Bella and Beau 2018: An Introduction

(Osprey nest location: Cambridge, Maryland, USA)

April 18, 2018

We are excited with our return to the Chesapeake Bay Eastern Shore Maryland region, planting some roots in downtown Cambridge, Maryland. Settled in 1684 and located along the Choptank River, Cambridge is one of the oldest colonial cities in Maryland. It is a charming seaport community that is in the midst of an exciting renaissance of revitalization and historic preservation.

From our third-floor height balcony, I oversee Cambridge Creek that leads out to the Choptank River.

If you look closely at the above photo again, you might just see over the water to the far right what I also oversee….an Osprey nest on a pole over the docks…..

I’d like you to meet Bella and Beau!

Beau on the post, Bella in the nest

Osprey return to the Chesapeake Bay mid to late March. So these two arrived about 2-3 weeks before us and have been working on building their nest. It starts to show promise, then either the wind or just failure to stay drops the sticks to the water and dock below. They appear to be a new and/or young couple, trying to figure it all out.

Bella working on the nest while Beau keeps watch

Bella brings a piece of plastic to the nest

Beau taking a clump of grass and dirt to the nest

They enjoy flying together above their home…..

even getting close enough to give little love taps…..

building their bond as a team and hopefully soon-to-be parents this season.

Bella

Beau

Stay tuned for posts on the antics and adventures of Bella and Beau!

(For all the posts on Bella & Beau’s 2018 season, you can click HERE.)

Tags: Beau, Bella, Cambridge, cambridge creek, Chesapeake Bay, Eastern Shore, flight, image, images, Maryland, mating, nature, nest, Osprey, photo, photographs, photography, photos, platform, wildlife

54 thoughts on “Bella and Beau 2018: An Introduction”

Ingrid on 04/18/2018 at 7:25 PM said:

Wonderful photos. Sounds like life has taken you in a new direction, huh! Beautiful view.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:20 PM said:
  
  Thanks Ingrid and yep, for now! 🙂
  
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lovesdeepwaters on 04/18/2018 at 7:31 PM said:

Very cool!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:20 PM said:
  
  Thanks, they are!
  
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aussiebirder on 04/18/2018 at 7:55 PM said:

A great little love story building here Donna as they team up to hopefully materialise their love in bringing new life into the bay. Lovely shots Donna, and from a distance, well done! We are now kept in suspense as we await nesting. Have an interesting and enjoyable week!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:27 PM said:
  
  You are so right, Ashley, such a treat to get to watch this on a daily basis again, as I did several years ago at our home on Kent Island. Have a wonderful week as well!
  
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H.J. for avian101 on 04/18/2018 at 7:57 PM said:

How nice that you’ll be in front row for illustrating your narrative with gorgeous pictures. They are a young and beautiful couple. Thanks Donna. 🙂

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:29 PM said:
  
  Thanks HJ! I am very excited with this daily treat in my life, and I will love sharing their season with you. 🙂
  
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Susan Hale on 04/18/2018 at 8:34 PM said:

What a wonderful ‘window on the world’ you have Donna! I’m looking forward to updates on Bella and Beau. Our Barney and Betty have returned, and I have witnessed them mating, so I’m hoping that like you I will have a family to follow all summer. Keep us posted – and welcome back to the Chesapeake!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:35 PM said:
  
  Thanks Susan, it is great to be back. We are so thankful for the place we found, we just want to chill and boat. 🙂 I’ll watch for Barney & Betty captures from you!
  
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Jet Eliot on 04/18/2018 at 8:44 PM said:

So very fortunate for you to have this picturesque water view, and a true treat to see the osprey nest building activity. A wonderful and hopeful post with excellent photos, too — thank you Donna. I especially love seeing them fly together with the sky background.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:41 PM said:
  
  Thanks Jet! We are very fortunate to have found this place after all the looking. We have always loved the charm and quaintness of Maryland’s Eastern Shore old colonial towns. Having the Osprey nest so close to me is icing on the cake! 🙂
  
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Chris Riley on 04/18/2018 at 9:08 PM said:

Wow, how glorious to be watching that from your balcony. Its going to be exciting to see how the newlyweds progress in both home building, and adding a family to their nest.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:44 PM said:
  
  Thanks Chris! I am quite excited to get this opportunity again to easily watch Osprey on a daily basis, and then be able to share. It’s what got me started on bird photography nine years ago! 🙂
  
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montucky on 04/18/2018 at 9:09 PM said:

Handsome couple! They will be interesting neighbors.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:44 PM said:
  
  Thanks Terry, I think they will!
  
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tanjabrittonwriter on 04/18/2018 at 10:22 PM said:

Thank you for introducing us to Bella and Beau, Donna. What a pleasure to make their acquaintance. I look forward to getting to know them better.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:46 PM said:
  
  You’re welcome, Tanja, I know they will be a wonderful couple to get to know!
  
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vietnamtravelandculture on 04/19/2018 at 12:43 AM said:

Reblogged this on Vietnam Travel & Trade Portal .

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:48 PM said:
  
  Thank you for the reblog!
  
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Martha Johnston on 04/19/2018 at 1:02 AM said:

Looking forward to your photos from Cambridge, the Choptank and beyond, Donna. Thanks for sharing your view.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:49 PM said:
  
  Thanks Martha, it is a gorgeous, serene area of nature and wildlife. I’m excited to experience it all!
  
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blhphotoblog on 04/19/2018 at 2:58 AM said:

Lovely images, strange to see Ospreys nesting so close to people! In this Country they are forest dwellers in northern Scotland.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 2:56 PM said:
  
  Thanks Brian! On the Chesapeake Bay, the Osprey are quite tolerate of humans. Many nest on buoys and channel markers, where boats go right by without a problem, although the Osprey can get quite vocal about it. I wouldn’t get too close to a Momma though or I’d be worried she’d attack with those dagger talons! They are still fierce and very protective raptors! 🙂
  
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Rick Bailey on 04/19/2018 at 6:44 AM said:

Didn’t realize you live in Cambridge. Is that a change? Thought you were on Kent Island. We have very dear friends who live in Cambridge. I think I know the place you were looking out from.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 4:19 PM said:
  
  We did live at Kent Island, sold that back in 2016. We’ve always loved Dorchester County by car but never experienced much of the Choptank River by boat, so we’re ‘trying out’ this area for a year or so, see if it’s the place for a home purchase. Did you guess Deep Harbour?
  
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  - Rick Bailey on 04/21/2018 at 12:29 PM said:
    
    I don’t remember the name of the condos, but we could see them from the free tie-ups at the city wall inside the turning basin just before going under the bridge.
  - bayphotosbydonna on 04/21/2018 at 10:03 PM said:
    
    There are quite a few condos along the waterfront. I am all the way up Cambridge Creek on the other side of that draw bridge. 🙂
Tammy H. on 04/19/2018 at 8:47 AM said:

Glad you found another osprey pair to observe! Enjoy living in Cambridge, it’s a nice area.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 4:25 PM said:
  
  Thanks Tammy, isn’t it neat?!! We’ve loved Cambridge & Dorchester County for a long time, did many day trips throughout over the years, always enjoying the laid-back, unspoiled serenity it offers. We are excited!
  
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kathydoremus on 04/19/2018 at 9:04 AM said:

Great shots in flight! Nice to have you posting again. 🙂

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 4:25 PM said:
  
  Thanks Kathy! 🙂
  
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Alix on 04/19/2018 at 9:21 AM said:

Great, great shots Donna. Wait till you see mine shot in the Everglades recently. Congrats.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 4:26 PM said:
  
  Thanks Alix! I’ll check yours out as well! 🙂
  
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1nmbirder on 04/19/2018 at 10:51 AM said:

So wonderful you get to watch this beautiful pair of osprey. I look forward to more posts. Awesome pics in this post!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 4:27 PM said:
  
  Thanks Kelly! I’m already enthralled with their activity. 🙂
  
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mdhoffmannphoto on 04/19/2018 at 2:50 PM said:

Spectacular!!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 4:28 PM said:
  
  Thank you!!
  
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Ellen Jennings on 04/19/2018 at 3:54 PM said:

Very nice captures and post of this Osprey couple. You’ll have lots of entertainment over the coming weeks and I look forward to your documentation of this family. Thanks for sharing.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/19/2018 at 4:29 PM said:
  
  Thanks Ellen, I feel so lucky to have them just outside my door and already know they are a wonderful source of entertainment. 🙂
  
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tootlepedal on 04/19/2018 at 5:31 PM said:

Hooray.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/20/2018 at 8:03 AM said:
  
  🙂
  
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Jane's Heartsong on 04/19/2018 at 9:41 PM said:

Happy for you to be back in your territory as well as Bella and Beau.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/20/2018 at 8:04 AM said:
  
  Thank you Jane, I’m hoping for a great summer. 🙂
  
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brighamstephen on 04/20/2018 at 8:45 AM said:

The Eastern Shore is my northern home and a great place to bird, as you know. Your Osprey photos are spectacular.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/20/2018 at 5:39 PM said:
  
  Thanks, the Eastern Shore truly is a gem!
  
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A Curious Introvert on 04/22/2018 at 7:00 PM said:

Thanks for sharing your wonderful view and the fantastic photos and love story of Bella and Beau!🙂

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/22/2018 at 7:41 PM said:
  
  Thank you, it is exciting and I’m excited to share; and, oh boy, much more fun to watch than doing housework! 🙂
  
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Gunta on 04/22/2018 at 9:53 PM said:

Oh, Donna! These are utterly amazing shots! Lucky you to be able to see it all from your balcony. And thanks ever so much for sharing your great captures as these marvelous birds do their thing.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/23/2018 at 8:26 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Gunta, Bella & Beau will definitely highlight my summer this year. 🙂
  
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spugwash on 04/23/2018 at 9:26 AM said:

Stunning lucky you.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/23/2018 at 7:43 PM said:
  
  Thank you! 🙂
  
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Lisa Rest on 04/23/2018 at 5:21 PM said:

Incredibly beautiful pictures! And how wonderful to have such a great view of this love nest pair. The promise of spring delivers! Exciting.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/23/2018 at 7:47 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Lisa! I am a lucky gal this summer. Let’s hope for some healthy chicks for me to share! 🙂
  
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