Observations & Images
13 April 2006
Age of nestling(s) in days: 2
THE NEIGHBORS
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Observations & Images
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| A warm but not uncomfortable day with a cool wind blowing though obviously not enough to keep the female Osprey from panting. | |
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Ever the homebuilder, the male Osprey flies in with a stick for the nest. |
| He then did a few laps around the nest attempting to snag branches off low lying bushes. He succeeded in getting this little twig but he dropped it seconds after this image was taken. | |
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With the male Osprey nearby, the female Osprey took this time to make a short exercise flight around the nest. |
| The male flew off over the Indian River Lagoon and returned with a fish after approximately 15 minutes. He flew into the pine trees near the nest where he tore the fish's bony head off. With the fish's head now gone, the male flew the meaty carcass back to the nest. | |
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The female, seen at left, was quite vocal when food arrived. The male Osprey is still taken with whatever he sees in the nest, presumably his children, and spends long periods of time gazing downward. |
| The female Osprey ripped large chunks of fish off the carcass which she eagerly devoured interspersed with tearing off tiny pieces as shown here. | |
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She would take the tiny pieces down into the nest to feed the hatchling or hatchlings. The male watched with great interest. |
| After feeding time was over, the male flew off and soon returned with this cumbersome stick. | |
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He dropped the stick in the center of the nest to the great dismay of the female who immediately took it up in her bill and moved it awkwardly to the edge of the nest out of the way. |
| Taking a rest from the day's labors, the male flew onto a nearby perch while the female settled back down in the nest. | |
THE NEIGHBORS |
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The Pileated Woodpeckers have returned to working on the nest cavity after a few days absence. I was disheartened to learn that the Woodpeckers should be excavating a number of cavities in the area of which any one of them has the potential of being chosen for their nest. That news certainly dims my chances of following a Pileated Woodpecker nest along with the Osprey nest. |
| The Otter family found plenty to eat on their brief visit. | |
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A larger Otter crowded out a smaller sibling for this choice spot on a log. |