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Observations & Images
6 July 2006
North Nest/South Nest
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North Nest |
| Although looking a bit disheveled, the north nest Ospreys continue to add to the nest. |
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South Nest
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Like mother like fledgling, the south nest fledgling, at right, is learning the art of stoic loafing from its mother, seen at left. |
| Unlike the mother, though, the fledgling is constantly tormented by mites and fleas and whatnot that must be rampant in the nest now with the heat of summer. |
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The fledgling makes the short jump to the nest as thunderstorms approach. |
| Only a few wing beats are necessary to cover the short distance. |
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On final approach. |
| The landing gear is fully deployed. |
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A gentle touchdown. Moments after this image was taken the sky opened up and a drenching rain along with strong winds struck the area. For some reason, the nestling opened its wings during the storm and was swept out of the nest. For all the world the fledgling looked like a kite caught on a string as it was tossed, at times almost uncontrollably, throughout the sky at the mercy of the high winds. After several close calls struggling against the elements, the fledgling landed in the nest where it hunkered down and rode out the rest of the storm. |
THE NEIGHBORS
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| A chance encounter with a Red-Tailed Hawk while hiking out to the south nest. |
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While I was excited to see the Hawk, the Hawk was not so glad to see me. |
| The Red-Tail did not go far as it flew past and landed in a grove of trees nearby. |
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