04-MAY-2007
The 2007 nesting pair of Osprey
While having shoreline work done early this year, Gus asked to have a piling pounded into the sand by the marsh. He then built a platform on the post with the hope that a pair of nesting Osprey would call it home. And they did.
19-MAY-2007
And not in flight either!
19-MAY-2007
Although this maneuver seems rather unsteady
19-MAY-2007
Success - the pair is nesting!
We've learned so much about the Osprey. The female is larger than the male, she has a “necklace” of brown feathers around her neck/across her chest and the male has a (pretty much) solid white neck and chest. The male does all of the nest building and will include anything found in the area – like a dead snake, rope, plastic bottles (wish we found that first!), filter cloth, anything!
They share the responsibility of sitting on the nest with the female roosting more. They’re not particularly fond of Eagles and Heron and when either are around put up a squawk. It’s fantastic to see an Eagle fly overhead of the nest and momma-Osprey stands up off the eggs and flaps her wings as she squawks. And hen poppa-Osprey will swoop in from the nearby tree he was perched in and chase the Eagle.
19-MAY-2007
It worked - she's nesting
27-MAY-2007
She's getting more comfortable
11-MAY-2007
Majestic - even though he's hurt & dirty
While Kayaking on 5/11, Gus spotted an injured Bald Eagle. An officer from the Dept. of Interior - US Fish & Wildlife Service made the hour-long trip from Fredericksburg to our home, they took the canoe out to retrieve the Eagle, and were successful! He probably has a broken wing and hopefully nothing else wrong, and will be taken to a rehab center. With luck and good care he will recover and be released back here, home. UPDATE: the wing was broken and inoperable so the Eagle will spend the remainder of his days in captivity - but healthy - and will be viewed by many in a park educational program.
11-MAY-2007
The Canada Goose family
There were five babies but now there are three. We've lots of Eagles around here and they're hungry ... perhaps that's how the Eagle broke his wing - beating the parents away when he was making off with one of the babies ...
26-APR-2007
If you know me, you know I love my sunrises!