July 30...

I know you all enjoy stories about ospreys...this one would be better if I had a video. I pulled up to a nest where I had seen two chicks on recent visits. There was only one on the nest, a female chick with an empty crop, patiently waiting for a fish to be delivered. I spotted the adult female in a nearby tree but could not see the other chick or the adult male. Suddenly the female came flying into the nest, food begging, indicating that she must have seen the adult male. She was followed by the other chick, a male, who came from behind some trees. They landed on the nest just as the Dad landed with a large fish and chaos errupted. The chick who had been waiting, and apparently positioning herself to get the next fish, chest butted the other chick aggressively, trying to push him off the nest. It didn't work and she stood very tall, neck extended, wings part way out and glared so intensely at the other chick, with her rusty colored eyes that looked like they were on fire, I burst out laughing. If looks could kill....Then the female chick jumped up and footed the other chick, landing on him with talons extended. Quite the squabble. Of course during all that, mom got the fish...and started feeding the male chick! The poor female chick who had been waiting for that fish, got nothing.