Ospreys 2011. Chapter 2. Sitting on eggs.

Gorgeous shot of Dad!!! Your right about the lighting.

He really is a beautiful bird.

Yesterday afternoon, Big Hook was sitting on the eggs when I arrived. Dad arrived with a headless fish for her, which she eagerly relieved him of and took it to their favoured branch outside Madame X's place. It normally takes them half an hour to 45 minutes to eat a fish, but only 10 minutes later she flew over the top of me, about 15 feet above my head. I have a vivid picture in my mind of a very large, dark shape flying over. I've never seen any of the ospreys leave via this route before. There had been no sound which would indicate that a raven had harassed her into dropping the fish, but clearly she had. She landed on the pole branch and looked in apparent bewilderment at her feet and I fancied her thinking: "Well, it was there a minute ago."

She flew off, but returned to the nest a couple of minutes later.

Dad vacated the spot and Big Hook quietly settled back onto the eggs. He flew off and was back after only a few minutes with another fish, which he then took to the same branch where Big Hook had accidentally let her meal slip out of her talons. What was a trifle odd about this was that he would not normally go and catch two fish within 20 minutes (or thereabouts). She hadn't pleaded with him for another one, but he knew that her appetite hadn't been satisfied and acted to remedy the situation. The nest was quickly swallowed by the shadow that you can see creeping up from the bottom right, so no more pix from yesterday.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we humans could be that thoughtful of our loved ones????

I agree Nanny. Humans sure could learn some things from the birds. What a great mate Big Hook has chosen. Margaret, you are lucky mom didn't drop that fish on your head-lol!

Wonderful shots Margaret! Dad and Big Hook look great! Your right Duc...humans could learn a lot from bird's.

Great pictures Margaret. Good thing Big Hook did not deposit anything else on your head either!! LOL

If humans behaved more in the manner of birds and animals, what a wonderful world this would be!

You're all right about how humans treat each other - and animals. It really gets up my nose when there's a comment such as: "They were behaving like animals" to describe some aberrant human behaviour. Animals don't act that way. With rare exceptions, animals kill to eat, not to purposefully inflict terror and harm upon other creatures.

Duc, if she did drop the fish on my head, at least it would be fresh.

GG, it wouldn't have been the first time I've had a gift from a bird deposited on my head. Some cultures believe it's good luck. I must be the luckiest person on earth.

I went to the nest yesterday afternoon, but there was no action. Big Hook was on the nest and I wasn't in a position to see the eggs when she moved position. Dad was quietly standing on the low branch. We're expecting storms tomorrow and then showers all week. I'll head down there if there are breaks in the weather, but otherwise it may be another week before an update.

I used to work in the loop in Chicago. One morning I had purchased my big cup of Iced Tea and was waiting to cross the street at an intersection under the "L". I felt this big plop. Yep. Pigeon poo in my hair. ewwwwww.

And I'll bet you had a great day after that. See, good luck.

LOL, you are having much too much fun. Those birds interaction are priceless, Margaret. How heart- warming to watch their activities. It's also heart-breaking to witness their losses. Positive thought for the 3 eggs this season. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have triplet?

Kim, it would be amazing. Pete has seen two chicks successfully reared on this nest. This will be Big Hook's third year and hopefully she won't be quite as clumsy and inexpert. I'm convinced she is still a young bird.

THIRD year. wow. time flies

The date is getting closer for the hatching of the eggs, I can't wait to see them.

I find it hard to believe this is her third year, too. For no real reason, Madam X, Pete and I have always thought that Big Hook is a young bird and I was never more convinced than the other day. A large yacht with a very tall mast went by just below the nest and Big Hook almost hunkered down. Dad was totally unmoved. Big Hook is on the left in this photo.

Burn, last year, the first egg was laid on August 22nd and the first chick hatched on October 2nd. This year, there was one egg visible on August 23rd - it may have been laid before then. Three eggs were seen on the 29th. So I reckon we've still another couple of weeks until hatching begins.

I can't get to the nest again this afternoon because of rain.

"Did you see the size of that?"

Wow, that was a tall one!!! It looks as though, it could have knock down that nest, from that view point.

It really was a tall one, Burn.

Rain persists here. I took this screen capture of the radar picture a short time ago. I hope it clears a bit by this afternoon. I'm having withdrawals.

"Withdrawals" from what?

Ha ha. Ospreys, GG, Ospreys. I haven't been there for five days.

I just love it. Margaret, what's a marvelous addiction!

There could be worse ones, eh, Kim? Like chocolate, or icecream, or .........

....or ....

.......or potato chips--

I'll finish this thread off, now. To read the latest on this family, come on over here. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1221447/