The Saga of Fred and Ethel Part II 2023

The time has passed...almost two months, since my last post. The couple has been rather pornographic over the weeks and with each day the male had brought more and more sticks for their abode. It seemed to me they were not the original Fred and Ethel that I knew, and I admit I have not taken the time to see if they are banded. But they seemed both awkward and shy in their mating and nest building. The residential Canadian geese would swim by and call and cry a short distance from the nest as they swam by. The female Osprey ignored them as she stood in the nest or at the edge, knowing they were no danger to her safety.

Weeks went by and they would add a stick or two a day.  I was wondering if they would ever start their family.

Both Fred and Ethel are very patient.

Then one day there was some commotion on the river.  I have to admit that I missed it and hubby while gardening went down to see a Bald Eagle attacking the female osprey as she finally started to sit on the nest.  Remember the fight over toilet paper curing COVID?  This is something like that, only a fear of diminishing fish resources.

The female osprey survived but you can see she has damaged some feathers and is hunkered down over her precious egg(s).  It takes thirty to forty days for eggs to hatch and she has been sitting for close to 25 days.  During the mornings I see the male fly in to relieve her while she goes out hunting for breakfast.  She also does some lovely morning acrobatics to stretch and strengthen before her return to the nest.

Such restorative activities watching our prey birds.