Happy Fourth of July to you all......it’s not one of my favorite holidays, nor is it enjoyed by the Ospreys. We have several nests on ballfields lights, where fireworks are shot off every year. We have often lost chicks on this night. I presume they jump out of the nest too soon, out of fear, and are predated on the ground. So few people think about how these activities affect wildlife. I checked many nests today and had to wait out some heavy rain several times. The reward was counting many chicks. At one nest, as the rain slowed down I watched a female standing up with her wings out, providing shelter for her young.....and a cute head popped out from under Moms breast, all snuggled up beneath.....so sweet. She almost seemed to be hugging her little guy. Another chick snuggled up on her side...but that guy who got the prime spot for weathering the storm, was so cute, looking up at mom....don’t squish me!
Now this is the way to spend a holiday like this....peaceful, endearing. I also stumbled upon a new nest being built....I am not sure if it’s a frustration nest or a totally new nest, since the male was unbanded, but it was not far from a failed nest. Hmmmmm. Tomorrow I will try to visit some nests where fireworks went off, to count heads again and see if they all survived the chaos.
No comments:
Post a Comment