Raising Aussie Osprey. Number 2

Margaret, Now the nestling looks more like its parents. Splendid. Thanks for sharing your photos. Lee

Thanks, Lee. It's a marked difference, isn't it?

The mother is still clicking as she approaches the chick. The male arrived with a fish shortly after I took this shot. Neither the mother nor the chick reacted with any enthusiasm to the catch, although the parent birds greeted each other. I've observed this before. The male stays for a while and eventually flies off into a nearby tree to eat the fish on his own. He'll catch another one after about an hour or so, by which time mother and the chick should be hungry.

Edited for bad spelling.

This message was edited Nov 17, 2008 5:50 PM

What do you make of this behavior? Lee

Lee, I've heard other birds making a very different sound to their usual when they're starting to encourage the nestlings to explore the world out of the nest. The chick is reasonably steady on its feet, but I would think it would be at least another few days before it started to investigate farther afield. It isn't even completely feathered yet and I like to think the parents wouldn't encourage it to an area where it was only relying on its talons, impressive as they are, to stand between it and a plummet to the river below if it lost its balance or was hit by a gust of wind, the latter being a real possibility.

Margaret, I think that is a reasonable deduction. Thanks for the insight, as always. Lee

Fantastic update Margaret. Dad's the bread winner during this stage, clearly. Mom is instructing the nestling. I'm sure it is learning from her every move.

What a treat. Thanks.

Aussie is looking more & more like an Osprey! I am learning so much about these birds.

Aussie is growing up before our very eyes...he is just so cute and what great parents!

Aussie looks wonderful and strong!

He has grown a lot in such a short time. nice to see him with a few more feathers. Both parents are so attentive in their respective role. So much to learn by observing everything around us. Thanks for sharing Margaret.

I went to the nest to check on Aussie this afternoon. The female was in the process of feeding the chick when I got there. I took a stack of shots, but less than a dozen were salvageable. It was quite a warm day and I could clearly hear the poor little soul panting. She'd move to shade it with her own body, but with some of the fish still uneaten in the nest, she'd be unable to resist the temptation to have another snack, leaving the little one briefly exposed to the hot sun.

I was speaking to a lady who lives in the house two doors down from where my viewing area is. She was saying that when the male brings a fish into the tree in front of her house, Australian Ravens, noted for their intelligence, work in a group to intimidate the male out of his catch. If they succeed in getting him to move, but he keeps a tight grip on his catch, the Ravens will move to the branch where he had been feasting to clean up the bits left behind.

The chick is beginning to use its legs more and more, but continues to use its wings to "walk" with when moving around the nest. At times it looks like an alien.

Really panting in this shot. We're expecting rain tomorrow, so I may not be able to get to the nest for a couple of days. Well, that's the intention. I can't resist going on an almost daily basis to see what's happening.

This message was edited Nov 19, 2008 6:45 PM

Superb pictures! What a great view of the nest you have. I always wish I could get even with or above the nest and through you I can! Thanks!

What a wonderful journal of that little baby growing up. I can see why we call them 'Fish Eagles' also in Florida. There are a few of these on an island in the Gulf of Mexico. If only we could stop the development....
Thanks so much for sharing these wonderful pictures.
Elaine

Elaine, I agree with the too much development. It just doesn't 'feel' right. Lee

Thanks Floridian, EFGeorgia and Lee. I never forget for a minute just what a privileged position I'm in to be able to follow this little ones growth and behaviour and get to observe the parent birds interactions with the chick and with each other. It is enthralling.

EFG, you're right about development. I'm frequently appalled by the arrogance of certain sections of the community, where they believe that because they can do something, then it gives them some absolute right to do it. The importance of and respect for other life forms are simply not in the equation.

I took this shot yesterday. The chicks growth is noticeable from day to day. It was quite a warm day and the chick would keep getting under the parent for shade. I could hear it panting.

It must be a thrill to be able to tracked the development of wildlife. I only get to see such on the nature channels but I am always thrilled even though its tv.

Also, Margaret do you think they are aware that you are there watching? And how far are you from the nest?

One ?. Why do they build there nest over water? I assumed it's because it's closer to its food source but not absolutely sure though.

Margaret have you thought of recording it?

Margaret, now I can tell that it is looking more like its parents due to it having more feathers. As you suggested to Grasmussen and his 70 shots of the short-eared owl, you must continue to post pics of the nestling ospry. You do us all a favor. Lee

Hi Methodical. The Ospreys are most definitely aware of my presence. Both look at me with mild disinterest and I've seen them looking at people traversing the path below. They don't seem the least bit perturbed by human presence. The nest is in a really inaccessible place, which is very fortunate. There's only myself and someone else who have access to the private property which overlooks the nest. Ospreys have been nesting there for the last 17 years to my knowledge and the bay it overlooks is extremely popular for water activities, including water skiing, which is pretty noisy. I've frequently had to pause shooting to wait for a high speed boat or cabin cruiser to pass before resuming. There are also several colleges with rowing teams that use the area and there's always a lot of shouting and a motor boat that tracks their progress. I've managed to find a shot of a boat with the nest. Frequently you can't even see the boats, they are under the nest and out of my line of sight. I estimate being about 50-60' from the nest.

You're probably right about building close to or over water because of the ease of getting to their food source. I have thought of recording it although have never used a video camera.

Thanks Lee. It's very encouraging to have such positive responses to this special event.

This message was edited Jan 24, 2009 8:40 PM

Just over a week ago I went to the lower part of the embankment to try to get some shots of the female, who'd had a bath and was preening herself on a branch of a tree next to the tree they have their nest on and probably less than 20' from where I was. I was making a racket as I dislodged rocks and went skidding down part of the embankment (glad there were't other photgraphers around for that little performance).

I didn't stay there long as I was trying to shoot at an almost unworkable angle, standing on one leg and leaning at a precarious angle whilst holding the 300mm lens in one hand and steadying myself by grasping a dangerously brittle bit of dead wood, wasn't sustainable. But, you can see she's looking straight at me (and probably laughing) and just continued preening herself.

Margaret, so glad you didn't hurt yourself and yes she is giving you the eye. LOL Lee

Be careful. Wouldn't want to see you falling in the water. Mama Osprey looks like she is saying "what in the heck are you doing?" lol

She is so beautiful!

The chick almost looks like the parents now! You did well to get the female in that position, I think she has a sort of motherly caring look, wait for her to bring you a fish, lol.

HA Wallaby!! I love her wet and scruffy look.

Looks like she has a silver band on her right leg.

Thanks for your concern, EFG and Lee. It's amazing the positions we're willing to put ourselves in an attempt to get a shot.

Pelle, she is a truly beautiful bird. I will take up Methodical's suggestion of recording it.

Methodical, I'm able to very easily identify the female because of the band on her right leg. She has a bung (? blind) left eye.

Wallaby, it will be really interesting over the next week or so to see if there's a rapid spurt of growth. We're only a few days off summer and even when the weather has been only warm, the chick pants like crazy. It would find it difficult for it to tolerate the direct sun if we were to get a really hot day.

Here's a shot showing her leg band (but not the bung eye).

Margaret, please con't to keep the pics coming. Lee

Lovely bracelet, all the important ospreys are wearing them this year!

Nature seems to have a way of providing the necessary means for survival, I'm sure (hope!) the chick will be OK. Those talons look very 'chunky'!

Lol Mrs Ed, I can relate to motherly = scruffy and often wet!

My brain is no longer connected to the rest of me. I just did an expanded description of what I saw yesterday at the Osprey's nest and hit the wrong button and lost the lot. Grrrrrrr

Here's little Aussie, growing fast.

The male is the one on the nest. He was having a feed of fish. I obviously missed seeing the chick being fed as it was showing no sign of being hungry.

I'll crop this one and post it next to show the patterning on the chick's feathers.

It was quite a warm afternoon and again the chick was panting.

He is growing so fast! Great pics Margaret!

Thanks and hello Pelle.

The male took off for a while after he'd finished eating and returned a while later, obviously having had a bath. He sat for a good while, preening. Wallaby, look at those chunky talons.

Well nourished - good diet full of those wonderful omega 3's.

Cop those legs!

I'll visit the nest again tomorrow to see what progress the little one has made.