Thursday, May 04, 2023

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.






9 comments:

  1. I’ve watched Osprey here hold their own against a bald eagle. They are strong and aggressive when they need to be. Great parents too.

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  2. Glad they are still there. I hope the eagle stays away from the chicks when they hatch.
    If Mickey Mouse can be a different Mickey over the years and still be Mickey, then Fred and Ethel can be Fred and Ethel. :)

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  3. Whoever they are, the original pair or a new set, i hope they can raise their young successfully.

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  4. Glad she made it through the ordeal and is keeping the faith as it were.

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  5. Your first picture shows that she, at least, is banded. and I'm glad she managed to fight off the eagle.

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  6. Good for her for fighting off the eagle and maintaining her nest and her life! Such drama!

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  7. I hope to keep visiting here to see the results of the eggs hatching.

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  8. Absolutely beautiful of the Osprey, I hope that nothing is wrong.

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  9. Hope your female osprey is OK, Tabor. Keep us posted?

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Glad to hear from you once again. I really like these visits. Come sit on this log and tell me what you are thinking.