A Family - Part I

Those brave interlopers,the Canadian geese, were kind enough to remain on the osprey nest platform when we returned from our trip.  I was really glad to see that delay in their departure, being the observer of plants and animals that I am and wanting to follow their challenge.

Two days after our return I was quietly folding laundry and my husband came into the house calling to me that the geese were trying to get their young ones to leave the nest.  He said they were creating quite a ruckus.  I grabbed my camera and ran down to the dock. (The photos are poor because I had no tripod and some of the time I was on the bow of our boat which I had lowered to the water and which moved every time I moved! But I will post and hope you enjoy this miracle as much as I did, and you can click on the photos to enlarge on your screen.)

By the time I reached the platform the mother had returned to the nest.  I could hear the cries of the osprey down the river and two bald eagles flew from their perches across the river.

The eagles circled ominously ( or perhaps joyously on the spring day?). 

Dad flew back up but it was clear that the little ones would not stay hidden.  They had seen fresh air and sunlight and claimed it.

The drake was very focused on all the activity across the river and finally eagle and osprey calls died away.  I waited a few hours and then the afternoon got very warm and I headed back to the house for some cold water.  After another hour I heard the geese honking loudly again.  When I hurried back down the male was back in the water honking to the nest.

His honking forced all the little ones (6) to push out from under their mother and look around.

In  a short time mom left the nest.  The little ones were eager to join their parents.  The honking continued as they poked their little fuzzy heads over the edge.

While I was well poised with the camera the little ones went to the back side of the nest and I missed their jumping.  Plop.  Plop.  The fell like tennis balls.  All I captured was the splash.

Even though I was on sports mode I could only catch the blur of this third fledgling as he fell to the water.  You can almost hear him cry "Wheee!"

I no time all six were swimming like pros and following the mother bird closely as they headed for shore.

They were just a few dozen feet from shore and soon reached the rock ledge and the small beach on the other side.  They disappeared into the grasses so fast.  I am sure that they would cruise up and down the edge the rest of the early evening while mom and pop taught them how to eat.  Part II  next.