The weather predictions are calling for a switch in the wind direction tomorrow, Thursday, Sept 3....with strong winds coming from the north. This may be a day that we lose some of our ospreys. I visited a bunch of nests today and was happy and relieved to find a few missing chicks. There was one chick that I had not seen for several weeks, since it fledged successfully, and I was getting very worried that something terrible had happened, but today I found her perching in her Dads favorite perch! It was fun to watch her in the golden sun, at the top of a tree. She was a bit of a late hatch so maybe she will stick around a bit longer.
On another nest I saw an adult male on the nest with a fish, looking around. It was so quiet. He waited for quite a while and no one came to claim the fish, so he went to one of his favorite perches and ate about half the fish.....and then I heard, far off in the distance, that endearing whiny sound of a hungry juvenile Osprey. She came to the nest, and he let her cry for a little while before he delivered the remaining half of the fish to her.
On yet another nest, the chick has also been scarce, which has caused me to worry. I have seen so little of this one right after fledging. However, I have always seen Dear old Dad in the area, waiting, watching, eating. This male is so dependable.
Today I finally saw them together....chick on the nest food begging and Dad perched on a nearby cell tower preening. Eventually he headed off towards the lake to get the youngster a fish.
I love these males and how they stick around after the females are long gone....such great parents they are. Some of these are banded males that I have been watching for many years and this time of year, I wonder if I will ever see them again. It’s really quite a wistful feeling. I love to just sit and watch them carefully. What are they looking at, responding to....I notice their markings, their coloring, their crop, how they close one eye to rest half of their brain, while the other half remains alert. I can still be so captivated by an Osprey, just sitting there, doing nothing.
Some nests are empty now.....but I was pleasantly surprised by how many ospreys I did see today....ones that I needed to see before they depart.
The ospreys have kept me sane thru this pandemic, and I am fearing their absence like never before...they kept me focused, active, sometimes exhausted and worried. I am not sure what I will do without them....my place of employment still closed, art fairs all cancelled. But I will keep checking nests until I am unable to find any ospreys. Ospreys have always been a source of healing for me. I treasure each day that I get to spend with them and share their magic.
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