Wow…

 So many sad stories, baffling stories to tell. I can’t fit them all in one post nor can I offer explanations for all the losses. Let’s start with the single female I have spoken about, whose mate is at TRC in rehab last we heard. She managed to figure her situation out and took grand care of three chicks for the first month, tho one was clearly smaller and lagging behind developmentally. Sadly that chick died. But she continued to care for her two remaining chicks. She was never gone from the nest for more than 10-20 minutes at a time. During that month we often saw an unbanded male flying over and she always responded by chasing him off. Nope, go away. Typical behavior. Then she finally let him land on the nest with a fish! She stood over her chicks protectively as he landed, and then she walked over and grabbed the fish and then snapped at him and said “scram”. So he did. Then she started to let him stay on the nest! Then earlier this week after he had brought a fish or two, she took off. I waited around all day and she did not come back! After five hours, I left. I was certain she had met some unfortunate fate. I pondered what to do, what was happening. I went back very early the next day and lo and behold she was there with the chicks! The male brought a fish and she fed the chicks and she let him stay and hang out. But after a while he left…..and so did she, never to return that day! The male kept coming with fish, for chicks that are not his offspring. In my 30 years of field work I have only seen a male do this one other time. Most females will chase a visiting male off. Of course you all know that bringing fish is an important part of the courtship ritual, so I have always assumed that a male that did this was courting the female, and the chicks were just a bit of an annoyance. On the other nest where I observed this many years ago, that male never brought fish to the chicks, just to the female and she fed the chicks. He did chase other males away and defended the territory. But he did not provide all the food, that female still had to go get food for her chicks, but she definitely had some help. ( He became the territorial male the following year, so this behavior may be a way to secure a mate and a good nest in a desirable territory.) Now on this current nest, that female, who was so devoted to her chicks for over a month of being a single parent, is now leaving every morning and not returning to the nest for at least 7-8 hours. I have not yet gone back in the late evening to see if she returns to spend the night, but I hope to do that. (Honestly I am so tired from weeks of field work without a day off, waking at 4 am, checking nests all day, and all the stress of losses and bizarre events, by 7 pm I am dead.) Anyway, this is now day four of this behavior. I am baffled. I have searched for her and am quite certain she is not anywhere nearby where she can see the nest. I will expand my search further away to another lake. And meanwhile, back on the nest, that male is hanging out with the chicks and bringing fish during the day! He will not feed them, or shade them, and they struggle a bit with self feeding, especially when he delivers a fish with a head on it. But they are surviving. He also chases away other ospreys and eagles. Anyone who was not paying close attention would assume all is well on this nest, when in fact these are very unusual behaviors all around. These are not his chicks, the female is not caring for her chicks in a normal way. I have wondered if she is sick, and not able to care for the chicks. But so far, every morning she is there for a few hours at least.

Perhaps we underestimate the stress and repercussions of being a single parent in the osprey world. Could that explain her sudden need for time away from the nest? is she just depleted?

I do not normally name the ospreys, but I am calling this new unbanded male KISA, for Knight In Shining Armor. He is behaving as a normal father would, but he has no biological incentive to care for these chicks, especially when the female isn’t! I am scratching my head and searching my mental files for a way to understand it. I wish my mentor, Sergej Postupalsky ( who studied ospreys in Michigan for over 50 years) was still alive to discuss this with. He loved these stories and always had interesting insights, tho he also repeatedly said I was teaching him too with my intense field work and careful observations. I am still so damn curious about osprey behavior, and I think behaviors are changing as our population grows and as climate change affects the world. We are facing an extremely hot week ahead and I am worried about how these chicks will fare, without a mom during the blazing hot days. Will this male continue his provisioning? He is now clearly caring for them and not just courting this female. And remember, there is a long time mate still in rehab. It’s quite a thick plot! So many questions, concerns….and, man, ya just gotta love this male!

And how will I handle checking on them during these sizzling days ahead. Lordy.

More stories to come….