tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21959119435679518022024-03-19T03:47:04.256-05:00Twin Cities Metro Osprey WatchPlease report new Osprey nests to Vanessa Greene at Osprey.mn@gmail.com
Volunteer to monitor a nest!
Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.comBlogger565125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-13719997803248784412024-03-13T08:34:00.005-05:002024-03-13T08:34:51.616-05:002023 Results!<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">2023 OSPREY RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION SUMMARY</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>By </span><span class="s3" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic;">Vanessa Greene</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> The 2022–2023 winter was long and very snowy, so the first Ospreys of the 2022 season were reported back on their nests </span><span class="s4" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px; text-decoration: underline;">on April 8</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">, about a week later than usual. The first bands were read that day! In this 40th year of monitoring Osprey nests in the eight county Twin Cities metro area, the known population has continued to grow. There were more nests overall, with a higher failure rate, and much higher mortality rate than last year. This may be related to the extreme drought and heat experienced during the summer. The early Ospreys laid the first eggs by </span><span class="s4" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px; text-decoration: underline;">April 16</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">!</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> There were </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">182 </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">nests which were occupied* by a pair of adult ospreys. (167 in 2022). There may be more nests we do not know about and we hope the public will continue to report new nests to us. Eggs were laid in </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">174 </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">active</span><span class="s3" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic;">* </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">nests (160 in 2022) which is quite a high percentage of occupied nests. There were only </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">129 </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">nests that had at least one chick that was confirmed to have fledged successfully or survived to fledging age (132 in 2022). We documented </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">53</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span class="s3" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic;">n</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">ests which failed (35 in 2022). We separate failed nests into two distinct subcategories; there were </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">9 </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">nests where a pair was present but no eggs were laid (7 last year) and </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">44</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> nests where eggs were laid but they failed to successfully fledge a single chick or the cause of failure was unknown (28 last year). (Not laying eggs is considered to be a kind of nest failure by other scientists.) Out of those </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">53 </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">nests where eggs were laid, there were </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">13</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> nests where hatching did occur but all chicks died. There were 15 nests where no signs of hatching were ever observed, and 16 nests where the timing of failure was unknown. The </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">2023</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> failure rate rose to </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">29%</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">. This represents a slight increase over last year! (In 2022 the failure rate was 21%, 2021 the failure rate was 18%, 2020 it was 27%, in 2019 it was 39%, in 2018 it was 29%, in 2017 it was 28%, and in 2016 it was 25%.)</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> There were </span><span class="s5" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">253 </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">chicks that were known to have fledged successfully or survived to fledging age! (264 in 2022, 295 in 2021). Most successful nests had two chicks this year, with </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">68 </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">nests with two chicks, </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">28 </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">nests with three chicks, and </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">33</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> nests that produced a single chick. The known mortalities of chicks this year were significantly higher than last year with </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">47</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> chicks which were known to have died or disappeared before fledging, (23 in 2022, 26 in 2021). Only one chick was known to have become tangled in baling twine this year and was taken to The Raptor center where it had to be euthanized. The causes for the high mortality rate among chicks are uncertain, but may be related to the unusually hot and dry weather. Many males seemed to be missing from nests more than usual, perhaps due to difficulties finding fish, requiring them to travel further, and be gone longer when hunting. Many females were observed leaving chicks alone to help provide food. These circumstances may have resulted in brood reduction, starving chicks and increased opportunities for predation. There were two known adult mortalities One was a 10-year-old banded male who was found on the ground not far from his nest, near a freeway, </span><span class="s4" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px; text-decoration: underline;">on April 15</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">, and was taken to The Raptor Center where he had to be euthanized. Another was a five-year-old banded male who was found on the ground </span><span class="s4" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px; text-decoration: underline;">on May 6</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">, not far from a nest where he appeared to be the new territorial male. He was also taken to the Raptor Center where he had to be euthanized. A third 17-year-old banded male was found injured and spent almost two months at The Raptor Center, and he was released </span><span class="s4" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px; text-decoration: underline;">on Aug 1</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">, a long distance from his nest to prevent territorial fights since a new unrelated, unbanded male began bringing fish at this nest and providing parental care for chicks that were not his offspring. This is the first time a male has been this attentive to chicks that were not biologically his own in this project. The original banded male’s survival post-release could not be confirmed.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">There were only </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">46</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> adult Ospreys identified by their bands, as the number of banded birds continues to drop. There were two additional adults with silver bands that were unable to be read. We were sad to document that there were </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">11</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> banded birds that did not return this year. Only one of the returning banded ospreys was from another state (Iowa).</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">There were 7 nests that were removed from cell towers over the winter. We located </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">14</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">new nesting territories with a pair present. Of these new nests, </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">8</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> of them successfully fledged chicks. It is interesting to note that of the </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">182 </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">occupied territories this year, </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">85</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> were on osprey nesting platforms, </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">42</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> were on cell or radio towers, </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">31</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> were on ballfield lights, </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">20</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> were on a power pole or transmission tower, </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">three</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> were on other manmade structures and </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">one</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> nest was built in a tree.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">The oldest male this year, was </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">20</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> years of age, with one that was </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">18</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">, two that were </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">17</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> years of age, and one that was </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">16</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> years old. </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">ALL</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> of these older males bred successfully! Our oldest female was </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">17 </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">years old, with two that were </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">16</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> years of age and all bred successfully.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">The overall productivity of occupied nests which were successful this year dropped slightly to </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">71%</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">! (79% in 2022, 82% in 2021, 73% in 2020, 62% in 2019</span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">, </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">71% in 2018, 72% in 2017, 76% in 2016, 68% in 2015).</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">The mean number of young fledged per </span><span class="s7" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">successful</span><span class="s5" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">nest dropped slightly to </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">1.96%</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> (2.00% in 2022, 2.11% in 2021, 2.04% in 2020, 2.09% in 2019, 2.13 in 2018, 2.25 in 2017</span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">,</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> 2.24 in 2016).</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">The mean number of young fledged per </span><span class="s7" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">active</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> nest dropped to </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">1.45%</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> (1.65% in 2022, 1.78% in 2021, 1.65% in 2020,1.39% in 2019,1.64 in 2018, 1.75 in 2017</span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">,</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">1.84 in 2016).</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">The mean number of young fledged per </span><span class="s7" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">occupied</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> nest dropped significantly to </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">1.39%</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> (1.58% in 2022,1.74% in 2021, 1.49% in 2020,1.28% in 2019,</span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">1.51 in 2018, 1.62 in 2017, 1.70 in 2016). These reflect the lowest numbers since 2019, when a large black fly hatch caused many losses.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> It is interesting to note that we have recorded </span><span class="s6" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold;">3,516</span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> chicks that fledged from monitored nests since the inception of this project.</span></p><p class="p3" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23.6px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">—————————————————————————————————————————-</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s3" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic;">*</span><span class="s7" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Successful </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">nests are those that were known to have fledged at least one chick successfully, </span><span class="s7" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">active</span><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">nests are those where eggs are laid and </span><span class="s7" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">occupied</span><span class="s3" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleItalicBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-style: italic;"> </span><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">nests are those where pairs are present at a nest site for a period of time, regardless of the time of year or whether or not they lay.</span></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-75682872523843790422024-03-12T11:02:00.005-05:002024-03-17T20:18:34.500-05:00Acknowledgments 2023….<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">I finally have the 2023 osprey research results ready to post. I am sorry it’s taken so long, but I have been dealing with some challenging health issues that may require me to scale back</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> </span> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">or eliminate my research efforts in the coming months. Time will tell. In the meantime here are the acknowledgments for 2023…. And the 2023 data results will follow in another post in the next day or two.</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23.6px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s2" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleEmphasizedBody; font-size: 18.24px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 2023</span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23.6px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> There are so many people who have been instrumental in helping Twin Cities Metro Osprey Watch continue this Osprey research. This year, 2023, marked my 30th year of monitoring all known nests in the eight-county metro area surrounding the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St Paul, and I could not do this without a great deal of help. The careful, monitoring of these nests and the consistent collection and analysis of data over so many years may prove to be a significant contribution to understanding the world we live in, the health of our environment as well as overall productivity and behavior of this population of Ospreys.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">Special thanks to Barb Ankrum, Carol Christians, Alice Stoddard, Perry Westphal, Dani Porter Lucero, Meg Smith, Ellie Crosby, Debbie De Frank Jordan, Ann Merritt, Larry Luebben, Jack Kimmerle, Pat Norton, Jean and Rob DeZeeuw, Donna Daubendiek, Rick Endo, Mary Mullet, Cindy Angerhofer, JoAnn Chase, Stephanie Burley, Allison Mcginnis, Ken Fischer, and Gail Isaak for sharing their observations, their commitment to this effort, their photos, information, and their love for these birds. I am deeply, profoundly grateful to those who kept their commitments and kept an eye on the nests throughout the season. With the continuing growth of the project, I simply can’t do it all alone.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">Thanks to all the private property owners who are such important and wonderful hosts to our Ospreys, and who have provided me access to these nests for monitoring.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">A very deep, heartfelt thanks to all who contributed financially to this project in 2022: Ruth Rechtzigel, Debbie Jordan, Robert Van De Loo, Rick Endo, Barbara Pierson, Stephanie Burley, Carol Craig, Allison McGinnis, Joan Maltman, Christine Mosley, Tricia O’Donnell, Cindy Angerhofer, Tamalyn Page, Janet Schwarz, Carolyn Kalter, and John Howe! And a huge thanks to The Raptor Resource Project for their generous ongoing support.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">I am deeply grateful for all the help I have received in so many different forms, and for showing your faith in my ongoing efforts to continue this research study.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">Vanessa Greene </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">March 2024</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s3" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:Osprey.mn@gmail.com">Osprey.mn@gmail.com</a></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">“Twin Cities Metro Osprey Watch” on Facebook</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s3" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://ospreywatch.blogspot.com/">Ospreywatch.blogspot.com</a></span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> </span></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-87829294014591088582023-10-08T11:31:00.000-05:002023-10-08T11:31:20.854-05:00Gone With the Wind…..<p> <span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I went out yesterday, Oct 7, and visited the nests that I knew had ospreys last weekend…I hiked around, drove around and did not see or hear any Ospreys. It was so quiet. Leaves crunching, wind blowing, but no food begging. So I am declaring the 2023 Osprey breeding season over here in the metro. Sigh. Doesnt mean there wont be a sighting of late migrating birds…but the nests we have been monitoring seem to be empty now. It’s always a bit of a sad time of year for some of us. I appreciate those monitors who hung in to the bitter end and who are now commiserating with me about our “empty nest syndrone”. Planning some lunches, coffee, get togethers with those who I rarely see during the summer but who I communicate with via email all the time! A deep and sincere thank you to all the nest monitors….I couldnt do it without you. Thank you all for sharing my love for these birds. ❤️</span></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-17688327990725362532023-10-05T17:49:00.000-05:002023-10-05T17:49:00.888-05:00Farewell…<p> <span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I believe that Lil Arb and g/b MS may have departed today. I last saw the chick at about 10:10 this morning….dad had delivered a fish about an hour before that. The winds picked up today and shifted around to W NW…and the nest has been empty since this morning. She was looking up at the sky a lot….perhaps seeing migrating birds. I had a feeling, when she looked right at the cam….</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUkBN9wNk7blvIklL75emeLJfK97r5BdC43EIfB1YoQVP6mRnNHSQ5SQJmkXQ6OT96Y2oV1qLRYD7J-iRI_GqKmPDSoGE4860s3k2AXwUBEVAjWWIo8f9z-GRr2-05HxeGN7AiaDoM6SY5llzHu-JahCRhCiHVSDLnKF7HsiVpXcS_SpWKKrPL8KuCEuS/s2360/IMG_1142.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2360" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEUkBN9wNk7blvIklL75emeLJfK97r5BdC43EIfB1YoQVP6mRnNHSQ5SQJmkXQ6OT96Y2oV1qLRYD7J-iRI_GqKmPDSoGE4860s3k2AXwUBEVAjWWIo8f9z-GRr2-05HxeGN7AiaDoM6SY5llzHu-JahCRhCiHVSDLnKF7HsiVpXcS_SpWKKrPL8KuCEuS/s320/IMG_1142.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyM9PV1BOqJHI0AsYpNsyuT4yFVyGdT0GyoA2zDzQsoHn1p9ajmdhtgebXdjXc4ZCL5kOWRtGSZtIEUSvbqMLg3ssNF2_OjOFgFZdBkTaCpsGyphY_tqnjkA2SrP9RBncFFbkfmOjWFcvIhktPAZTxB-UlxwDuPrMJJ-QIV7RuggeXz7nRj1ZsfXwyibG9/s2360/IMG_1139.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2360" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyM9PV1BOqJHI0AsYpNsyuT4yFVyGdT0GyoA2zDzQsoHn1p9ajmdhtgebXdjXc4ZCL5kOWRtGSZtIEUSvbqMLg3ssNF2_OjOFgFZdBkTaCpsGyphY_tqnjkA2SrP9RBncFFbkfmOjWFcvIhktPAZTxB-UlxwDuPrMJJ-QIV7RuggeXz7nRj1ZsfXwyibG9/s320/IMG_1139.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-22323687577776529672023-10-04T17:05:00.001-05:002023-10-04T17:05:13.680-05:00October 4! Still here!<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">They are still here! Boy I am gonna miss this pair when they go….</span></p><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">at least we had a very happy ending on this nest this year. Is this their last day? Tomorrow?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDzZJdTUYINcaLsDs-b5KYa05VovfJKDQAxRYX691TYfZbOmaNaxwcms0Z1uJP04vfu82dd9nCnlctVBPTW3V4INZiVYM5kCdslskPSdSmEDmmA8amzA1vGd2RcTPuTe2Hu_4XdTBVzont5vkfWO7IQAr5Oo3VZDKO0Mnezw_7FZEoU-RnEuMs7_k9UWD/s2360/IMG_1136.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2360" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdDzZJdTUYINcaLsDs-b5KYa05VovfJKDQAxRYX691TYfZbOmaNaxwcms0Z1uJP04vfu82dd9nCnlctVBPTW3V4INZiVYM5kCdslskPSdSmEDmmA8amzA1vGd2RcTPuTe2Hu_4XdTBVzont5vkfWO7IQAr5Oo3VZDKO0Mnezw_7FZEoU-RnEuMs7_k9UWD/s320/IMG_1136.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-52406750920296572992023-09-30T16:22:00.002-05:002023-09-30T16:22:46.702-05:00September 30!<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">September 30 and it’s in the upper 80s with a dewpoint close to 70…..awful. But none the less I went to check on all the chicks / dads I saw last week. Ha! only one pair was gone! I still saw two chicks at different nests, with one Dad delivering a fish….PLUS Lil Arb and her Dad, delivering many fish to her today! The past two weeks I watched one chick with her Dad who was always present, eating near her, watching over her…but those two were not found today. But two other </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">nests still had a chick. One of those was the chick that was the very last to fledge in the metro area….so she has just been flying for one month now. I always hope for them to have a good month of being fed, and having time to learn stuff before migration. But as is often the case, this chick is always near the nest so probably hasnt learned to catch fish yet. And even tho it was pretty unpleasant to be hiking around with the scope and tripod, it was a joy to see these young ospreys….photos below. I noticed that one of them has eyes that are almost yellow now, with the younger one still having eyes that are that light pumpkin orange. I saw Dad deliver a fish to the younger one. Any day that I can still find an osprey to watch is a good day!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhsD3NzORVxmrc0LXGrgkDRBRr0F_WsU5zxh5pqu2alBZGgPHwEOYqVJfeDoa7vCa5WJXg3_nHGOyKo3qU66VNAUtlNYqRMV-jz-a_HSD5CwwsVqr4prWKtzpHEsev10xiUTta6MFzAFqi9hOcBUF-mfTNEsQSVbsaZM6b5VwPjl2htdkGixqPpvrGveR/s2981/IMG_2141.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2981" data-original-width="2236" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkhsD3NzORVxmrc0LXGrgkDRBRr0F_WsU5zxh5pqu2alBZGgPHwEOYqVJfeDoa7vCa5WJXg3_nHGOyKo3qU66VNAUtlNYqRMV-jz-a_HSD5CwwsVqr4prWKtzpHEsev10xiUTta6MFzAFqi9hOcBUF-mfTNEsQSVbsaZM6b5VwPjl2htdkGixqPpvrGveR/s320/IMG_2141.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqZy-UH3asuJFuABieazNcaNq30NUggJv8lGxehjjg3wFxlFFz8eNt7sPgTG29vOIL3tJAQt3T-nbbyznntK3eEiNzAPz2gxNN2xsnW6PoJzeqHKJq-fNv45ER4czdfr19pLCNwDwb3qovjh7YWGmg4s5waTsnFH1YBpxAi_5eE6aqrTkz-zrWOM5ui4Z/s4032/IMG_2123.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqZy-UH3asuJFuABieazNcaNq30NUggJv8lGxehjjg3wFxlFFz8eNt7sPgTG29vOIL3tJAQt3T-nbbyznntK3eEiNzAPz2gxNN2xsnW6PoJzeqHKJq-fNv45ER4czdfr19pLCNwDwb3qovjh7YWGmg4s5waTsnFH1YBpxAi_5eE6aqrTkz-zrWOM5ui4Z/s320/IMG_2123.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JR_-qz4CwTyW2aMBh9xNi3eH5F7qz7ga9OQPAXWkDnM0UkXovQBIfF-Cd0Av5cc_DBCBp8B_cw1gVMwIJ3kFmdmn7MrGNWMYrdfhYUKapBeMFx5hyP4d65lHlcRaHIEb3IatperGhu9jle5E-EmVj2GFww3XY6gf-CPYpx-HGAh2JoFbQ65tYGaY7E_d/s2360/IMG_1129.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2360" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4JR_-qz4CwTyW2aMBh9xNi3eH5F7qz7ga9OQPAXWkDnM0UkXovQBIfF-Cd0Av5cc_DBCBp8B_cw1gVMwIJ3kFmdmn7MrGNWMYrdfhYUKapBeMFx5hyP4d65lHlcRaHIEb3IatperGhu9jle5E-EmVj2GFww3XY6gf-CPYpx-HGAh2JoFbQ65tYGaY7E_d/s320/IMG_1129.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-50876630047113302862023-09-23T15:53:00.002-05:002023-09-23T15:53:50.485-05:00September 23! <p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fall is definitely in the air….leaves are turning /falling. Some trees are going from green to dead without stopping at “beautiful”. But I went out again today to check the same nests I have checked the past two weekends. Tho some nests I visited during the week were now empty(sigh), today I got lucky! I did see that chick which I believe to be the latest fledging youngster. I had to hike around to locate her. At first I saw a juvenile flying and I watched that one circling higher and higher, and then I turned a corner and spotted another one perched on a pole, eating a fish. Watched this one for quite a while until I was certain it was that youngest chick. I am not sure of the identity of the other one since it never landed. And I saw no adult here, tho this Dad is elusive….we know he is there, delivering the fish! </span></p><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So then I moved on to another nest where I have been seeing one chick the past two weeks. Today there were two ospreys flying in circles, very low, near the nest…..not chasing, not vocalizing….just kind of playing I think! Then they finally both landed on a nearby roof….both chicks! I believe these are siblings from that nest! Photos below. Great to see them both!!!! Dad must be around here, but I didnt see him. </div><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then I moved on to a third nesting territory…this one has become a delight to me in these final weeks. This dad is always nearby! Thats not all that common….as most dads seem to be scarce, just dropping several fish a day but not sticking around for long. But this Dad was perched in the same dead snag as the juvenile. Chick had a fish, and still was crying for more. Dad flew off and returned in TWO minutes with a fish and he ate near the chick. So sweet! It was hard to tear myself away from these two. I headed back to the first nest, thinking about hiking back out for another look, but saw dark clouds looming. And since I woke up this morning at 3:30 and never got back to sleep, my energy was sinking. I did see Lil Arb this morning as Dad delivered breakfast. </div><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Will I see anyone next week? I dont know. But every day like this, spending some time with a few ospreys in person, is a delightful, treasured experience. I remind them all to stay safe….</div><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">the sibs on the roof….and the Dad and chick together in the snag.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VoKptG0X8sP7trVa4dDmyCdKQw8X4Uqln080579aSB15McYw8fXeCRhV1lHTjVIPY9VVnXUMUn8YxRIq3PzsdyjuPqfIxwJBrytrIvdDQpmhr4obXYaNTkn_YxShvqiWhs7Bt3p8sP_wD-tkqF4WokANwcKs1BJcIkOwPB0I-Kjg4MpU_tjR9VHcRIBG/s4032/IMG_2116.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VoKptG0X8sP7trVa4dDmyCdKQw8X4Uqln080579aSB15McYw8fXeCRhV1lHTjVIPY9VVnXUMUn8YxRIq3PzsdyjuPqfIxwJBrytrIvdDQpmhr4obXYaNTkn_YxShvqiWhs7Bt3p8sP_wD-tkqF4WokANwcKs1BJcIkOwPB0I-Kjg4MpU_tjR9VHcRIBG/s320/IMG_2116.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheiQMZjTszML0pEuA8bGhtTRERKGtrT8_4cdIg_NCtrOjBz6fRNNvi_1tmMOASL_OE126zQwGC3O1dCOyu658Ow0-2SUuf7uYuCS5mSuGBphpsMsX-wnsZsCRrU_weHhpzqyKqiJ9lPjOyZ97YbP-u7Fapk6fV2R3_tTAtXCIehahwl5gu0G-gEM4uQUWG/s4032/IMG_2114.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheiQMZjTszML0pEuA8bGhtTRERKGtrT8_4cdIg_NCtrOjBz6fRNNvi_1tmMOASL_OE126zQwGC3O1dCOyu658Ow0-2SUuf7uYuCS5mSuGBphpsMsX-wnsZsCRrU_weHhpzqyKqiJ9lPjOyZ97YbP-u7Fapk6fV2R3_tTAtXCIehahwl5gu0G-gEM4uQUWG/s320/IMG_2114.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTAh9ItNpey3WewVc_4orrBU7SiIsDBCKd72J_dox2KNpjNDJdBn_8759mbcvDyttKKycQEWbP4TlBy6zACRXuUMQTocWaS56aCfTXcxL34VFBaL1mGfOvFyj6fREhxCePT7-JE_dFP_eQWivfvXtypV0SpZhDuW8rLRohmu_K5HgLC2o7CYPqVr94Rhg/s4032/IMG_2111.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipTAh9ItNpey3WewVc_4orrBU7SiIsDBCKd72J_dox2KNpjNDJdBn_8759mbcvDyttKKycQEWbP4TlBy6zACRXuUMQTocWaS56aCfTXcxL34VFBaL1mGfOvFyj6fREhxCePT7-JE_dFP_eQWivfvXtypV0SpZhDuW8rLRohmu_K5HgLC2o7CYPqVr94Rhg/s320/IMG_2111.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RB1AqoUBL5amMEJuFJS-wxfdK2ldhRWdbQ7V5Go3iBi74MvxsBKahDDn0vyVQxxmZXykeSEk5nCCvmNX_ylx0iLSDbzHUtJ-joPK2vOfDyjkhF3m8lcBli4f_V00oY7CEgskvSiaUY65vZwOj5nMiRdpH9ylPWpuWpTh5sgmZR-LznLWxYctWE2lGLeZ/s2134/IMG_2104.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2134" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RB1AqoUBL5amMEJuFJS-wxfdK2ldhRWdbQ7V5Go3iBi74MvxsBKahDDn0vyVQxxmZXykeSEk5nCCvmNX_ylx0iLSDbzHUtJ-joPK2vOfDyjkhF3m8lcBli4f_V00oY7CEgskvSiaUY65vZwOj5nMiRdpH9ylPWpuWpTh5sgmZR-LznLWxYctWE2lGLeZ/s320/IMG_2104.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygvul9fCxOC62dXwwmcwZv2Stfm4Kiav-11ZJioYEYRxZITv7q1aXUnN8XHFaay1DUb0JYd2uC84Ssrd24MG6YZPNTT8FqIodpJNxOLXa3awuOnPjEZ9XciV5fxRSjJw0PaJ6vVK5meqaZBPQYZkGsECsr7I2rlf2YpRBntFKFrvF8kJUdw0gIgbkrdmc/s2431/IMG_2102.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2431" data-original-width="1636" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgygvul9fCxOC62dXwwmcwZv2Stfm4Kiav-11ZJioYEYRxZITv7q1aXUnN8XHFaay1DUb0JYd2uC84Ssrd24MG6YZPNTT8FqIodpJNxOLXa3awuOnPjEZ9XciV5fxRSjJw0PaJ6vVK5meqaZBPQYZkGsECsr7I2rlf2YpRBntFKFrvF8kJUdw0gIgbkrdmc/s320/IMG_2102.jpeg" width="215" /></a></div><br /></div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-74506856439604859972023-09-18T16:03:00.003-05:002023-09-18T16:03:36.339-05:00Reward!<p> <span data-offset-key="fltd7-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The daily fix! After going to the dentist, of </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">course</span><span data-offset-key="fltd7-2-0" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you always need some pleasurable reward eh? So I took a short swing past a few nests, different than those I visited last weekend (my dentist told me he saw an osprey on one of these nests last weekend) …and I got to see two chicks. So folks, they are still around. Just sitting sweetly, looking beautiful. I find myself just sitting there….savoring. Lil Arb still there too….always eating those tiny fish! So if you need to see Ospreys, you still can! </span></p><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="c7g24" data-offset-key="39sof-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="39sof-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="39sof-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">P.S. you may have noticed they are all females! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66kbovDacYpJeEQGa5_XsGAIV_P34yoT_A2-AJxtmaKrJfTGgqW3SnFd1jtd7gSz0U-mrF5_oMMywF1qtXgCva9Cu2wGBpjR4YRk2b_YYuwVXWgVFWT6c3RsYf13KtretXzbR_Qe3cyrfT0dbr158sarmvkkZqjaN-m5t_vrobJ1J2uxxRaAZilDaMbNv/s4032/IMG_2079.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg66kbovDacYpJeEQGa5_XsGAIV_P34yoT_A2-AJxtmaKrJfTGgqW3SnFd1jtd7gSz0U-mrF5_oMMywF1qtXgCva9Cu2wGBpjR4YRk2b_YYuwVXWgVFWT6c3RsYf13KtretXzbR_Qe3cyrfT0dbr158sarmvkkZqjaN-m5t_vrobJ1J2uxxRaAZilDaMbNv/s320/IMG_2079.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></span></div></div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-82841809308093260912023-09-17T17:35:00.001-05:002023-09-17T17:35:15.182-05:00Hanging out…<p> <span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have a problem. I inadvertantly spent the whole weekend hanging out with the ospreys….tho thats not what I intended to do! I kept heading over to the east side of the metro because, just like last weekend, there were at least four chicks, four dads at four nests, not far from each other that I could, ya know, hang out with. Somehow, just being near them is somehow uplifting to me. Did a lot of hiking, searching, watching, listening, educating tolerant and interested people. I spent time with what I think is the youngest osprey chick….fledging just two weeks ago or so. She was not on her nest, or anywhere near her nest, but I started hiking and it wasnt long before I had located her. She was flying around and exploring the area. Not far away was another chick waiting endlessly on her nest for Dad. I did not see him, but I knew from her crop that she had eaten recently and she was shooting some nice poop squirts. I also caught her flying over a creek and she came back wet, so either bathing or just trying to go in the water. With the cooler temps and low humidity, It was just so beautiful out, a pleasure to be out there. A few short weeks ago I was dragging my scope and tripod around in the heat and feeling so exhausted I was sure I must have a terminal illness! Not today! I drove a little further and found another chick, not in her nest but in a dead snag nearby….and as I scanned the surrounding area I was able to spot her Dad, in the distance, in another dead tree overlooking a lake. And just down the road at another nest was a chick in her nest, hollering for food, tho I could not spot the dad. I found myself just being fully present in the moment, feeling the sun, the breeze, taking in the sounds of the ospreys. Its interesting how even with people, bikes, traffic in the distance, other birds, planes etc….the osprey vocalizations pierce thru it all for me. I hear their voices above the cacaphony of other sounds. That is the sound I am attuned to. I just love these birds so much. I am finally able to let go of the stresses of the breeding season, the research, the rescues, the worry, and enjoy these final days, hours, moments with them. </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nj5iRqzGUVGfCXpheX-VOQaF-4zH2Y8mi2LPesMgYrJzrE4cwYVA1Kw8lWYtV6OopwNPbWseqophS0ZQzZPu5FrjpdIuS02PjAey1A5zXI9FRdrjZVoLUJG8fuI9nDwrVMp7onEW3LF3fTYYrgB5pr4F1DXK0ODipI--BLC6-iid5PtCwjyq1adMZ6Rw/s4032/IMG_2051.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3nj5iRqzGUVGfCXpheX-VOQaF-4zH2Y8mi2LPesMgYrJzrE4cwYVA1Kw8lWYtV6OopwNPbWseqophS0ZQzZPu5FrjpdIuS02PjAey1A5zXI9FRdrjZVoLUJG8fuI9nDwrVMp7onEW3LF3fTYYrgB5pr4F1DXK0ODipI--BLC6-iid5PtCwjyq1adMZ6Rw/s320/IMG_2051.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-76339134027500629552023-09-15T18:09:00.000-05:002023-09-15T18:09:00.505-05:00Still here….<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">You all have heard my story about the male who had a fractured keel way back in 2015. The male whose female would not accept him after a month in rehab…tho he tried to bring fish repeatedly. </span></p><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I was driving down the road today , after leaving the pottery studio and he flew right above my car with a ginormous fish! So I turned around to check his nest. The remaining chick was on the nest…apoplectic, because she saw him with that huge fish but he had stopped to eat part of it <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>himself! She was pacing back and forth on the nest and hollering desperately for food, in spite of her full crop. I located him and watched him eating the head of that family sized meal. Finally he delivered that fish to her Highness. As he flew off, over my car very low, I said…. “ I love you…..stay safe, I cant wait to see you next year… or maybe next week.” With the north winds expected this weekend….will I see him again? Sure was a good way to end the week, seeing him and his beautiful, rotund daughter. He is such a great Dad.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPawllGb_3eW1-Nhj5ODSFAJCDXNGqwiPqVmHeHK4HolHVfSCFR7pOC_7imU6x1OsaCpNbmpVrEqd0cgs6RxS7HicRS7ilMwseroWAXKZJ9JJqA1upH13FqMTTfb5UOBEC4QRHYNRzS6_Y4kC7aI5EP7VWhpy3WXy4T9RMV24exS-4v9D4irmtW4-x-yH/s4032/IMG_1966.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPawllGb_3eW1-Nhj5ODSFAJCDXNGqwiPqVmHeHK4HolHVfSCFR7pOC_7imU6x1OsaCpNbmpVrEqd0cgs6RxS7HicRS7ilMwseroWAXKZJ9JJqA1upH13FqMTTfb5UOBEC4QRHYNRzS6_Y4kC7aI5EP7VWhpy3WXy4T9RMV24exS-4v9D4irmtW4-x-yH/s320/IMG_1966.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-78399247309016682942023-09-14T16:36:00.001-05:002023-09-14T16:36:08.852-05:00Will she stay or will she go? <p> <span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Its getting barder and harder to find any ospreys, but every day I go out I do find at least one chick, and I know that means her Dad is probably around to feed her. Yes its usually a female. It’s good to see Lil Arb is still around……we see less and less of her on the nest but she comes back for a fish delivery a couple times a day. I always like to see a fledged chick have at least a month between fledging and migrating, to build those skills and pack on the pounds for the trip. Lil Arb will be a month old on September 19. The weather forcast calls for the winds to shift Friday night, and over the weekend prevailing winds will be from the NW. Those are the conditions that invite the ospreys to begin their journey….if they are ready. All they have to do is put out their wings and let the wind carry them. Will she go this weekend? Or will she stay a bit longer? Winds shift back to southerly on Monday. This weekend I will also check the chick that just fledged during the final few days of August or first few days of September. She may need a little more time. </span></p><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="1uaht" data-offset-key="da37g-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="da37g-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="da37g-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Sure hope I get to enjoy the presence of these special birds for a little longer….I am not very good at letting go.</span></div></div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-86420357611108476262023-09-10T17:37:00.003-05:002023-09-10T17:37:27.522-05:00Mid September….feeling wistful.<p> <span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I worked hard this weekend trying to tie up a few more loose ends. (some are still dangling). I hiked a lot carrying my tripod and scope but thoroughly enjoyed the quiet time with the ospreys….tho I had to retrace my steps on sunday after getting skunked and rained on a tiny bit on Saturday. Many nests are empty now, sigh. But I finally managed to find what I believe was the last chick to fledge. I had seen her fly away from the nest two weeks ago but had not confirmed that she made it back to the nest and was being fed. It was keeping me awake last night so today I finally did that. She looked so beautiful with her very full crop, flying about, on the nest and off to her dads favorite perch. I also visited another nest where there was a lingering chick who was also a pleasure to watch. Her Dad finally showed up, after she announced to the world that he was coming, and I was able to confirm his band number. It was a lovely day. It’s fun when I can relax and linger at a nest, rather than feeling like I have ten more nests to get to. Last wednesday the winds changed and the temps dropped and sadly we said goodbye to many of our ospreys as they took advantage of the perfect conditions for beginning their big journey. But I always enjoy savoring these last days with the remaining ospreys. The weather is lovely, rather than those tortured hot, muggy days we endured this summer. The light is different….just fun to listen to the chicks food begging, the breezes rustling some dry leaves, and smells of the prairie plants. I watched one young osprey chase an eagle away….what a brave girl! I love these last young ospreys that just dont want to leave. I am hoping I have a few more days like this to share with them. I visited one of my favorite males nests 7 times in recent days….no chick, and no Dad. Hoping to see him next spring but in this moment, I have to let go. I have run into a couple of the nest monitors in the last week, and its always fun to actually see them in person and chat about our winged friends and life In general. I also love to run into interested people in the public who will endure my endless stories about ospreys, as I did today. I love a chance to spark someones curiousity about these birds!</span></p><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8ihka" data-offset-key="1mj6j-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1mj6j-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="1mj6j-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><br data-text="true" /></span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="8ihka" data-offset-key="1ubn7-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1ubn7-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="1ubn7-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Below is a photo of one of these lingering beauties…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRK8uSVcOgLUOtQe_C-Ag74-VaoVsu2Mewp-Bi6dINnSnQO6_dP2wdqD-TMWQpdeURiaQx8yxVCNmv39wo3a6xZ-tDCY0M7WvaKHWJ_Eopm2274A9xpAcu8vKnSsXk82Udwd38LUzkAglH5Ps3hkgJbtUlFm_jJ906zRTATVW6mzDtpZQbXwCKLERjh290/s4032/IMG_1922.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRK8uSVcOgLUOtQe_C-Ag74-VaoVsu2Mewp-Bi6dINnSnQO6_dP2wdqD-TMWQpdeURiaQx8yxVCNmv39wo3a6xZ-tDCY0M7WvaKHWJ_Eopm2274A9xpAcu8vKnSsXk82Udwd38LUzkAglH5Ps3hkgJbtUlFm_jJ906zRTATVW6mzDtpZQbXwCKLERjh290/s320/IMG_1922.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></span></div></div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-46428795927965829232023-09-04T13:47:00.003-05:002023-09-04T13:47:56.066-05:00Labor Day….<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s been a ridiculously, miserably hot weekend, but I managed to confirm successful fledging on 7 nests….including one that had not fledged last weekend! I got lucky on Saturday and Sunday, but today, Labor day, I got skunked. The nest with the single female and Kisa remains totally empty. It’s now been two weeks since I saw Kisa and the male chick, and it will be two weeks tomorrow since I saw the female chick being pushed off the nest by her Mom. I have searched </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">everywhere but have failed to locate them. I was so hoping to see some of them, or at least one of them, one more time...or perhaps the rehabbed male. Sigh.</span></p><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; margin: 0.5em 0px 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;"> I saw no ospreys at all at three other nests today as well. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">I have checked in on the Arb chick and when she does show up, she whines so desperately it makes me laugh out loud. That hyperphagia is kicking in big time, instinctively causing her to pack on the pounds as she unknowingly prepares for a big adventure. As I looked at her and her Dad, she looks bigger than him now! She is a character. I am not seeing her Mom anymore….so she is probably on her way south. I am glad we have a happy ending at this nest. </div><div dir="auto" style="font-family: inherit;">Why is it that I feel so…..abandoned at this time of year?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0RMJORImAgmhANeODdNiT_-xN69d-7UblyeOSf0cZUTIr5cAhm7T-osfsTzGnyFsZrBm54h1r-NWAZ5pZfku_szr9rP7oi7IyO1cB-hz4gJfhnN3qtebRYUQV8AsA3Sl3C3i8Yfd_Fyb7FcEuJLvVpGo2A17kLTtKQrkusWJ4bPJfm4agI2PbJa1teEZ/s2360/IMG_1079.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1640" data-original-width="2360" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0RMJORImAgmhANeODdNiT_-xN69d-7UblyeOSf0cZUTIr5cAhm7T-osfsTzGnyFsZrBm54h1r-NWAZ5pZfku_szr9rP7oi7IyO1cB-hz4gJfhnN3qtebRYUQV8AsA3Sl3C3i8Yfd_Fyb7FcEuJLvVpGo2A17kLTtKQrkusWJ4bPJfm4agI2PbJa1teEZ/s320/IMG_1079.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-82649471412515779662023-08-27T19:27:00.002-05:002023-08-27T19:27:49.877-05:00Still looking…..<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have not stopped looking for Kisa and the two missing chicks. Mom has not been seen since wednesday. Today I searched the nest area again, three nearby lakes, and even ventured 5-6 miles from the nest and carefully scanned the shorelines of several lakes. I did see one adult male osprey flying over the water at one of those lakes, but he took off over some trees and never landed where I could examine his feather patterns. No chicks seen or heard. Of course, its now a </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">migratory period so many ospreys are moving thru. I will not give up the search as long as we have ospreys around. </span></p><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">At another nest today, I thought the area was empty, but then just as I was about to leave, I spotted the adult male perched in a hidden spot. He had a fish but was not eating….he was just looking all around. Finally he began eating, but after every bite he stopped and scanned the whole area. I love these devoted Dads, always looking for their chicks to see if they need food….even if they are watching from a very unobtrusive spot, not advertising their presence, but still, on duty! </div><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is a pretty picture of a juvenile Osprey I hung out with a bit last weekend….they are so beautiful….they still take my breath away…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_WoEn8Gw4veM1QfpUyF0WaJjnyYcuFTie2u82fNMG6WYEefwugRxT9i4RZZiaruvPH9cIAg-rfnLfpFfO-vjuIXsd6joKqsqzLu1cpYaq207CyIFmXZUn9HM5YoHbp9Lr8SHvN_XDAj6F7JtlU0chcGtv7mfpKWJyTLXxnsMLAarZc7vGXQGE4179H7y/s4032/IMG_1868.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW_WoEn8Gw4veM1QfpUyF0WaJjnyYcuFTie2u82fNMG6WYEefwugRxT9i4RZZiaruvPH9cIAg-rfnLfpFfO-vjuIXsd6joKqsqzLu1cpYaq207CyIFmXZUn9HM5YoHbp9Lr8SHvN_XDAj6F7JtlU0chcGtv7mfpKWJyTLXxnsMLAarZc7vGXQGE4179H7y/s320/IMG_1868.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-91089071834291628792023-08-24T15:16:00.003-05:002023-08-24T15:16:35.465-05:00Searching….<p> <span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I spent four hours searching for the chicks and Kisa yesterday but all I saw was Mom staked out in the nest. I returned today for another four hour search ….but today mom was gone as well. I hiked all around the area, I searched the lake where I saw one chick on Monday, several times, but all I saw were eagles. I examined satellite images of the area, looking for lakes, ponds, any places ospreys might visit. In spite of all my efforts and explorations, I never spotted any chicks or kisa. The wind direction switched today , so now its a light north breeze tho only 5-6 mph….but maybe that is what caused Mom to leave. The weather has been horrible with dewpoints so high that my scope and binoculars were constantly needing to be cleared of condensation. It was not pleasant out there, and it was difficult not to weep at the silence, the emptiness. I will keep looking of course, but I am not hopeful. It’s hard to accept this deeply sad ending. </span></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-61046565089220105872023-08-22T12:43:00.003-05:002023-08-22T12:43:33.227-05:00Oh no….<p> <span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Well the news on Kisa gets worse. I was at the nest by 6:30 a.m. and Mom was alone on the nest. I went searching for the chicks and kisa. I found the one chick that was missing yesterday….sitting in a tree, not far from the nest, occasionally food begging. I watched for a long time with no change to the situation, so I went to the other lake where I found the other chick yesterday. I found nothing but an eagle. I went back to the nest and now mom had a fish and was eating. Chick did not come to nest. I watched for a long time….talked to some great folks who were very interested in what I was observing. After they left, the chick got more desperate and she started food begging and flying in circles and finally approached the nest and Mom attacked her and pushed her off the nest. The chick flew off, over the trees and was out of sight. So that is why no chicks are on the nest and why Kisa is not delivering fish there. It’s so discouraging and baffling. I could not find Kisa or the other chick. I even examined sattelite maps and visited another nearby pond, as well as other lakes in the area. No ospreys. Maybe kisa has given up. Its so sad…..we have one adult who has surprising parental instincts tho he isnt a parent…..and another adult who IS a parent, but seems to have no parental instincts anymore anymore. She seemed to be a super mom at the beginning of this story. I can understand why the original males instincts may have been altered by the trauma of being in rehab for so long. Its hideously hot and humid today so I had to quit….and I have somewhere else I need to be this afternoon….but I will try again, early tomorrow. I am hoping the mom will start her migration soon, but that might take a strong north wind and there is nothing like that predicted anytime soon. Sigh. </span></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-43840513646806498192023-08-21T16:11:00.002-05:002023-08-21T16:11:24.559-05:00Now what? <p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">Things are still a roller coaster ride at Kisa’s nest. I didnt get there all weekend because I had to check other nests, and I thought things were going well….so I got there this morning at 8:30 or so. Much to my surprise, MOM was on the nest! She hasnt been seen in over two weeks. No chicks on the nest. So I put my scope on the tripod and went searching. I did find KISA in a tree and the male chick nearby desperately food begging. I could not locate the other chick. Mom was also food begging occasionally. Finally KISA flew off and I thought he would return with a fish….but I never saw him again during my five hours there. The chick and mom had empty crops. Oddly, the chick wouldnt go to the nest but flew around landing in different trees, and he never begged for food from Mom! I kept checking on him, and he waited silently, as did Mom on the nest. Then I went to check another nest where a chick had been reported as missing. I found that chick very quickly, and came back to Kisa’s nest and went looking for the chick again and could not find him at all. So I headed out to some other nearby lakes. I did manage to find the male chick. ( I have a freakish talent for this) He was trying to fish, but not totally plunging into the water, just</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> </span> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">trying to grab something off the surface, unsuccessfully. I could not find the other chick anywhere. I returned to the nest where Mom had been perching for five hours. I cant quite figure out what’s going on. The chick clearly sees KISA as the provider, not mom. And the chick did not want to be on the nest with mom. So, again,</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> </span> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">behaviors are unusual, and hard to understand. Mom is able to catch fish. But somehow it seems like her parental instincts are turned off. Why would she not respond to food a begging chick? And why is she not even getting herself a fish? And is KISA staying away because she is there? He was doing a fine job or providing for these chicks the past two weeks. Sigh. I have no answers.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">I had to leave after five hours. I will check in again tomorrow morning, but I can’t stay all day as I have another commitment. I will also return Wednesday morning, a day that is predicted to be the hottest day of the summer, possibly 100 degrees. </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">Sure hope somebody will feed these chicks, and I hope I find both of them. </span></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-73844726771422684772023-08-19T19:47:00.002-05:002023-08-19T19:47:57.758-05:00Home again, at last!<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Whew! Little stinker! Lil Arb is back on the nest after being gone all day! Scared me….especially after last year…..but now we can call this a successful fledge and a successful nest! Didnt look like we would get here, so many times this year. But this brave little chick has survived to fledge and this Mom learned the hard way how to be a good parent. </span></p><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">lil Arb was gone a long time on a very hot day so I hope she gets lots of fish this evening.</div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-18607945024764340922023-08-19T19:46:00.000-05:002023-08-19T19:46:03.467-05:00Fledged!<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Arb chick fledged at about 11:36 today…..this is day 62 for her….a good age for fledging. I am still waiting for her to return! Unfortunately I have a committment today so cant go out there. So I hope people are watching for her return! Fingers crossed that she will do ok and get back home for food!</span></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-83331009130271171752023-08-18T17:37:00.001-05:002023-08-18T17:37:10.369-05:00Just like a Dad…<p> <span data-offset-key="7q2ph-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I </span><span style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">spent</span><span data-offset-key="7q2ph-2-0" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> time at Kisa’s nest again this morning and, as always, the behaviors are interesting. I have worried all along about these chicks, of course, and one by one my anxieties have been relieved. I initially thought KISA was really bringing fish to the female as a courtship ritual. Would he feed the chicks if she werent there? Well the answer we found was YES! So even tho we have not seen the Mom in almost two weeks, He is still bringing food. Then I worried that after they fledged and were not always in the nest, would he lose interest and perhaps begin his migration? This past week he has seemed to be more scarce. I would catch a chick eating a fish, but did not see KISA deliver it. The chicks are now spending time away from the nest and I have searched hi and low for them unsuccessfully. Several times this week I found the nest empty, and waiting, searching did not help me locate them. But if I returned several hours later, I might find them on the nest. This morning I arrived and there was one chick on the nest, apparently just finishing breakfast. After cleaning his beak, he flew off. Again, I searched for the chicks and found none. So quiet. Then as I was talking to one of the people I see frequently at this site, we saw an osprey flying very high. This appeared to be an adult with a fish, but it did not just fly to the nest…..it circled the area slowly for a long time and then finally dipped down low and I lost him. So I put my scope on the tripod and went out to look for him. It took a while but I finally spotted him in a tree, with a whole fish. Yes, it appeared to be KISA. He was just perched there, looking all around, but not eating. Then he flew a few loops around the area and landed in a different spot. Again, he was looking around in every direction, but wasn t eating. Many of you know, it’s quite common for a male to at least eat the head off a fish before delivering it to chicks. But he didn’t do that. He flew around, clearly displaying the fish before landing somewhere new and looking all around. It was very clear to me that he was doing, what I had seen so many Dads do later in the breeding season….looking to see if any chicks were around that were hungry! This is all quite normal behavior for a Dad, who has incubated eggs, cared for chicks that carry his DNA and has an investment in their survival. But this male is not the Dad! And yet it was so obvious that, even when the chicks have gone off on a little adventure, he is now looking for them and wanting to feed them! Then after about 30 minutes of this behavior he did start to nibble on the head of the fish….but when he heard the distinctive sound of a young osprey foodbegging he flew immediately to the nest where he was met by one of the chicks and he handed over the whole fish and departed. </span></p><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7fs51" data-offset-key="agbg3-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="agbg3-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="agbg3-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">These are subtle behaviors, but it was so heartwarming to see that even when the chicks are not around, he is concerned for their welfare. He has the instincts of a Dad, but he isnt the Dad! And he must know, he didn’t copulate with the female, he didn’t incubate the eggs, but still he feels the urge to care for them. Shortly after he departed the other chick showed up, crying for food as the other chick ate. I saw which direction KISA went so I headed that way, in hopes of seeing him catch a fish…..a long walk-about failed to spot him but when I got back to the nest, both chicks were eating! In every respect, he is behaving like a Dad. I now feel fairly confident that he will continue this pattern until they decide to begin their migration. So many times this summer I felt like these chicks were doomed, but even in the face of so many other tragic losses in our osprey population, this young male has risen to the occasion and lifted my spirits. He is a very unique osprey! I have seen so many single females struggle to care for chicks alone, and I would never have guessed this was possible. It’s been a pleasure to share this story with so many interested humans! There is so much going on in the natural world that we have little awareness of…so pay attention!!!!! Amazing things are going on! </span></div></div><div class="" data-block="true" data-editor="7fs51" data-offset-key="1oohv-0-0" style="caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="1oohv-0-0" style="direction: ltr; font-family: inherit; position: relative;"><span data-offset-key="1oohv-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Here is an unrelated photo….as I was driving away from a nest with a chick missing, I saw this one perched in a tree….and this is a spot where I have found ospreys perching for the entire 30 years of my osprey life….so I just thought I would share this image. I know you all like pictures! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09Geo5k3700vi0jO8JfUiPjuW0bsvAvYGjnIc97oJIuoarbxQRYhsHRVPPlhR-d1Hr0NR98HoDVho1Ezw1C-Z73i8I67Rabon9sT_g7O4A0Q-F61OL98Qy_P6u4kg8fB2Lm06sXu-lRpjZVMckLbTCaR5xMeoHaLlMke-ea6149HYWXn-ZJEVjaC5U2xt/s4032/IMG_1786.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi09Geo5k3700vi0jO8JfUiPjuW0bsvAvYGjnIc97oJIuoarbxQRYhsHRVPPlhR-d1Hr0NR98HoDVho1Ezw1C-Z73i8I67Rabon9sT_g7O4A0Q-F61OL98Qy_P6u4kg8fB2Lm06sXu-lRpjZVMckLbTCaR5xMeoHaLlMke-ea6149HYWXn-ZJEVjaC5U2xt/s320/IMG_1786.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /></span></div></div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-21439507431750667042023-08-16T16:42:00.000-05:002023-08-16T16:42:05.708-05:00Updates…<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">A few updates for you all. I have been visiting Kisa’s nest most days at least for a short time. I have not seen mom since Aug 6….the day the first chick fledged. Both chicks have fledged now. I was worried that if the adult female left, KISA might discontinue his visits and fish deliveries, but he hasn’t. I don’t see him as often now, largely because he drops a fish and leaves. He is not hanging out there on the nest at all now and I am not sure how many fish are delivered each day.</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"> </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">Previously, the <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>chicks spent a lot of time just waiting on the nest for the delivery man to come! But in the last few days they have begun spending more time away from the nest. I have searched all over for them and have not found their favorite hang outs. Today when I arrived there were no chicks anywhere. I hiked all over and drove around looking but did not find them. When I returned to the nest I saw a flurry of flapping wings and as I got my scope up I saw an adult flying off, leaving the chick on the nest with a big fish. Shortly after, the other chick arrived. I watched them for quite a while. I noticed that their bodies are changing, in a good way! </span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">Prefledge they looked so thin….I could see their sharp keel bone. But now they are starting to look a little….pudgy! That’s the way most chicks look as they pack on the pounds to prepare for a big journey ahead. I have not seen the rehabbed male since that possible sighting two days after we released him. All in all, this whole story is a bit of a miracle….I still hope to see and positively identify <span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>that rehabbed male but just to see these two chicks surviving and making the steps necessary towards independence is heart warming. My fingers are still crossed that KISA will continue to bring enough food for them. It will be hard to see these chicks go tho, as we will not know them if and when they return. They have become very precious and important to me. Sometimes I feel sad that their Dad isnt there to watch them grow up, and their Mom sort of bailed out, possibly because she began to think of KISA as her mate…and expected he would care for the chicks as her instincts told her to prepare for migration.</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">I am spending less time there because I have to get the data on other nests. And that is not always a happy experience. Chick numbers continue to drop and we have to assume that chicks that disappear and are never seen again at this time have probably perished. Sigh. Flying away from a nest and never returning to be fed is not a successful fledge. We look for explanations….storms, Eagle nests nearby etc…</span></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">We still have some chicks that have not fledged at this late date….and I will keep checking them, but it does cause concern. </span></p><p class="p2" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; min-height: 23.6px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;"></span><br /></p><p class="p1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-feature-settings: normal; font-kerning: auto; font-optical-sizing: auto; font-size-adjust: none; font-size: 18.2px; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variation-settings: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span class="s1" style="font-family: UICTFontTextStyleBody; font-size: 18.24px;">I stopped at the Arb cam nest today to take a peek in person. Lil Arb was sitting tight on this windy day, and mom was perched on top of the camera! But I also noticed that the eagle nest that is a short distance from the osprey nest seems to be collapsing! Sorry Eagle lovers, but I think this is a good thing in this situation. I hope they have found a better place to nest next year, and we will have less concern for the welfare of our Ospreys. Look below the osprey nestbox for the pile of tumbling sticks in the pine tree behind.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsOnaFRLCsDIW-pONjy-jDL9Ohyw_5EQAk3ha0rARbVaG7Hlcw117sVCr7fq7lp39ehNGJ2CWSFaKI85HZ4DtobJHYLF3hRf7BoMjHBl9R3xde-oKb2mgDEax6kPQMXyVr-N6kheBJFNQdBbGYADURk47LR74eGawIeMqWbPesvUhQ16xe6ef7RHVi1Ah/s4032/IMG_1748.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqsOnaFRLCsDIW-pONjy-jDL9Ohyw_5EQAk3ha0rARbVaG7Hlcw117sVCr7fq7lp39ehNGJ2CWSFaKI85HZ4DtobJHYLF3hRf7BoMjHBl9R3xde-oKb2mgDEax6kPQMXyVr-N6kheBJFNQdBbGYADURk47LR74eGawIeMqWbPesvUhQ16xe6ef7RHVi1Ah/s320/IMG_1748.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-12035381308166364852023-08-12T19:14:00.002-05:002023-08-12T19:14:35.194-05:00Richmond the Osprey brings a hat….<p> I was talking to someone today about how Ospreys are known for bringing weird stuff to their nests and I mentioned this video. It still cracks me up every time I watch it! So here it is, just for a good chuckle….This is Richmond and Rosie, the SanFrancisco Bay Ospreys….<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiI-7LxqtiAAxWxlIkEHUbRA3gQwqsBegQICBAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbayospreys%2Fvideos%2Frichmond-brings-a-hat%2F668313660030083%2F&usg=AOvVaw3twvU8B96N59OHWCibX2yL&opi=89978449">https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiI-7LxqtiAAxWxlIkEHUbRA3gQwqsBegQICBAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fbayospreys%2Fvideos%2Frichmond-brings-a-hat%2F668313660030083%2F&usg=AOvVaw3twvU8B96N59OHWCibX2yL&opi=89978449</a></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-50465831115871925782023-08-10T17:11:00.001-05:002023-08-10T17:11:15.468-05:00Home again! <p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have been at Kisa’s nest (no it’s not really his nest) every day…. Crazy long hours this past week. After the first chick fledged on Sunday I have searched and waited for him to return. They don’t commonly disappear on their first flight…. They tend to get into all kinds of trouble a bit later. I was pretty certain that we had lost him yesterday but I just couldn’t bring myself to write that post. Most chicks cannot feed themselves this early. Just learning their water </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">starts, going into the water and getting liftoff out of the water, is a skill that they typically practice over and over before they begin to even try to catch a fish. Facing the truth of the situation was hard. In the process of searching for him, and for the rehabbed male, I even found a new nest, or one I didn’t know about….just barely in time to get an accurate count on chicks and to see and identify the male. I did not see the mom at that nest. Neither have I seen the mom at Kisa’s nest since Sunday. </span></p><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kisa’s visits are seeming to be fewer and further between. I woke very early again this morning and went back to check on the remaining chick who had not fledged yet. She was flying from one side of the nest to the other but had not actually left the nest yet. As I pulled into my favorite viewing spot and put up my scope I yelled out loud, OH MY GOD! TWO CHICKS!!!!! My heart started racing….and I quickly started looking for the unique head markings I knew this chick had. HURRY HURRY, turn around, lower your head. YES it was him ( or her…..some spots on the breast, less than the other chick. Could be a female). WOW. Gone four days and here this little rascal is. And I have been there so many hours, I have hiked around, driven around, watched and listened so closely. I did leave this nest mid afternoon yesterday to check a few other nests so he may have returned after I left. Both chicks had food in their crops…..not full, but not empty. They had clearly eaten, so KISA must have been there before I got there. </div><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I watched them for several hours. So relieved. But I still had not seen the second chick fledge. I watched her walk out on the nest perch….and I wrote a few lines in my field book and looked up….perch empty! Wait, what? And then, boom she landed back on the nest! Well done! So both had fledged so my thoughts turned to all those nests I have been neglecting. I decided to make a super quick run past 18 nests and returned about 3.5 hours later…..both still on the nest. Crops emptier now. But still….so wonderful to see them alive and together. Then something startled them….don’t know what…and they both flew off the nest and circled above. Then one chick came back to the nest and the other disappeared. I went for a little hike and found him in a tree not far from the nest. So this was great to see…..now they are both able to fly away from a predator. I loved seeing their startle response, a successful escape from a vulnerable position, and a safe return. A huge hurdle has been passed over now. I am a little pissed at the stress it put me thru the past four days….but whew….so relieved that these two, in this difficult life circumstance, have made it this far. Now I just hope KISA will continue to feed them post fledge. It’s a bit miraculous what he has done so far….but as I told the monitor for this nest, maybe he should be called Kita….knight in tarnished armor. He is feeding them enough to survive, so far….but he isnt feeding them as much as a normal parent would, and he isn’t hanging around to protect them very much. Though I know these two would be dead without him. Mom….I don’t know. I haven’t seen her in four days. I am still hoping against hope that I will get to see the rehabbed male and read his band for a positive ID. So it was a big day, with some very happy news. It’s been such a roller coaster ride! Some people see my car with the signs that say Twin Cities Metro Osprey Watch, and they stop and ask about the birds. I have done a lot of educating during this whole weird year! But when I start to unravel this unusual story, people are amazed at how complicated and challenging their lives can be…..and how much I have observed and understood about what was going on! It does give them a new appreciation for what is occurring right under their noses, without much awareness. These people may never look at an osprey in the same way again! And when this season comes to an end, I will actually miss some of these people that took a real interest in the ospreys and wanted to hear the daily updates. My world is so different than most, and it’s fun to share all the insights I have into the lives of these magnificent raptors that have occupied so many years of my life and so much of my heart.</div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-66786702730736764652023-08-08T12:19:00.002-05:002023-08-08T12:19:16.667-05:00Happy<p> A photo to make you happy…. Who are these two tadpoles? I am sure many of you have heard my story about the male who had a fractured keel and spent a month in rehab many years ago. When released his female treated him like an intruder, and yet he kept sneaking in with fish for his chicks. Very strong parental instincts. Well these are two of his chicks this year! There is one more chick that had not fledged when I took this photo. Don’t they look beautiful and happy? He is still a great parent.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDv8qIeCE1npM_KT2POBG5FKgcPP3YGD_-F2BJGZ8LUpYLHK4MOvx4J3-7t8FDND3p255N7HR2dLW3kTEoMO42a_q7Jn_kw9fU8kBVvKZiFu2BgOp-fNEA3c50u-Ug9McmzjJjMDOjtxnnxQBCwDIMPI3KLL7CtllIebiK4OC5xF3OHya_WrhzR8pVWOPD/s4032/IMG_1587.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDv8qIeCE1npM_KT2POBG5FKgcPP3YGD_-F2BJGZ8LUpYLHK4MOvx4J3-7t8FDND3p255N7HR2dLW3kTEoMO42a_q7Jn_kw9fU8kBVvKZiFu2BgOp-fNEA3c50u-Ug9McmzjJjMDOjtxnnxQBCwDIMPI3KLL7CtllIebiK4OC5xF3OHya_WrhzR8pVWOPD/s320/IMG_1587.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2195911943567951802.post-72087366619850118062023-08-07T20:22:00.001-05:002023-08-07T20:22:28.398-05:00More losses…<p> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">So many events have unfolded in the osprey world this past week…and I always feel bad when I cant find time to write posts here! </span></p><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where do I begin? First of all….the photo I posted several posts ago of the single female with her only remaining chick…after her older, very reliable male disappeared. Other males were hanging around and she was having to leave to get fish. Well, after a couple weeks, and after another of her chicks died, that male returned to his nest! I am <span style="font-family: inherit;"><a style="color: #385898; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit;" tabindex="-1"></a></span>still completely baffled. But now he is around all the time, as reliable a mate as he was before the absence. How bizarre! I can offer no explanations. But this older male has always been one of my favorites so I am overjoyed that he is allright. </div><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now back to our rehabbed male who was released last Tuesday. As I was watching that nest on Thursday, a banded male landed briefly on the nest….just long enough for me to see that he had double bands, a color band and a silver federal band. My heart started racing! The other male was not around. The two chicks immediately started hollering for food and he leaned away and took off so I was unable to read his band. About an hour later the unbanded male, Kisa, was on the nest, and he started chirping….the vocalization they use when they see another osprey in their territory. They were all looking up and I saw a male with a split in his tail….exactly like the one that can be seen in the photo of the rehabbed male being released. So, tho I didnt read his band, so I cant say for sure, I do believe that was the older rehabbed male who has lived there for many years. Sadly, we have not seen him since. So he is flying well, easily made his way back to his territory but chose not to fight for the territory or care for the chicks. So far anyway. It’s been difficult to watch the chicks there who are getting enough parental care to survive, but are so often left alone. The female is oddly gone for long periods of time, even days. And this new male still drops fish, but does not hang around a lot. Yesterday the first chick fledged….luckily I was there to see it and he flew well, circling around the area and then finally landing on a rooftop across the road from his nest. I watched him there for 3 hours. He did fly off and loop around the area but returned to that roof top. So take offs and landings were solid and I am sure he could see the nest from there. I figured he would get back to the nest when he got hungry! I had to leave for a few hours, as it was raining and I had a sick cat at home….but returned later that afternoon but I was unable to find him at all. In fact I could not see the other chick in the nest either. The mom came back to the nest and she wandered around the nest picking up leftover fish bits, and no other chicks head popped up, noone asked for food. I watched mom for 90 minutes and saw no chicks. She finally departed, and I walked all around in the rain, until I was soaked, and quite sad. Most chicks first flights are short and successful….I have seen it hundreds of times. But nothing is normal on this nest this year. I finally left. I got up at the crack of dawn today and returned to the nest hoping to see both chicks….but there was only one. Sigh. I watched all morning and Kisa came with a fish for this remaining chick. I went home, checked on the kitty and checked a couple of other nests and came back. Still just the one chick, with occasional visits from Kisa. Again, I walked all around looking, listening but found no clues about where the other chick went. Usually if a healthy chick ends up on the ground, they will food beg if they see an adult with a fish. I heard nothing. I have located and rescued many chicks this way…but this chick seems to have disappeared. I will look again tomorrow, and I also keep searching any and all lakes in the area in search of our banded male. Its hard to accept all the sad twists and turns on this and other nests. </div><div dir="auto" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; caret-color: rgb(5, 5, 5); color: #050505; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, ".SFNSText-Regular", sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">And if all that isnt enough difficult stuff….last friday I recieved word that a nest on a transmission had blown down. So at the crack of dawn on Saturday I went out to check that situation….and found three chicks perished. What a disastrous year for our ospreys. sigh.</div>Vanessa Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16645498762988572346noreply@blogger.com0