Fred and Ethel - Revisit

Yes, I have been negligent in taking about my neighbors...tenants?  I have had a VERY busy summer as my readers of my other blog know.  But I am slowly TRYING to get back into Zen mood.  (I still have at least two trips in the coming months, so may fail at this until the cold weather smacks me up the backside and makes me behave.)

Fred and Ethel, our resident ospreys, were successful this year in producing two little ones.  I, on the other hand, was not successful in documenting their adventure.  One was a runt and for a short time we thought it might not survive as the bigger one got all the food.  (The wildlife camera that my husband purchased was a mistake on his part as it was really a security camera requiring electricity to run and having the lowest resolution possible while still being a camera!)

Below is a lengthy series of photos in which I attempt to bring readers up-to-date.  Some of the photos are reasonably good and others are bad but do fit the story line!  I was too lazy to bring the tripod most times.  I reduced resolution for most since I am posting so many and that has degraded them even further!  (If osprey (fish hawks) are not your cup of tea, please feel free to leave and make coffee instead.  See you next time!)  ( I seem to be the Queen of parenthetical expressions this post!)

Daddy waits patiently all spring for the brood to hatch.

Mommy sits, and when she gets bored, she re-arranges the furniture.

Then at sunset when I head down, Daddy tells me to go jump off a cliff.

Finally we see the first little head pop up in the middle of the nest.

Then as they grow we note there are two.

Here is Mommy and the two siblings waiting for dad to bring home the bacon fish.

Then one morning at the end of July there is only one left in the nest.

Sister is waiting patiently on a nearby pole.

Daddy is doing aerobatics to show sonny how to fly.

Like this!

He gives me the evil eye every once in a while to remind me that I am on his hit list.

Finally Junior spreads his wings.

Wheee!

Look at me he chirps!

He gets quite high.

But after a while lands again.

Mommy is waiting patiently on the top of the crane.

Gee, that is a loooong way down.

I need dinner.  When do we eat?  I finally left for the day and he did not leave the nest until the following day!

Here is a fair close-up to make up for all the bad pics.

They have both fledged, but continue to hang around and eat dinner in the nest in the mornings and evenings.  Soon they will all head further south to get better fishing lessons and to follow the sun.  I will miss them, but know that they will return next spring!!

Honeymooners Re-run

A few of the readers to this blog have asked about Fred and Ethel.  Are they back?  How are they doing?  Any photos?  If you do not know about Fred and Ethel you can go here  and for more here.
Or if you are stuck in bed today you can also check out the whole series on these two fish hawks by typing "Just Excellent" in the Blogger search window and working your way forward for several additional posts.

Fred and Ethel are my seasonal residential osprey.  Hubby and I in our expensive project of putting in a living shoreline, both to protect our river's edge from further erosion and to improve the environment of the area, also included an osprey platform.

I think that this platform cost us $300, in supplies, labor and permit application.  We did this so that the pair of osprey that visit each year can safely nest somewhere.  For a couple of years they would nest on the high crane that is parked across the river.  This was neither large enough or safe enough in wind storms for them.  Then two years ago they decided to nest on the roof of the cabin to our motor boat and when I kept removing the sticks they moved to our neighbors canvas top to their boat.  That nest was destroyed and they lost their eggs.





Last year was the first year they returned to find the osprey platform and they claimed it without hesitation.  The female, Ethel, has been banded.  The male seemed to have some dyslexia in performing his manly duties that year and we surmised that perhaps she had lost her original mate and this fellow was new to the task? Was this Fred II?   At any rate, if she eventually laid eggs or  not, I never was able to determine.  Her nest sitting was uneven and no young osprey ever appeared.

This year they arrived within days of St. Patricks Day which is the time we look for them.  They carefully added sticks of all sizes to the nest and mated.  I was so busy this spring I did not have time to really study them and their courtship.  But each day this week she has sat with regularity on the nest, so there are eggs on that soft green algae from the river. 

She clearly remembers me as the person who destroyed her nest in the past and she angrily flies off and on the nest when I am at the dock sitting and enjoying the sunset on our new benches.  She cries and cries until she finally sits back on the nest and then just chirps with disgust until I eventually head back to the house.  As a result, I have not attempted much in the way of photos.

But, since Fred and Ethel have a fan club I will try to be more generous in sharing their drama in the coming weeks and make an attempt to get photos.

Change of Tenant

You did not ask but I will share. Perhaps some of my visitors remember the soap opera of Fred and Ethel, the osprey pair that built the nest shown in the photo above this summer.  I watched Ethel, who for some reason seemed the more experienced, seduce Fred into the role of fatherhood. Her dance was persistent because he was somewhat dense for a while. Eventually he got the hang of things. 

I never knew whether an egg or two had been laid because the nest is so high, but Ethel did sit patiently throughout the unusually hot summer while Fred brought her breakfast and dinner.  He guarded the nest while she flew to a nearby tree to eat the raw fish he gave her.  Summer came and went without a single hatching of a new osprey.

Eventually they just used the nest as a meet up place to watch the sun set. Then in early October she left for her vacation down south.  He waited a week or so longer sitting in the snag above the nest in the late afternoons.  I could see his solitary silhouette each evening while I made dinner.  Finally, he also began his journey down south.

Today the blue heron, that sometimes argued with them, claims this nest as his perch most mornings and quite a few afternoons.  He is more mellow when I walk down to the dock and allows me a few quick photos before taking off.  

He may stay the winter and it will be interesting watching to see the osprey reclaim their home in spring from this big guy.

The Gift

Celosia or Cockscomb

Laced in a ribbon of perfection was this gift of unbelievable proportion that can only be appreciated by those who have been given so many gifts in their gray-haired days and this afternoon it fell in my lap.  Reading a P.D. James mystery, which requires some work on my part as my short term memory is challenged with the introduction of each new but well-described character, I took a glass of white wine out on the deck with the book in hand and fell into the chair sighing as I leaned back in the dappled shade of a late autumn afternoon.  Chores were done and party plans for a volunteer who was departing had been completed.

As I rested my head, I looked high in the clear blue sky directly above and saw between the dance of still-green leaves two osprey playing in sweeping lazy circles, perhaps getting into a Zen mood for their long journey south in the coming weeks.  The angle of the sun caught the soft snowy white of the underside of their wings with each circle they made.  Their dance had been well rehearsed in years before and it was a synchronized ballet of love and friendship as the steady breezes of changing weather caressed their backs and lifted them higher.

I turned back to my book, but soon was distracted by three red-naped flickers whose rusty call demanded my attention.  They were thrilled at the full larder in some dead tree limbs high above or perhaps they were just joyful at the perfect weather that had finally arrived after a hot summer.  They hopped from tree top to tree top in noisy joy acting like teenagers given an early break from school.

Before I could return to the story of the novelist who had hung himself (or was it actually murder?) the ducks in the river started laughing like old men as if some dirty joke had been told.  Their flat quacking laughter carried all the way up the river.  I could just see the Vs cutting the surface of the green water through the tree trunks as they moved back and forth calling names and laughing.

The final gift on this precious afternoon was the lilting song of the common house wren perching on the snag of a nearby tree to celebrate sunset.  The call was so pure and sweet and phenomenal because it came forth in such silver song from such a small brown bird.

Who needs pearls, rare orchids or Swiss chocolate when my neighbors provide this talent for free?

Backstory

It has been almost a month since the osprey returned to our creek. They mated about a week ago and they mated again today..April 21  (this was posted later as you can see).  If I was not so busy I would keep actual data on their lives, but unfortunately I also have a life, such a shallow little thing that it is.

We had a nasty cold front come through this week to remind us that spring is a thrower of hissy fits.  The rains lasted for over 24 hours, light and heavy.  This was accompanied by gusts of wind that tore spring leaves from trees.  Then on the second day the temperature dropped about 25 degrees.  Ethel (I have named the osprey couple Fred and Ethel since I am full of original ideas) sat on the eggs throughout the rain.  She didn't even tuck her head but shook drops off every twenty minutes or so and opened her eyes to check out the area.  She looked at the house to see if we were stalking her, she looked around the river for eagles and other predators, and she called to her mate now and again.  BUT she sat, and she sat, and she waited in that drenching and cold thunderstorm throughout the day and all of the night.  The photo below was taken through a window but outside was drenching cold rain.

The early morning found her still there and I saw Fred leave a nearby tree and head out over the river, I am hoping to catch and bring back breakfast.

Just two days before, I was carefully sneaking down to the dock using the excuse that I had to check on the trays of un-planted water grasses that had been set aside until the following Monday.  I was approaching very quietly and slowly and remained behind the shrubs for as long as I could.  When I raised the camera, she got nervous, although she tried to pretend she did not see me.  I moved slowly and took only three or four photos including the first photo above but she cried out and ....

...as you can see she departed fairly soon after my arrival and thus I headed back up to the house to allow her to return. I am most certain she is sitting on at least one egg, but cannot tell since my husband asked for the platform to be extra high!  He wanted to be sure they would favor it over the top of his boat. I took the image chip back to the computer and uploaded my files. As I was processing these pictures, I noticed something unusual in the one above. Do you see it?  Maybe there is an interesting backstory to this bird?

Clearly the sun's arrival did not improve her disposition.  She knows I am hiding somewhere in the tree line (collecting ticks) but is not too sure where or she would have flown the nest.

Comparing

This is an example of an osprey nest taken on a foggy day.  This one is several years old and much larger in comparison to the one I posted about in the entry below.

Just Excellent Part V

Some of my readers are wondering about the twilight saga that was taking place in my river this spring. The two osprey did finally settle down and began bringing sticks and small bunches of grass to the platform along with the garbage that they think adds to decor!  Their nest is new so it does not look like the traditional heavy mess of most osprey homes.  Over the years as they add detritus, it will get the lived-in look of total chaos, much like our yards and homes do over time. 

They sat for many minutes on the platform surveying the river two weeks ago and finally her "50 shades" dance captured his heart and they consummated the partnership in broad daylight. 

Another six or so days came and went while they visited the nest regularly bringing a stick or fish, but they did not stay too long at any one time.   They were whistling and flying elegantly over our yard on the windy spring afternoons.  Then yesterday, she started sitting on the nest for longer periods of time which possibly means she has laid one to three eggs.  I cannot get closer...even walking down to the dock disturbs her brooding, so I am being polite and trying to stay in the back yard with my photos and so none of them are very good!

Once the little ones are hatched all bets are off, because I know that our boating activities and my sunset photography are not going to drive her off anywhere and I hope to get better pictures.

They are messy birds and the end of my dock is dotted with white droppings as they sit on a snag in the evenings above that area.  I do not mind, but I am sure some of my neighbors wonder why I would provide rent free residence to such noisy and messy neighbors.

There may be more drama this spring as I have read that bald eagles will sometimes drive the osprey out of the area.  As you know we have a bald eagle nest just on the other side of the peninsula.  Guess we will wait and see if any drama ensues.  This place has more drama and sex than many movies I have seen!

Taken on a windy day in a moving canoe!!

They Are Moving On Up!

Seems that my osprey couple found a fancier home on the more luxurious section of the river and that meant a more expensive boat.  This boat belongs to the lottery winners who are also my neighbors and since it is spring break I think my neighbors are on travel...in Rome perhaps?  Their loss and their unfortunate gain!  Actually this is like watching a horror film because this hawk couple (while certainly ignorant of civilization) cannot endure another eviction this late in spring.  I am sure that come the beginning of the next week when my neighbors are returning for the start of their girls' school session, all hell is going to break loose.  This is such a delicate situation in that it is against the law to move these guys off if they have laid eggs!  Although I think if you throw enough money at something it is not a problem.

As I walk out across my dock to check the sunset and to see if the baitfish are filtering in each evening, the female osprey throws a warning call in my direction and begins her wing flapping.  Clearly she looks at me as the grizzly of the waters.  It is a nicer boat, guys, but sometimes your reach may exceed your grasp!

That Nesting Instinct

I live with many different kinds of birds. Some of them like me and some do not.  Every year the osprey couple return, this time with a juvenile, and they try to build a nest on the crane across the river. They have been unsuccessful for the past two years as the nest seems to eventually collapse due to the lack of a good support on the cranes arm even though it has an excellent view.  Last year two couples fought over the crane view.

This year, instead of using our boat cabin roof as a holding area for supplies of sticks and algae muck and grasses, they began to build a nest on the boat cabin roof itself.  We had been away for 5 days, and when we returned, they had added all the big sticks and were starting on the medium sticks in a circle.  One cannot disturb an osprey nest once they are nesting...but this was not that close.

It was with real dismay that hubby threw the sticks off the roof and scrubbed the roof from all the bird doo-doo, and then purchased some crazy thing that looks like an umbrella without the fabric, costs six times what an umbrella would cost, and attached it to the roof.  For at least two more days the osprey couple circled the boat diving down and making cries and dropping the odd stick or two until it appeared they had finally given up.

Each evening they sat on the snags across the river and called out with the sunset and I did not know where the new nest was or if they were even building a nest!   Last night he had a fish in claw and was bringing it to the female.  She flew away.  Maybe she is mad with distress and looking for a new partner?  It is not a happy place by the river these days.

Then within a few days they were back and beginning to drop all kinds of stuff on the roof.  Each day, actually several times a day, I would walk down to the dock and they would fly away and I would lower the boat and begin the process of cleaning the roof.  (We could move the boat, but hubby is away for a long time.)

My guilt got the better of me and I called around and did some research and found an organization that will get a permit and build an osprey nest platform, at NO SMALL cost, I might add.  I guess this is where my state tax refund will go.  Serves me right for loaning the government an interest free sum of money for a year!  I am beginning the process of mailing the nature biologists pictures of my shoreline area.   It is too late for this year as the permit process can only begin in the fall, but hopefully next year we will make amends for our sins and be osprey landlords providing free rent.  ( I will admit that watching an osprey family grow is a big motivation here.)

I slowly am winning the battle as I only have to make a trip once a day and the sticks are so few that perhaps that are actually building somewhere else and just using the boat as a meeting place to discuss building materials and argue over styles, expense and quality.

Don't Even Start with Me!

While heading out to fish on the river a few weeks ago we went close by a local osprey nest.  You must look carefully, but she had three little ones hunkering down in the nest which was so pleasing to see.  Unfortunately, I stayed a little long taking photographs because she appeared to become concerned and let me know it by the majestic spread of her wings.  Not wanting to loose part of my hair or an eye(!), I left soon after this photo was taken.  Motherhood is same everywhere it appears except for those few species who abandon their young.

Real Estate War

Remember that osprey nest activity  that was taking place on the idle crane arm sitting on the barge across the river and on the top of our boat?  Well, it should come as no surprise to nature lovers that real estate is in short supply for many animals...and it appears in really short supply for those that need waterfront property!

I woke this morning to lots of chirping from the osprey in the back yard out by the river.  I looked out my window and saw this one on the roof of the boat cabin once again!  I had just spent a good part of yesterday afternoon washing and waxing this roof and was unable to remove some of the acidic calling cards left by our feathered friend, so was not as pleased as I could have been to see him standing watch on the boat once again.  At least this time there was only one stick left.


Still wearing my striking red flannel PJs ( I am one hot Momma), I slipped quietly into shoes leaving my snoring husband and walked carefully to the back side of the wild verbena shrubs hiding me from the dock to get the picture of the fish hawk on the boat.  Hawk-eye saw me in a very short time and flew over with this scornful glance.  I am glad that he didn't poop on my head!  

I continued to hear energetic chirping from other areas of the river and saw this female perched on a high branch to my right cheer-leading her mate.  

Then I saw across the river this little altercation which clarified all the activity.  It appears that two osprey couples want this location!  I watched and took photos for a while, most were not clear and so I cannot post them.  After about five minutes, all the osprey left for the wider parts of the river and the bay for a breakfast break.  It will be interesting to see how and if the drama unfolds as the day progresses.

For a closer look at the Hatfield/McCoy altercation click on photos, of course.


P.S.  The altercation did not continue in the days that followed, but we did see one osprey missing two valuable wing feathers as he soared over the yard later in the day.  I am assuming he was the loser.

Fish Dinner

I had gone down to the dock to watch the start of the end of the day when the fish hawk flew in, fish in claw, and landed just a few yards away from me.  I have never had them land when I was there.


The osprey couple appear to be more comfortable using our dock as an interim stopping point.  Here he/she had just caught a very nice shad and was resting before sharing with the mate.  It looks like he/she will be a good provider for the coming fledglings.

I do not know what I did in a former life, but I must have been very, very, very good to be given such lovely sunsets as the cap to this spring day. (Click on photos for a better view.)

Uninvited Shipmates

We had been gone only eight days on our most recent trip to Florida.  On our return, due to the heavy rains that fell when we were gone, we first went to check out the boat and the canoe at the dock.  Hubby saw something strange on top of his boat cabin.  The weather had been stormy but he was surprised that several large branches had been flung to the top of the cabin along with some marsh grasses.  He balanced on the port side and reaching to the center cleared them off.


The canoe at the end of the dock had been completely turned over and was sitting (still tied to the tree) in the marsh and filled with rain water.  We emptied it and secured it to the dock.

Later that evening we unpacked and fell asleep early after our long drive.  The next morning as I sat up in bed, I saw this scene in the photo below from the bedroom window.

We have never seen osprey on our boat or even our dock for that matter.  We were concerned that these osprey had arranged for a spring lease on the roof of the cabin for raising their young ones as one of the osprey swooped in and dropped a large branch on the cabin roof as I mentioned the scene to my husband.  There are laws about messing with Osprey nests.  I watch them both for a short time as hubby put on his clothes to head down and chase them away.  We were lucky.  It appears this was just a staging platform for them before flying to the crane on the other side of the river.

They had nested there two years ago, but were not seen last spring.  I watched amazed that he could balance and weave sticks with such carefulness and then he dropped one into the water and had to begin again.  I was impressed by their skill and patience.  As I watched, I noticed that sometimes he just flew up and down the river with a long stick in his claws, perhaps to show off his acrobatic skills for his mate.  

If you are having a really bad day, try to imagine building your house with just claws and a sharp beak in a precarious area exposed to all the elements of the coming spring and summer.  Try to imagine that your family's life will depend on this construction perched high over a river.  I am in awe.