The end?

 I knew this day was coming….I went to check on our little friend yesterday morning at 7:15 and found her perched in one of her favorite trees, looking so lovely in the soft early morning light. I took some photos and promised to be back in a few hours. I had to get to the pottery studio to glaze pots for a wood firing this week. Three hours later I came back, and found no ospreys. Sigh. I figured she might have gone for some practice on her water starts, and I had to get home for the repairman who stood me up three times previously! I came back this morning to meet up with Carol, who has monitored this nest, and about five others, for over 10 years. Sadly, we found no ospreys. But we waited, and it’s always fun to catch up with long time volunteers, to reminisce about ospreys we have known and loved, to chat about behaviors, and her beginnings as a volunteer on this project all those years ago. We drove around the area looking for other nests and got a coffee and returned to the nest. Still empty. The area was so quiet, just the rustling of dry leaves and the whistling of the winds. We were there for 5 hours and no ospreys were seen or heard. It’s a bit surprising since we have strong southerly winds, which are supposed to shift on Monday. I believe my sweet friend and her dad, have departed. I have been so lucky to be able to spend so much time with her over the last few weeks, and I won’t pretend that I am not sad….there is grief at this time of year. I have treasured every single minute. I also feel a huge amount of gratitude for all I have experienced, and learned from these magnificent birds. They give so much in their magical ways….nothing I can explain, but I know that Carol understands! Thanks for all the years of support Carol!

October 1!

 When I popped today I found no ospreys. So I waited… and in about 15 minutes Dad arrived with a half eaten fish…. No chick came screaming in so he perched in a tree and started eating the fish. And after every bite he looked around, perhaps looking for his offspring! It wasn’t very long before I heard the desperate food begging of a chick as she zoomed in to their other favorite tree perch. Her crop was quite full! Dad finished off the fish and departed, probably to get another fish for you know who!

Looking ahead at the weather forecast it looks like temps will drop and the winds will shift next Sunday or Monday so that may be when we have to say goodbye to our friends who have provided so much enjoyments these past few weeks. I will visit them as often as possible in the final days….

Sept 29!

 I thought I was going to have to stay home for a repairperson today….but I got a text giving me a new window for them to show up between 11:50 and 4 pm……so I immediately zoomed up to check on my friends, since Dad didnt show up for an afternoon delivery yesterday. When I arrived the chick was in a tree and it looked like she had some food in her crop. I also saw her poop….so I knew all was well but I wanted to see Dad. I thought I would stay several hours but would have to leave by 11. No dad….chick on nest food begging occasionally. Ok….ten more minutes. Still no dad. Hmmmm ….five more….and daddio showed up with a fish! Got some good photos and off I went.

Still here Sept 27!

 A rough night for me…had my Covid shot yesterday and I always get pretty sick from them, so couldn’t sleep at all with a low grade fever and body aches, and nerve pain. But when I got out of bed, made some coffee and went out to get the newspaper, I noticed we had a north wind! Oh dear…are my friends gonna leave me today? So inspite of feeling crappy, I ran up to check on those ospreys. Chick was on the nest waiting for dad. I took a closeups and then she started that desperate whining and I knew dad was on the way so I managed to zoom out and get the camera focused and got some fun photos of the delivery! There was a bit if a tussle and the chick grabbed dads foot in her beak…but those dads never mind. We know her aggression is being driven by hyperphagia, her relentless hunger. Dad flew off and the chick ate her fish on the nest. It was a good size fish nd as I watched her I got curious about some things. I have been reading about Beacon, the chick still remaining near the SF Bay osprey nest. So I started counting out how old our chick is. We have a window of when she hatched, between May 27 and June 5….so she is probably between 115-124 days old now. Not as old as Beacon, but getting up there!

After she finished her fish she went to her tree perch and I watched her there for several hours….she snoozed, looked for dad and I was hoping to see him again….but eventually my fatigue and achiness made me head for home after four hours with her. I wonder if she will leave today. The north winds were between 9-14 MPH….i thought it might be enough to spur her on…but she seemed happy to just perch in her tree. I wish I could have stayed longer. I will go back tomorrow….seriously folks, how am I gonna live without her? Such a joy to hang out with them…they just are so much fun to watch!

Sept 26…

 Our girl was still there today….and I have about a billion photos of her. I stopped in the morning , after getting my Covid shot, and there she was waiting on the nest. she was perched on the edge of the nest and I zoomed in to get some closeups and darn, Dad came flying in with a fish before I could readjust my scope, so all I got was her reaction to her incoming daddy. Afree a visit to the pottery studio, I returned and I found Dad sitting alone with a fish….and no one food begging. I started to fear that the chick might have started her migration….cause, how will I live without her? Dad would take a bite of fish and then look all around for his kiddo. This went on for at least 10-15 min….my heart was starting to sink….and then suddenly….food begging! She was in the tree with a big fish of her own. But she was hollering for more….dad took off and I think he was perched inthe same tree she was, but above her, because she kept looking up and crying. Eventually she quieted down, dad was gone, and she returned to eating her fish. I spent almost 3 hours with her today….I simply can’t explain what it means to me and how it feels to just hang out with her.

Still here….

 Oh how I love this chick that won’t leave….

She is so beautiful and her Dad so devoted…these photos are from today! He is new at this nest this year….not a great nest builder but a great Dad. I just want to hang out here as much as possible….I am really struggling with empty nest syndrome this year.

So few ospreys, and such great monitors.

 I visited a lot of nests this weekend and was saddened to find so many empty nests. I know, I know….it’s time for them to go but life is less interesting without them. And for some reason this year their departure is bringing more grief than in past years. I did find these two chicks, and their Dads were around somewhere! I also ran into one of our great monitors , Marjorie, and it was such a pleasure to just spend some time chatting about our winged friends. I sometimes wish I had a recording of our conversations about all things osprey….how did we know the female at this nest was a new one this year? How were her behaviors different than the previous female? What makes a good volunteer monitor, how did the two chicks behaviors differ, why do we do what we do, what are the rewards, etc, etc. During the middle of the season I rarely have enough time to just relax and talk about the ospreys, as I need to get to 20 nests or more! It’s usually only at the end of the season when I have time to just share the osprey experience with a monitor when I run into them. It was so fun to hang out with Marjorie and have lunch together. She has been watching one nest for four years now and does a great job!( and has a full time job and the nest she loves and has chosen to monitor is clear across town from where she lives!) As you can see, she is a photographer as well, so is able to provide images to support the data! Her enthusiasm never wanes and she has been a great communicator. So a huge thank you to Marjorie!

This year I started taking some photos of the volunteers when I ran into them in the field, so I will be acknowledging them in upcoming posts. Of course there are many monitors who I didn’t run into, and didn’t get pictures of, but who have steadfastly sent their weekly reports. I am deeply grateful to each and every one of them!