It was a disappointing day with our osprey friends….when I arrived a little after 9 am….the male was eating a fish. As usual, as soon as he finished, the chick showed up screaming for food. She had an empty crop. Eventually he took off to the SE. the chick quieted down and about ten minutes ,after she took off in the same direction. So I looked at a map…..I had searched several lakes in that direction and never found them but today I noticed a smaller lake right before the other larger lakes….so I went down there and drove a road that had homes on one said the lake on the other with a lot of trees and brush blocking my view of the lake. But as I looked thru holes in the vegetation I saw something white….backed up and put up the scope. Sure enough it was an osprey…..it was the male. ( damn, I am good at this). I would know his head markings anywhere. He sat there staring in to the water. After a few minutes I heard the chick and she came flying past and tried to land next to him but she couldn’t stick the landing so sort of hovered above him and then kept flying….he watched her. Then he took off and I could not see them….started to head back to the nest and I looked up and they were both flying together above me. I know it’s that chick due to her broken feather that leaves a gap on her right wing. I got a few crummy photos….the male in the tree and the two of them flying. At first I was very happy. They were together and maybe she was learning from him! I thought they were heading back to the nest so I wanted to beat them and be ready to get some photos…..but they didn’t show up there. I waited, I went and got a coffee. Still no one around the nesting area. So I went back to this small lake….a d the male was back on his perch and the chick was nowhere to be seen or heard. I kept searching but found nothing. Then the male gave an alarm call and flew off so I followed him. He went back to the water tower where I first saw him back in June. He sat there for over and hour. No chick showed up. I searched all the places I had ever seen either of them and came up empty. I listened for her. Nothing. Eventually the male flew off again….and once again I found him in that perch that I could barely see. No chick. I went back to the nest again….nope, she wasnt anywhere around there. I checked the small lake again, male was gone. I finally came home. I was there for 6 hours and never saw the chick get fed, and I never saw her again after about 10:30, and I only saw the male eat the one fish early in the morning. At first I was excited to see them together at a lake….seemed like a step forward for them. But to see her empty crop in the morning and no feeding after that is concerning. I thought she had figured out yesterday that hanging around the nest was the best way to get fed. But maybe she is trying to feed herself. Today marks one month since she took her first flight…so it’s time. I have other commitments tomorrow but will check a few other nests on my way to and from and will recheck these guys on Wednesday. Hoping she is just beginning to be a little independent ….
No comments:
Post a Comment