Margaret has gone to bed, I'll answer for her. The viewing spot they have is at the top of an embankment. The tree the ospreys have nested in is down by the water and therefore closer to the ground.

Maybe she can post a long shot.

Thanks, Mrs_Ed. I thought she might have lived by a lake or river and was looking down from a window or something.

Hack

Thx for the link Margaret, I will definitely be checking it out, does anyone know if the DG server was getting maintenance or something last night?

Burd,must have been this am too,it happened lastwk too

I just read the 5th thread and really enjoyed it. Margaret your photos (and Denis' photos also) are incredible. Don't take this wrong... but, I've never seen these birds as all that pretty until I saw your photos. You've really brought out the best in them. Thanks for sharing their nest with us.

Janet

Humm, Burd_Fotos, I noticed that I couldn't get on either.

Hack

Happy Thanksgiving. Just wanted to see if I could edit my post. JuneBug had problems editing. Looks like mine went okay.


This message was edited Nov 24, 2009 2:36 AM

It is some bug connected to the sending out of the weekly newsletter. Dave is on it and will have all of the links fixed soon (if not already)

Well, not yet! I just tried to edit my post and got !lost. I was going to add that this same thing happened last week at the same time (Sunday night) and he has a pretty good idea on what needs fixing.

Oooh, how wonderful it's to return to your thread. Thanks Margaret for the update at the Osprey's garden. I'm so glad others get to learn more of Aussie and the former family.

I,m currently on thread 5 of the Aussie thread, this is like a good book, I put a couple hours into it last night until my eyes gave out lol. I will say that the Willie Wagtail parts are quite entertaining when they come up. :)

Those Willie Wagtails tickcled the back of my neck as well. :-)

Burd, I'm glad you've found Aussie's thread. Last season's events are the subject of a book I've started working on.

Janet, they really are very beautiful birds. I'm glad our photos are allowing you to see them in a new light.

Hack, I've D-mailed you.



Well, things have been fairly quiet at the nest over the past few days, but I'll post some shots from yesterday anyway. I spent a couple of hours down on the low path. Much closer to the nest but the view isn't as good. Here's Big Hook and Harmony.

You can see that the nest garden has wilted and died - thank goodness.

Their attention was caught by something.

I've mentioned before that Big Hook occasionally moves towards the chick in a rather unusual manner. She looks at it with a different expression and moves towards it. The chick was resting, as in the previous shots, but got up as soon as Big Hook started to come towards her.

Big Hook lowers her body as she approaches the chick. It's almost as if she's going to give it a bit of a push with her chest, but doesn't.

She's right up against the chick in this shot.

Immediately after the last shot, Big Hook took off.

As frequently happens, Harmony did some wing exercises as soon as it had the nest to itself.

I'll need to observe the sequence of events after Big Hook makes these odd moves towards the chick to see if she always leaves the nest afterwards.

Big Hook returned to the nest and spent some time sitting on the left hand branch.

A Pelican flew by and she took off after it. Because of all the vegetation, I was unable to get a good shot. She seems to enjoy pursuing the odd Cormorant or Pelican.

The shadow was creeping up the nest. Harmony was resting but kept a close eye on a passing airplane.

I returned to the top part of the embankment. Big Hook came and went a couple of times and eventually returned with a fish. She fed the chick for a couple of minutes and then left it to feed itself. She flew up onto the pole branch in the late afternoon light.

Once again a small troupe from the traveling circus circled a few times over the nest. There is no doubt in my mind that they are pausing enroute to their night quarters to have see what's happening at the nest. I've seen it happen too many times for it to be a coincidence.

Here's a shot of two who circled over the nest the day before yesterday.

I was too busy watching the chick and Big Hook on the nest to see Dad fly up onto the pole brach that Big Hook had vacated a few minutes before. The sun was even starting to leave the pole branch by this time. The nest was in complete shadow, so I departed.

Well I completed reading the Aussie thread, what a great story with some good times and no so good. To bad about Ma Osprey but 18 years is a long time for a bird. And to find out that Dad's new girlfriend was Big Hook really was a nice mesh into your next thread. I did notice things were getting a little (fishy) at the end of the Aussie thread lol. Bravo Margaret!!! I would recommend the book to anyone who loves good story's, especially youngster's. When you do get your book finished I want an (autographed copy) we will figure that out when it comes. I also like the (Tail End) of some of your threads also, lol plus the informative banding parts. Bravo Margaret once again! :)

Thanks Burd. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

I,m wondering if Big Hook and Harmony will have the arguments that old Ma, and Aussie had? Guess we will find out soon. :|

Burd, Pete and Denis who've been observing this nest for the last three years said last season's conflict was very uncharacteristic. Even when there have been multiple hatchings, there wasn't the aggression that we observed last year. Madam X, who has been observing them for even longer confirms that there was never any conflict in previous seasons. Last season was my first experience watching them but notwithstanding this, the interactions between Old Ma Osprey and Aussie seemed to be abnormal.

Good to know thanks!

That is good news! I'd hate to see this happy family suddenly have conflicts.

Your photos are outstanding as always Margaret. Thank you once again for sharing these special times with us.