Observations & Images
1 June 2006
Post-Nesting
THE NEIGHBORS
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Observations & Images
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| The female Osprey was engaged in some activity in the nest when I arrived but she flew out by the time the camera was ready. | |
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The female Osprey flew from the nest to the pines where she opened her wings to dry out from the rain that had fallen most of the day. |
| The male Osprey flew from his nearby perch toward the female. His legs are still an object of concern as he now can be seen flying with them hanging down as much as carrying them close to his body. Is he being lazy or is he suffering from, or recovering from, some sort of injury? Recent days past show some other irregularities with his legs though it has not slowed him down when it comes to fishing. | |
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The Ospreys sought out each other's company and were never very far apart throughout the afternoon. They stayed in this spot well over an hour. |
| From the perch seen above, the two flew to another pine tree where they could sit on the same branch. | |
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From the perch above they flew together to another tree. |
| While the female continued perching, the male left and soon returned carrying this clump of seaweed which he flew into the nest. | |
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Once in the nest he repeated his behavior from yesterday of just standing there without doing anything with the cargo he just landed. He studied whatever he is looking at on the floor of the nest from many different angles before he flew off. It was one week ago at about this time that the Ospreys' remaining nestling was photographed for the last time before its mysterious and inexplicable disappearance. |
| The male flew from the nest into the pines. | |
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The female was perched nearby. |
THE NEIGHBORS |
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| It most be mighty crowded in the Pileated Woodpecker cavity as the nestlings grow more and more to look like their parents in size and shape. It would not be surprising to go out there any day now to find they have fledged. | |
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The famous Brown Pelican which played a leading role in the formation of the United State's first wildlife refuge. |
| Becoming a familiar sight in the neighborhood is a brilliant white Osprey that generally passes through late in the day. The stranger usually pauses to take in what the resident Ospreys are doing before moving on. | |
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A Common Nighthawk performs acrobatic maneuvers at high altitude as it chases after insects which it feeds on while in the air. Sadly, the bird's flight did not bring it near to allow for a closer inspection. |
| Just as acrobatic as the Nighthawk are the Swallows that fill the sky over the Refuge late in the day. The air is alive with their unique calls as they swiftly dive and climb crazily in complex pursuit of their insect prey. | |