Observations & Images
18 May 2007
Approximate age of nestling(s) in days: 51
THE NEIGHBORS
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Observations & Images
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The female Osprey was taking a rest from the crowded nest by perching just below it where she could still keep an eye on things. |
| The large nestling was eating from a fish on its own while its nest mates looked on enviously. The less fortunate nestlings kept up a chorus of hungry cries. | |
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After the fish was finished the large nestling joined in the chorus calling for more food. |
| The female responded to the calls by flying back into the nest. | |
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She lent her voice to the chorus, as well. |
| One of the nestlings begins to exercise its wings. | |
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Once one starts flapping its wings the others usually join in. |
| The nestling in the back inadvertently beat the foreground nestling in the head with its wings which caused its eyes to close for protection. | |
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The male Osprey about to land in the nest with a fish. The male brought a stream of fish to the nest which might have contributed to the nestlings all feeding peacefully without any sign of sibling rivalry. |
| The meal was interrupted by a trespassing Osprey soaring overhead. Note the female has adopted a defensive posture. | |
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Later the meal was interrupted again for the same reason. |
| After the fish was finished the female flew off to a nearby perch but quickly returned when the male deposited another fish in the nest. | |
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The fish was quite alive and energetically flopped around the nest with the female in hot pursuit trying to corral it. Things took a most disappointing turn when the fish flipped right out of the nest. The female looks aghast as the fish falls away which did little to relieve the hungry cries of the nestlings who were expecting a meal upon seeing the fish. |
| The fish looks a bit confused as it falls toward the ground. It landed in thick brush where it most likely became a meal for a Raccoon or some other scavenger. | |
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The lost meal was forgotten when more soaring Ospreys caused the nest to go into defensive mode. |
| The male Osprey chased the trespassers away. | |
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After chasing away the interlopers, the male landed to preen as his wet feathers dried. |
| Tired of waiting for the male, the female went off to soon return with a fish to make up for the lost meal. | |
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This fish did not get away and was enjoyed by all the nestlings. |
THE NEIGHBORS |
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| The rabbits at the Refuge are very shy and rarely seen---at least while having a camera in hand. Recent observations along Jungle Trail made me try an experiment. Using the parked vehicle as a blind I wondered if any rabbits would appear. Before long a Marsh Rabbit came out of the brush almost alongside the vehicle. | |
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Within minutes two more Marsh Rabbits appeared. Here the farthest one can be seen coming out to investigate the road. I was lining up a shot to get all three in the frame when a truck appeared in the distance sending all the rabbits hopping back into the brush. |
| Two White Ibis fly over the Osprey nest. | |
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A lone Black Vulture takes a break from soaring. |
| It is nice to see one on the ground for a change since they are usually most commonly observed soaring around the skies in fairly good numbers. | |