All three chicks have fledged.

family fight.

Beautiful pics. I so envy your deep blue skies !

Beautiful pictures Margaret. Hope the third sibling is okay.

Siblings rivalry, or perhaps they aren't in a stage where sharing is feasible. I too hope the third sibling is okay, GG. The blue sky is indeed inviting. And the mystery bird. Whopper, the lone survivor of the previous clutch. I sure do hope so. Thank you Margaret, for the new series. Oh, that fish look so neat. I'd like one for my aquarium please. Just kidding.

thanks again for the update, love the pics and your comments, makes one feel they are right there with ya.

Jan

Such a beautiful series of photos once again Margaret. I also hope that is Whopper just coming around to say hello.

I so enjoy your pictures , like the new angles of the shots too. I'm happy, to see one of the siblings, getting a good fish for a change. Hope he enjoyed it, in a peaceful setting. Thanks for sharing the events of the siblings behavior.

Iris, I have been seeing a bit of squabbling on the nest when two of them are present when Big Hook brings a fish. Nothing serious, though.

Yes, GG, I'd love to see all three. It just seems a bit too long to have only seen two and not heard the third.

Kim, I don't think "sharing" is in a juvenile osprey's nature. It's every bird for itself.

I'm glad you are continuing to enjoy their lives, Jan.

Duc, from what Resin says, it is probably Dad. That dark spot in the iris is a dead giveaway. Whopper never had any distinguishing marks. What a shame no banding is taking place. It would be so exciting to be able to follow individuals.

Thanks, Resin. I remember a couple of years ago Madam X and I were concerned about a strange bird with an obvious bib sitting on dad's branch and it was around this time of year.

BeaHive, the sky here is very blue, but not that blue. I often have to desaturate the blue sky in Elements because it's just too blue. I didn't desaturate this time.

Thanks, Burn. Yes, it is interesting seeing the nest from a different perspective. It was so dry and so undisturbed down there that for the first time, I was actually keeping and ear and an eye out for snakes.

Here's a cropped shot of that poor fish. I was sitting up the top on the embankment a couple of weeks ago and noticed this rather awful smell. Only a few inches away was the drying carcass of one of these fish, or one very similar. By the marks on it, I'd say it had certainly been in the clutches of an osprey.

Awesome detail of the photo Margaret.

That's a pretty fish.

I had to play with the image in Elements, Kim.

Pelle, I always feel sorry for any fish that's caught by an osprey, but accept that they've been doing it for millions of years and they only catch to eat - not for fun. But it is really sad when you see a fish like this one, that you know will probably not be eaten.

now I'm really enjoying your pictures as we had to get a new computer and a 27" monitor really brings your outstanding photos to another level to enjoy.

Jan

That's so good, Jan. It can make a huge difference, can't it? Are you using a Mac?

sorry to say no, as all my programs are for pc (Creative Suite, photo editing programs) so had to stay with a pc. One of these days I will have a mac, love them when I was going to school for graphic design.

Jan

No, not a puffer fish. I searched and searched to try to identify it, but without any luck. DH says its a John Dory and it does seem to fit, but I can't find one that looks the same or even close to it.

Beautiful photos Margaret...I too got a new PC no not a mac either...someday...but I did get a laptop,Iam missing my 19 inch screen tho.

Glad to see all is well with the family.
tam

I just thought you'd like to know that at least two juveniles are still around. They are now nine months old. Dad and Big Hook are spending a lot of time around the nest, but haven't started a rebuild yet. Here's a shot of one of the juveniles on a low branch yesterday afternoon. At the same time, I could hear another one close by.

I probably won't do a thread this year. The live part of the tree has grown so much that there's only one small area on the low path where the nest can be viewed and even from where I usually view it, from above, I'm restricted to a really small area and if there's the slightest breeze, the nest is obscured.

Thanks for the update Margaret. I think about them often and was wondering how they were doing. Sorry to hear we may not have pics of new babies next season, but I understand. Can you bring a saw or something and do a wee bit of tree trimming?? LOL! Hope all is well with you. :)

Thank you for the message. Be careful in your viewing.

Sorry to hear, the view has been obscured by overgrowth. But thanks so much, for keeping us on our tippy toes with the 3 seasons of the Osprey's family, I for one, totally enjoyed it.

I am so glad they are doing well. I will miss the new story....have loved them all!

I'll be missing these wonderful birds and their new development, most of all I'll be missing your presence in bringing us the heart felt story of these wonderful birds. Thank you Margaret. I'm looking forward to your wonderful writing on other subjects in the near future.

Oh I'm glad to hear the tree has fallen when there wasn't a nest of new babies, that loss would have just broke my heart. We totally understand, and I want to thank you so much for sharing your viewings with us. It has been one incredible journey from around the world to us US folks. We can't begin to thank you enough.

I do hope you will continue to post even if you aren't able to take pictures. May this new season bring even healthier babies for the couple.

Jan

Add my name to the list of disappointed friends that will miss your wonderful stories of the osprey family. Your photo is beautiful of the juvenile Margaret. I do hope that another nest will be constructed soon and we'll at least get to see photos of the parents now and then. I know you'll miss watching the nesting process as much as we will.

Thanks folks. I may not have explained the nest situation as clearly as I could have. The nest is still there and is undamaged. The problem is that part of the nest tree is alive and flourishing to such an extent that it is now obscuring part of the nest. When I first started watching these gorgeous birds four years ago, the entire nest and all the branches leading from the nest were visible, even from the low path. Now, providing there's no wind the nest can be seen, but the right hand branch is nearly obscured, the lower branches below the nest are completely obscured and from where I normally view the entire structure, I have about 2' to set myself up. I intend to keep on going to the nest and will periodically update what's happening, but not as often as in previous years.

Oh yes! That give me hope! I'm just a grinning over here. Thank Margaret, you've just made my evening.

I wish I knew someone that could doing some trimming there, LOL.... No, if I had the money I would have a permanent concrete structure put up so that there wasn't any worry about it coming down.

Thanks so much for clearing up my confusion.

Have a wonderful week.

Jan

It is nice to hear that at least 2 of the chicks seem to still be in the area. It is sad to hear that you can no longer view the nest well and will not be able to watch and record their activities this year. I know how hard and frustrating this will be for you and disappointing for all of us. Hopefully you will be able to see a bit of this coming nesting season and enjoy your beautiful ospreys.

As we were coming home from PA. yesterday I saw a huge osprey perched in a tree as we drove by one of many rivers we passed.....would have loved to have gotten a photo of it!