Where is she?

 I revisited the chick and male on Monday…..In fact I spent about 7 hours there. I saw the male deliver a fish to the chick at about 10:30 in the morning….and she took it to the tree and ate. I last saw her about 11:00. The male returned about 12:30 with a fish but no chicks came to the nest. Eventually the male ate the fish and he departed about 1:15. I searched all afternoon and never saw them again.

I ran into another couple who have been watching this nest for many years and they went on a walk around the closest lake and reported seeing an adult osprey out there.

I was worried so I returned today. The male was in the habit of stopping by around 9:30 with a fish so I arrived a little later today…around 9 am. No ospreys. No 9:30 delivery. I hiked around one side of the lake, I looked in all the chicks favorite perches, but I found nothing. I heard nothing. So I took a spin around to some other nearby lakes…three of them. I scanned for any perching ospreys or fishing ospreys. I listened. Nothing. So I returned to the nest area.

So I decided to hike a different route along the other shore of the lake. I saw no ospreys but when I got to the furthest part of the lake I looked back towards the nesting area and saw an osprey perched on the lights. So I ran back along the lake, back to my car, drove back to the light and put up my scope….its the male. It’s 12:30 again. He looks all around, but no chick comes, so he eats the fish. Then he gives an alarm call and flies off like a bat out of hell…..probably saw a bald eagle. He disappeared. I waited. No sign of the chick. Then shortly before 2:30 I look out over the lake and I can see an osprey flying in circles….he has a fish. Hmmm… he slowly circles back and lands on the nest with a fish. It’s the male. He was clearly trying to lure the chick back to the nest by displaying it….this fish was for her. He sat there, looking in all directions….no chicks came. So he flew off with the fish to the lights nearby. He waited, looking all around. It was at least 15-20 minutes before he started eating the fish. This male is acting like a dad….but he isnt the dad. He knows that. And it’s so touching, and so troubling that the chick is not around to eat the fish he is bringing for her. I am worried. But sometimes these fledglings do take off for a little adventure to test themselves….and they maybe gone for a day or two and then return when they are very hungry. I hope nothing tragic has happened. This male is amazing. Many times when a new male shows up in a territory, we assume he is a young male looking for a mate and a territory for the first time. But this males parental instincts are so much like a normal parent, I wonder if he has raised chicks previously. He may have lost a mate, lost a nest, who knows. When he finally finished the fish, which he ate haltingly…..stopping and waiting, looking for the chick, he flew up in circles above the nesting area….circling slowly, higher and higher and I watched as long as I could until he disappeared into the sun. I hope he won’t leave yet….this chick may still need him. Where is she? I have put in so many hours, and yet I will probably return tomorrow….I have many other nests to check but this one has a special place in my heart. I don’t know why the female left so early when she had a chick depending on her…but this male is trying his best to care for this chick. But where has she gone? I hope I get to see them both tomorrow. This always happens at the end of the breeding season….some nest, or nests, capture my attention and I give in to my desire to know what’s happening….this is how I learn. Many many hours watching them.