Growing in an Osprey's garden #4

I made the images smaller for uploading, but I just had a look at what I'd posted and they are a bit small. I'll increase the size next time I have a series to post.

A short time later, Harmony had turned and was facing the other way.

Last one of the chick exercising - for now.

In this shot, Big Hook was making her way back to the nest from the bay below. Harmony watches.

I'm quite happy with this inflight shot of Big Hook.

Preparing to land.

Rearing a youngster is so tiring.

And this is how I left them. No sign of Dad again yesterday, but Madam X has seen him delivering fish to the nest.

I went to the nest this afternoon, but haven't yet downloaded the images. Stay tuned

absolutely beautiful shots Margaret,the landing ,you need to enter that photo in a National Geographic contest,or all of your photos,GREAT WORK Margaret.thank you.Tamara

Oh, Tamara, thank YOU. I may be lucky enough to get an occasional good shot, but when I visit some websites, their bird photography just blows me out of the water.

margaret,you need to enter ,I think you are better than you give yourself credit for ,you know we are always our own worst critic = + }

Stunning shots Margaret!! Harmony's growth is amazing and your documentation is outstanding...the next best thing to being there!

Thanks so much for your efforts!!

Happy Birthday Margaret! ((((( Hugs ))))) and Blessings on your special day!

We all really appreciate your photography talent here on the Bird Watching Forum! I'm loving the newest photo's of Big Hook and Harmony. I hope Dad appears again soon to get into the pictures!

Harmony sure is growing fast, I love the photo's of her exercising those wings! That's a great shot of mom coming in for a landing as well ... and that last shot of Big Hook and Harmony is so sweet.

Thanks again for sharing your Osprey families with us, have a wonderful Birthday!

Lin

It's amazing a serries of pictures just for the day! Thank you, Margaret. It's wonderful to see as Harmony excercises her wings! Miracles of life no less.

Happy Birthday to you Margaret. Hope your day is extra special for- you are to so many ...
Hi Lin, thanks for your posting, without you I'd not have known that's Margaret's Birthday.

Well, thank you both so very much. I spent the afternoon of my birthday at the osprey nest - now there's a surprise!

Margaret, I think the Osprey's nest would be a wonderful place to spend a birthday, or any day. With the hustle and bustle of daily life and all that is going on in the world I know many people don't ever get to experience the tranquility and serenity of nature. I savor moments where I can be in nature, whether it's on a vacation in the mountains, out on the water in our little boat, or when I'm just sitting on the bench in my backyard listening to the birds. If more people had a bit of quiet time to sit and reflect on the nature around them I think there would be less turmoil in their daily lives. Unfortunately, the peaceful and quiet times are a luxury many don't get to experience very often.

Lily, that sure is a lovely garden photo of your area of the world!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARGARET!!
Your photos just get better and better-if that's possible. Harmony seems to have gotten so much larger in just a couple days. I can't pick a favorite because they're all amazing.

I agree with Huggergirl, your pictures belong in National Geographic!! Please do check into sending them.

That's a great idea! Happy Birthday again Margaret!

Happy Birthday Margaret,send those photos in !!!! Tamara

What you say about people being so busy they can't pause and appreciate the beauty around them echoes my own thoughts, Lin. The more time I spent observing nature, the more life's frenetic pace pales into irrelevance.

Duc, Pelle and Tamara, thank you for your birthday wishes and words of encouragement.

Yesterday was very muggy, but became quite windy during the afternoon. Dad arrived at the nest not long after I arrived there, but took off skywards soon after to soar with another osprey which wasn't Big Hook because she was on the nest with Harmony. You'll need to look at the left side of the nest to pick the chick out. Both were watching Dad and the other bird soaring two or three hundred feet above.

No sound, just watching with interest.

A couple of minutes later, Harmony had moved towards the centre of the nest. They continue to keep an eye on Dad and the other osprey soaring in formation in the sky above.

...

As you can see by the direction of their gaze, Dad and the other guy had moved to the other end of the bay.

A gust of wind caught Big Hook's head-dress.

Big Hook couldn't take it any longer and took to the sky. The speed and silence is amazing. It really does take my breath away.

Harmony watches the gentle flight above. It wasn't making any sound. Its beak is open because it's so hot.

This is the shot I meant to start with. Dad and Big Hook on the nest together just before he took off.

Much nicer weather today. I haven't gone through my shots from this afternoon yet, but here's a shot of Dad on the lower branch. I'll post more when I'm organized.

Margaret, Your photos are of such excellent quality! The family looks so healthy and happy and of course Harmony is growing by leaps and bounds.

Thanks so much for sharing the experience with us!

Great photos, Margaret. You have a lot of potential with your daily coverage of the Osprey family. It can take on an adult or child's format. That is, if you are inclined to do so. The title and cover become key marketing tools. This book title immediately comes to mind.

A Birth in Perth: A Pictorial Story of the Osprey Down Under.

We're just privileged to enjoy a preview of the final edition.

Margaret, even with the gray skies that shot of Big Hook soaring above is wonderful. I love the one showing Mom and Dad side by side on the nest also and the one of Dad on the branch with the blue sky in the background is awesome! Can't wait to see more!

I don't know what to say Margaret. Every time I see one of your photos, it just takes my breath away.

I believe Linth has another wonderful idea. Your photos and storytelling are both entertaining and informative and would make learning about these magnificent birds easy for any adult or a child as Linth said. I love the suggested title too. Now all you have to do is find someone to help you put your book together. Please think about it.

Ha. A Birth in Perth. That's a good one.

O those shots of Big Hook & Harmony watching are really cool! Wonder what they are thinking....

Your very talented Margaret, and a great photographer at that. You put in pictures, what we may never get to see, up close. Thanks a bunch for sharing something so special.

I'm very happy to be able to share my experience with you all. When I speak to some people about how I spend most of my spare time, I either get a blank stare or get the question "What's an osprey"? It's heartening to get the enthusiastic feedback I get here on the birdwatching forum.

Thanks for the suggestion, Linth. I have thought of targeting children (as readers); however I don't want it to be primarily a children's book. If the book I have in mind ever comes to fruition, and I have made a start, I have contemplated compiling a scaled down version of the visual story aimed specifically at children.

From this afternoon - Harmony exercising those wings. I was reading today that ospreys fledge anywhere between 48 and 59 days. Harmony is 49 days old today and there are still remnant "pins" visible on her flight feathers. I tend to think that because there is no urgency to grow fast to be able to migrate, the chicks down-under may mature at a more leisurely pace.

Aussie was hatched on the 19th or 20th October last year and didn't fledge until between Christmas and New Year. I think it was the 28th December that I first saw Aussie out of the nest, but of course it may have occurred earlier than that, just not observed. If it was the 28th, that would have been 69 days (I am unquestionably the world's worst mathematician, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong - I'm used to it). Even if it had fledged a few days earlier, although none of the local observers, including Madam X had seen it, it would have been right on the upper end of the fledging scale.

Edited to add that I have just read that fledging may actually extend to 76 days.


This message was edited Nov 15, 2009 10:35 AM

Dad brings a fish. Harmony eagerly went towards it, although it isn't feeding itself yet. Mind you, I have seen it picking at remnants in the nest when it's been there on its own, so it shouldn't be long now.

A gently paced feed commences.