Observations & Images
7 May 2006
Age of nestling(s) in days: 26
THE NEIGHBORS
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Observations & Images
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| The female Osprey seemed very impatient at sunrise. She frequently flew in and out of the nest to various nearby perches. | |
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Here she heads back to the nest. |
| Once again she flew up to another perch overlooking the nest. The obvious guess is that she is on the lookout for the male Osprey and, better yet, that he would fly in with a fish in his talons for breakfast. | |
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The nestlings were also impatient to eat. The nestling on the left clumsily practices flapping its developing wings. |
| The female's return caused the nestlings to come near in the hope she had food. In a disturbing development, only two nestlings were observed during the whole visit though the third might be there but keeping out of sight. | |
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As the day stretched into midmorning the female takes off for a short flight around the area. |
| The female back in the nest. | |
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The male Osprey finally shows up with a fish after a three and a half hour absence. |
| The female hurriedly took the fish from the male before he could change his mind and fly off with it. She immediately set about feeding herself and the nestlings. | |
THE NEIGHBORS |
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The male Pileated Woodpecker made a slow approach to his nest cavity making stops at every tree along the way. |
| The female Pileated Woodpecker does not wait around when her mate arrives but comes shooting out of the nest. | |
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As the day heated up late in the morning, the male Pileated Woodpecker was frequently spotted hanging his head out of the nest cavity while panting for air. It must get terribly stuffy in the hole for the better part of the day. He would occasionally come out and sit in the shade on the far side of the tree before re-entering the cavity. |
| Brief glimpses of this bird moving in and out of the cattails were seen throughout the morning until it, surprisingly, perched out in the open. | |
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As usual I could not identify it in the field but had to study the pictures in comparison with the bird books at home. |
| I knew it was a bird that I, at least, do not recall ever having seen before. | |
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Turns out it is a Yellow-billed Cuckoo which is common but wary of being seen. |
| Sadly, all the bird books agree that the Yellow-billed Cuckoo numbers are declining as its native habitats are taken away. | |