They're ba-a-ack. Osprey season begins.

The local ospreys, known as "Dad" and "Big Hook" have been making regular trips to the nest for the past three weeks or more. Initially there wasn't any specific interaction between them - one, or occasionally both would come and land on the nest, or on one of the branches and stay for a brief time, then fly off. If the male and female's visits coincided, they would simply stand quietly together.

Over the last week, their visits have become more frequent and the nest is now rarely unoccupied. Big Hook has been bringing in nesting material to start building up the nest sides. I've seen both birds briefly snuggle down into a sitting position in the centre of the nest, as if to test how it feels. No-one has observed any mating yet, although I don't think it's too far off.

We're into winter here and our two most wintery months, July and August, are still to come. I believe that the Australian osprey season begins very early so that the chick/s can fledge before the intense heat of summer.

I hope this season is productive and above all, free of drama. It would be fantastic if this pair could successfully rear multiple chicks.

To kick off the new season, here's Dad coming in towards the nest the day before yesterday.

Also from the day before yesterday, Big Hook on one of the branches.

When one of the birds alights on the nest when the other is already there, they both "mantle". That's the action of hunching their backs, spreading their wings a little and lowering their heads. Mantling is employed by ospreys during feeding if there's any thought that another bird, more often than not a sibling, might take their fish from them. I haven't been able to learn why both birds use this posture at other times - maybe it's all part of their pre-mating rituals. There's no aggression associated with this, although Dad's nictitating membrane is nearly always across his eyes.

In this photo, Dad is the smaller bird on the left and Big Hook, the much larger female, is on the right.

Dad and Big Hook

From yesterday, more mantling. It is always Big Hook behind Dad. Just before I took this shot, they were one behind the other.

Margaret I'm happy to see them back as I am sure the same for everyone else. Great pictures with no greenery to get in our way as yet.

In the last shot, you can see a stick hanging from the right side of the nest. Big Hook had tried a couple of times to pull it up into the nest, without success. Here she has grabbed the stick as she leaves the nest.

Thanks Iris. I was just thinking that about the greenery yesterday. I hope there's no garden to obscure the view this year.

Here she is returning with the same stick.

About to land.

Pulling at the stick in attempts to get it back into the nest.

Hi Margaret, I've been thinking about you and your Ospreys lately, wondering if anything has been happening. So glad your continuing keeping a close eye on the family. Looking forward, to your interesting comments on them. Thanks for starting another chapter about their lives . Amazing images!!!

This message was edited Jun 19, 2010 11:23 PM

Hi Burn. Thanks. I'll head back down there in about an hour's time, but we're expecting rain for the next few days from tomorrow, so there may be the occasional lull.

Nice start to the new Osprey season Margaret!! Expertly narrated of course. Looking forward to more.

Oh I'm so happy to see this starting again!

Thanks Burd and Pelle. It's pretty exciting. When I see Pete next, which may be this afternoon, I'll ask him if he'd like to post and comment as well.

As I got out of the car this afternoon, one of the ospreys flew into a nearby tree and emerged with a stick. By the time I got down to the nest, Dad was sitting in the nest. I thought to measure the distance on the lens and this photo was taken 60' from the nest.

Both birds brought sticks, on and off for about an hour and a half, before seeming to call it quits. She seems to be doing more than her fair share of the work at the moment (and isn't that true of the human species as well?). Big Hook remained on the nest and was still there when I left.

Here's Dad arriving with a stick.

Hopefully Pete will post his shots from the other day, along with his close-ups from this afternoon.

Amazing how large those sticks are they bring to the nest, Margaret. Glad to see your Osprey season is underway.

Great shots Margaret!

They are amazingly hard workers !!!

Nice, Looking forward to see what happens this season.

YAY!!!! It's the most wonderful time of the year....lalalala

Glad to see they are starting up again Margaret...I am looking forward to more great shots from you. Have a great season!

Like everyone else, I'm so happy to see the osprey beginning to nest. Your photos are wonderful and it's going to be so exciting to see how the family progresses this year.

Hi everyone, I'm glad you've found the thread. I spent nearly three hours there today, but although I could hear the ospreys at the end of the bay, they didn't visit the nest or even fly about.

A pair of Rainbow Lorikeets has been spending a lot of time below the nest, sometimes disappearing into what must be small cavities. Occasionally they'll bravely venture onto the top of the nest when it's vacant. It's reportedly not uncommon for other species, specifically cavity nesters, to use the base of the nest to breed in. I think this pair may well be staking a claim.

And the other one.

Margaret, how nice it's to find your thread. I actually found it yesterday, but didn't make any comment just spent the time to savor the beauty of what you've to offer. Thank you. Like many here. I'm taking the front row seat to observe, admire and enjoy the Osprey journey this year. Are those colorful Lorikets welcomed room mates candidates for the Ospreys? It's fascinating (for me) those magnificient birds are so gentle with smaller species birds (as I've observed with the Willies? on previous years' thread that you've shared.

Hi, Lily_love. I'm really hoping for an uneventful season this year. Last year Big Hook was well aware of a Lorikeet crawling around just below the lip of the nest and didn't seem to mind in the least. If the Lorikeets did nest in the base of the nest, there wouldn't be too much the ospreys could do about it, anyway. They wouldn't be able to get down there and evict them, even if they wanted to. And I guess Lorikeets are better than rats.

Well it's great to be back for a new season. I see Margaret you are back with a bang and have been very modest about your keepers to date, some lovely inflight shots. Thought I'd start with one from a couple of weeks back. the birds are spending more and more time on the nest or branches poking out. They are in 'house' makeover mode so busy doing repairs, so visits were a bit hit and miss. On this day I noted this cormorant minding it's own business. I decided to set up my new tripod in a 'new' location and took a few shots. The cormorant then became agitated and I could see why - Big Hook arrived circling and then the 'male' arrived and swooped on the cormorant twice - just managed to get a bit of bird in the side of this photo. The cormorant then took off and was chased by both birds across the bay. Very spectacular - I sense both birds if not on the nest have it in their sight and will chase off all pretenders.

this past WE un be known to either of us Margaret and I were both down visiting on the Sat. I pooped down for a quick hour without tripod and to my surprise there was a lot of activity. Light was awful but we both stuck it out. Margaret has already described the large twig that Big Hook took off with circled the bay and returned to deposit it on the other side of the nest. This is good because it was in the line of sight previously! Well I was a little closer so her are a couple of shots from just below the nest rather than above in Margaret's pictures.

Touch down with 'branch'.

On Sunday I met up with Margaret for a short while before she had to leave. She kindly loaned me her 1.4TC to put on the 500mm lens which gave me an opportunity to play around and see how different or difficult it is to capture the birds at 3 times the magnification compared to my normal 400mm. well I was dying to see how close this would bring the birds to me especially with a little bit of cropping. I was blown away by the quality of the pictures - still don't know what I'm really doing with this reach but i can't wait till the chicks are born. capturing flight shots will be challenging but time will tell. The next two shots are the 'two' sides of Big Hook, left and right. Does any one have a preference - either side she looks magnificent and very healthy!

Her other side!

Lastly, Big Hook was quite fidgety. She did a few circles of the bay and landed on one of the branches. I was determined to get her leaving - the result is attached and is probably my favourite from the WE because it shows the energy, power, grace and character of the birds. She has so much intent..........she returned to the nest and as I packed up to leave the male returned with half a fish for her so seems like she's got him in training for when she is looking after the eggs or has he in reality been taking care of her all this time and now she is broody he's gotta bring home the bacon! Have a good week everyone and hope to post some more this WE.
Pete

Great shots from both of you. You can be assured we all will be watching your Ospreys over this season.

This thread has already gotten my attention. It's wonderful to see so many beautiful photos already. Pete, I think that tc is a good match with your lens. Your photos are gorgeous too. I just wish you and Margaret were a little closer to me so I could get some training on how to photograph my osprey and eagles.

Wonderful shots Pete! I absolutely love that first one.

Pete, thanks for posting along with Margaret again this year, It's interesting, what you guys have to say, about their work in building the nest and upbringing of the young.

Will be interesting if the Lorikeets and Osprey's co-nest? lol

Pete that TC seems a nice fit for Osprey's...great left and right profile shots...and the eviction of the Cormorant is a great capture!

Fantastic pictures Pete, with your joined effort with Margaret's. What a treat this thread will be. Thank you to both for sharing such wonderful observation, narrative and joy of watching these beautiful bird birds from your part of the world.

This message was edited Jun 24, 2010 2:49 PM