Growing in an Osprey's Garden #6

It would seem logical that her odd approach to Harmony must be some type communication towards fledging.

Hi Margaret,
Some lovely images to keep me going, although I wish I was observing them 'live'. I'm particularly interested in your observations from last week about the cockatoos (is that what they are?) that seemed to be showing in an interest - I've never observed this over the past 3 years so any speculation what this might be about? Just inquisitiveness or something more 'sinister'?
Can't wait to upload some images, but Bangalore is a long way from home. However, I did note that on my work laptop I've some very old images (for whose quality I apologize) back from when I first started observing the birds. The first is from November 2006 when I estimate the birds were about 48 days old, so just before they fledged I guess. This is twins from the year before Aussie was born. They're a magnificent pair who totally captivated me and inspired me to start learning about them and to reconnect with my passion for photography. It's kinda ironic that wanting to take 'better' and more shots you have an excuse to go and invest in better equipment and then it's a perfect excuse to spend more time at the location because you have to justify all this investment! At this time the birds hadn't fledged, and both mum and dad were feeding them

Here's a photo of 'mum' from 2 years ago feeding her twins. For everyone else you'll note the band on mum - this is Aussie's mum as well so you can understand the change in behaviour over the year from raising the twins and Aussie. Clearly the eye injury sustained after Aussie was born impacted the ability of mum to take care of herself and Aussie. Looking back Aussie was fortunate to survive I guess. My wife and I used to observe the whole family flying above our house soon after the twins fledged, again emphasising the out of character behaviour we witnessed last year.

Here's a favourite of mine - mainly because I can recall vividly the eye contact with 'mum'. I still beleive to this day the birds develop an ability to recognize individuals. Whenever any of us regulars arrive and setup for photos the birds 'ignore' us but if others walk along the path below us and are first timers, the birds get quite agitated and vocal - maybe wishful thinking on my part....................

Not to be outdone here's one of dad leaving the lower branch to seak out fish for the babes.....

Well put about the need to justify the equipment, Pete. Wonderful photos from 2006. How wonderful to see two chicks on the nest.

With the Corellas passing over, I don't think there's anything sinister at all. They're just being sticky beaks. I saw it even during winter when the nest was being reconstructed and during the mating period. Pink & Greys do it as well, but they're not quite as inquisitive as the Corellas.

Nanny, you may well be right. Pete, look away now! I've had an email from Madam X and Harmony has been lifting a couple of metres off the nest AND has branched! So, as soon as I hit "send", guess where I'm going?

Will report back later.

Oh, I love that shot of Old Ma, Pete. I entirely agree with you about the birds recognizing us regulars. Only the day before yesterday, when I'd been down on the low path, they would just gaze at me with disinterest. After I went back up onto the embankment, a woman I haven't seen before walked along the low path and didn't they kick up a racket!

And finally to again emphasis the unity wihin the family, here's mum and dad enjoying a quiet moment together (never observed this last year) enjoying the wondrous view and probalby debating whose turn it is to feed and put the kids to bed. Hope you all enjoy this little trip down memory lane...............check out dad - the far bird - looking pensive (guess he lost the argument!).
For the techies all these photos were taken with a Canon D300, hand-held and with a 70-200mm F4.0 L zoom lens (no IS). Ciao for now and look forward to your feedback.

Margaret,
Best of luck this arvo with the 'fledging'. I am so jealous but here's hoping you get some beauts to upload later. I will enjoy with a curry and Gin & Tonic tonite!
Pete

Wonderful shots Pete!

Wow, how great it's to see pictures of the 'Ole Ma and Pa Osprey, and the twin who are Aussie's older siblings. Thanks Pete for sharing those pictures. I also agreed with those on the new behavior Big Hook has shown toward Harmony recently -- perhaps, she was in the process of teaching Harmony to practice flying. It's so wonderful to follow this family's development. Thanks Margaret.

Wow is right, Pete, great photos.

One could not ask for anything better than the photo coverage and dialogue provided by Margaret, Denis & Pete. A photo is worth a thousand words but only if you look beyond the image itself. The added commentary tends to stimulate the thought process and create added interest not only about the Osprey but the world of ornithology, in general. I have always had a love of the nature around me but most of it with a gun in hand. Now, I do my shooting with a camera and I appreciate nature much, much more. Keep up the good work for you all are an inspiration to others within the world of birding and photography.

Our Osprey migrate thousands of miles and thus exposed to added risk. Although I follow a number of them with GPS units attached, most others just disappear until next Spring. I wonder ..... Where are they ? How are they doing ? Will they make it back in the Spring ? And, all I can do is wait .... and hope.

I apologize for the verbosity but that is the way my mind works .....

Great photos, all of you ............

Well said Linth..I agree whole-heartedly!!

Peter...Welcome and looking forward to seeing more of your images.

Everyone,
Thanks for being so welcoming & for your kind words. Linth, don't apologize for the verbosity as this is exactly the beauty of this thread the ability to share our passion through pictures and words.
Following up on this I provide this link - indeed I may havegot it from this thread and yourself even, so apologies if this is a blatant plagerise! It's a fascinating story of tracking new birds that is conducted by Rob Bierregaard of the Biology Dept.
UNC-Charlotte. He provides a great newsletter and maps of the birds migrations. Margaret and I are convinced none of our birds face such challenges so probably the only challenge in Perth is competing for nest sites as the Osprey population grows. What I'd really like to do is one day catch-up and shoot some 'baldies' which are simply magnificent looking birds....can't get enough of them. Keep 'shooting' them with your camera,
Regards
Pete

http://www.bioweb.uncc.edu/Bierregaard/maps09/2009_map_links.htm

Iam soo excited ,there have been bald eagle sightings in town behind the public Library,and at a lake not far from here,my sisters sil got a photo of it ,I guess it was in the local paper,going to give her a call too see whats is going on,ask if I can bird watch at their place,wish I had a bigggg lens on my 35mm. And you all are soo lucky to have the time and talent to observe and take photos,wonderful photos,so glad I stumbled upon this thread,and that Magaret was and is soo freindly.These are wonderful photo journals.Thank you again.Tamara

Pete, thanks for the link. How interesting! In regard to

Peter, let me join in and thank you for sharing your beautiful images of 'Old Ma'. and family. It does provide us insight into another side of her that us here never got to see. I love the images but I truely find their behavior so fascinating!

Hi All,
I will leave it to Margaret to tell you about the drama of the "missing" chick; but all appears to be back to a more normal state of affairs as of this morning.
The exuberence of youth; perhaps its name should be changed to "Evil Kinevil" or "The Suicide Kid".
In the meantime please enjoy this rather differnet image of the chick and mother.
Thank you again for your continued kind comments.

This message was edited Nov 29, 2009 8:07 PM

This message was edited Nov 29, 2009 11:38 PM

That's an incredible shot! Thanks for posting it!

That is soooo way totally awesome.....STUNNING!

Wow, looks like you could just reach out and touch one. Nice Shot!

Amazing shot...what a birds-eye view!!

Oh Denis, those talons make me say "ouch" just looking at them.

Denis,
Exceeds the high standards you have set for all of us already. Was this with the 400 mm (hand held) as I guess on the 800 you wouldn't have fit them in? If it's hand held, even more extroadinary for the clarity, color, detail............I'm so glad the chick is back, I've been following the drama all WE from Bangalore, that's the beauty of this thread I guess. Take care, keep posting and hope to see you on the 'hill' soon,
Regards
Pete

Peter,
Hand-held with Canon 400mm DO lens plus a Canon 1.4 Converter on a Canon 1DMk3; giving a full frame equivalent of 728mm focal length.
The beauty of the 1DMk3 is that the AI Servo/High Speed Continuous/A F settings still permit aoutofocusing, whilst firing at 10fps.
Shutter speed would have been 1600th sec + and the light was good.
Have a safe trip home.
Regards,
Denis.

Well, these last 36 hours have been some of the most harrowing I've ever experienced. I'd received an email from Madam X telling me that the chick had been up onto the branch. She also said that her heart had been in her mouth several times throughout the morning when the chick was flying vertically upwards so high above the nest she was afraid that it wouldn't have the skill to safely land back on the nest again. It had even landed on top of Big Hook on one occasion.

When I arrived at the nest on Saturday afternoon, the chick was on the nest. Big Hook and Dad were nowhere to be seen. Within a minute of me arriving, the chick started to exercise and look towards the right hand branch and it was obvious that it was going to head up there.

These few shots are a bit fuzzy, but show the chick heading up onto the branch.

Continuing upwards.

Half flying, half walking.

Still stumbling and flying at the same time. It took it quite a few seconds to make headway. It was a bit nerve wracking.

Still trying. It may actually have gone backwards a little.

But eventually makes it. Harmony was 63 days old that day.

Still doing a bit of flapping and finding its feet.

Then settles down to preen

and a scratch.

The sounds of clapping can be heard in Texas! Awesome shots Margaret!!! I was on pins and needles until it settled on the branch.

Janet

It appeared to be very comfortable and at ease up there on its own on the branch. Being a warm, sunny Saturday, there was lots of activity on the water. It was totally unconcerned about what was going on beneath it. Two minutes short of an hour later, it decides to return to the nest.

Thanks Janet, but just wait, the drama is yet to unfold.

Harmony just about to land.

And Harmony appeared very pleased with itself.