Osprey season 2011. Guess what we've got!

Love the chick. And the shot of the dolphin is wonderful!

Thanks, GG. I wish I could share the other birds from where I watch the ospreys. There's endless songs from a couple of dozen varieties of birds, but because of the long lens I'm using and the thick vegetation, I'm rarely presented with an opportunity to photograph them. But, needless to say, it is a very special place.

Great shots Margaret, they are so cute! Love the Dolphin too!

Ospreys and dolphins...perfect!

You have a very nice spot, to be able to see, what's happening below. The Dolphin shot is great. The nesting activities are very interesting.

Ha ha.

You're right - as always. Thanks. I knew I had a shot with all three.

The three chicks are still there and were seen being fed almost equally this morning. What is now of concern (there's always something, isn't there?) is that Dad brought in a yellow plastic bag and placed it right where the chicks are. Several worst case scenarios are going through my head. People who discard their rubbish.

In this shot, the three chicks are spread out in front of that bag. The white sheet of plastic that has been there for many weeks is now half buried beneath the outer section of the nest and shouldn't pose a danger. Sorry about the quality, but the light really was poor. It was windy and I hoped that the wind might pick the bag up and carry it off, but no such luck whilst I was there.

Here, Big Hook is sitting on part of the plastic bag (which can't be seen) and one or two of the chicks, whilst this one was having a good look around. It is amazing how much they grow within a 24 hour period.

It's a shame, Margaret for people littering trash all around! And the chick! How fast they grow! What's a treat to see them. Thank you.

An Australian bird which is loved by most and feared by some, especially during the nesting season, is the Australian Magpie. They are wonderful birds that are very much part of suburban, bush and woodland life and have the most gorgeous, fluting song. I believe they have recently been reclassified as a songbird. There are not many Australian families that don't feed Magpies titbits and they become so accustomed to humans, they will happily wander into the house if a door is left open. They are territorial birds and during nesting season, they become even more so, and will fiercely defend their young from any threat, perceived or real. Humans who have been accepted by a family of Magpies have nothing to fear, but other Magpies, especially those that have been teased, chased or tormented, become attack birds for a few short weeks each spring.

There's a family of Magpies in a tree somewhere in the vicinity of the Osprey nest. When I arrived there this afternoon, I saw a female swoop down on Big Hook, who was sitting on top of the chicks. Later, when Dad arrived with the ghastly plastic bag, Big Hook took off for a brief flight. Out of nowhere came a female Magpie, who pursued Big Hook up and down the bay. I managed just a couple of blurry shots, but you'll get the idea.

Kim, you're so right. There are heavy penalties for littering, but it remains a problem, especially in the waterways.

Here's the second shot I nabbed as they flew by below me.

Human's can be so thoughtless and seeing that yellow plastic just breaks my heart. This poor family survived that first bag and now a new one replaces it. I do hope that mom and dad will bring lots of sticks that will soon bury it away from the chicks.

Great photos of the magpie. Poor Big Hook really has so many things to worry about and now this. Surely something good has to come from all this and soon-I hope.

That's such a shame, how some just don't care, how it affect life, on our beautiful Earth. Sure hope, nothing bad happens to the chicks, because of the bags.

I am just catching up to this thread Margaret! Wow! You have an excellent view of the inner nest this year! Your photos are wonderful as always! I sure miss our Osprey already!

Just amazing how fast they grow.Thank you Margaret

Littering is such a global problem. I have news about the yellow plastic bag, though. It has gone from the nest - whew! Thanks for your comments, Burn, duc, Wild rose and Tamara.

The three chicks are still all there, although the smallest one is lagging a bit, so time will tell. Big Hook fed them whilst I was there, but it was impossible to see who got what, as her body obscured them. The little one's crop does seem to be full, which is a good sign. In this shot, the smallest chick is facing the camera. The two bigger ones are next to each other, but only one can be clearly seen.

The biggest chick is starting to lose its down and will soon begin to take on a reptilian appearance.

Dad had apparently got himself soaked when catching the fish he brought to Big Hook. He flew to the pole branch and fluffed himself up, wings partially spread, to dry himself.

We're expecting storms tomorrow and then rain for a couple of days. I'll grab any breaks in the bad weather to visit the nest.

oh he's beautiful all fluffy like.

He's beautiful, isn't he? Mind you, I'll bet that cormorant didn't think so.

He is a beautiful bird. puffy or not. "what a nice guy" too.

Love the pictures Margaret. Glad that yellow bag is gone. Dad is a really handsome guy. Love the wet look!

I can easily find myself echoing everyone's comments. He's outa 'tis world! One fine bird! It's so special to be able to watch these precious chicks grow.

Amazing how attached we have all become to these birds over the years despite the thousands of miles way they are from most of us!

They seem to be doing great Margaret. Just saw this morning that "Dad" Eagle at Norfolk seems to have found a new mate.

Margaret,

I just ran across this thread and will be sure to check out the link at the top to see the beginning of this journey.

My compliments on your excellent photojournal of these wonderful birds.

Your photos are amazing and I have so enjoyed reading the news and learning along the way. I think you did a wonderful job photographing the dolphin and magpie too. The excitement of all that have commented so far is contagious. I can't wait for your next post.

Patti

He is a nice guy, Mrs Ed. He's so placid.

Dad was swooped by a Willie Wagtail yesterday - just the once that I saw, but that may mean they have a nest close by and we can expect more of it. As always, when the WWT flew away from Dad, who was sitting on the pole branch, it flew straight up the embankment towards me and landed on a rail just above my head, almost as if gloating.

I love to see them wet and fluffed up like that, GG. I was really relieved to see the plastic bag gone.

Kim, I just wish I could share all the subtleties that I'm not able to catch with a still camera. Yesterday I could see one of the chicks flapping its tiny little wings. I've been promising myself a video camera for some time, but I think I'll wait until I update my 40D and get one with video.

Nanny, the internet always reminds me of the opening lines of Charles Dickens' novel, "A Tale of Two Cities." "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..........." Our ability to share things that we normally wouldn't be able to is fantastic. It really does shrink the world.

GP, that's great about the Norfolk male finding a new mate. These chicks are doing well so far. Let's hope it continues.

Thanks, Patti and welcome. I'm glad you have found the thread and that you're enjoying it.

I went to the nest earlier than usual yesterday. Thrilled to see three chicks all apparently doing well. Dad brought in a live fish and all three chicks were fed by Big Hook. In this first photo, the youngest is in the middle of its two siblings, the latter two both losing their down and the biggest is starting to sprout pin feathers, which I don't think will show in these shots.

The little one is to the rear of the other two. You can see their crops filling up. The crops of the two bigger ones are more bulgy than the youngest, which would tend to indicate that they are still getting the lion's share, but at the end of the feeding session, all three seem very contented. I usually spend at least a couple of hours each day at the nest and so far haven't seen any bullying behaviour.

Maybe you can see the dark line on the wing of the largest chick (right). That's the pin feathers starting to appear.

I heard Whopper yesterday. The sound came from her usual spot down in front of Madam X's place. Both Dad and Big Hook gave a few unconcerned "kek kek"s, which is a totally different response to that given to "strange" Ospreys in the area. Dad chased one off a few days ago. It was a smaller bird than he, so it clearly wasn't Whopper. Whopper is now one year old.

I was talking to a guy who normally lives down south and he said it's nothing unusual for the young Ospreys to stick around the area and be tolerated by the parents.

This is what confronted me when I got to the nest yesterday. These bees have a hive in the base of a large gum tree (where Pete was stung). For about 20 minutes this swarm made its way up and around the tree, before settling back down into the hive. The sound was amazing. There are many hives in the area. Generally our bees are not aggressive (touch wood).

Great shots Margaret. My goodness, I cannot believe that pin feathers are appearing already! These little chicks really grow at a rapid pace.

Judging from the number of bees in that shot, it is a good thing they are not aggressive!!

hey, good thing the Rainbow Bee Eaters are showing up!

I know, GG. There's an obvious difference each day.

I'm surrounded by nasturtiums at the site and there are bees constantly buzzing around me. I keep on reminding myself that they don't want to hurt me, because by doing so, they bring about their own death. I also have to discipline myself not to try brushing them away. Just send out good vibes and hope they pick up on it.

Ha ha, Mrs Ed. Good thinking. The Rainbow Bee-eaters are early. Normally I don't hear them until about October 20th.

I never have any problems (knock wood) with bees in the garden. They are quite docile and tolerant. That is not true for those nasty yellow jackets. They are mean. And guess what. I have a nest in my compost pile. sheeesh. Guess it will be winter before I turn that thing over.

Beautiful shots Margaret. The triplets look great and the parents are doing a fantastic job this year!

Thanks, BeaHive. Big Hook doesn't seem quite as inexpert as she did in the previous two years. She seems to have a greater awareness of where she's stepping when she's around the chicks.