Bella & Beau: It’s All About The Wings
(Osprey nest location: Cambridge, Maryland, USA)
July 15, 2018
In a previous post here I shared Bella taking a much-needed bath and about the importance in keeping their feathers clean and maintained, especially those large, gorgeous wings.
Bella’s gorgeous wings.
(she’s delivering a stick to the platform that has no nest.)
Those wings are the Osprey’s life. They need to be exercised and maintained to be in great condition for excellent flying so they can hunt for fish, plunge and then lift themselves from the drag caused by water capillarity, as well as have speed and control to challenge any enemies in the air.
Bella in flight – you can see her feathers have damage. She has been molting throughout the season. Osprey molt by losing only a couple feathers at a time so they do not lose the capability to fly.
The OspreyTeens are now: oldest is eight weeks, followed by the second at 7 to 7 ½ weeks. They have quickly learned that keeping their feathers conditioned is a daily chore. They are in constant preening mode, cleaning their new feathers and ridding the last of their wooly down.
OspreyTeens preening their brand new feathers.
The OspreyTeens also need to exercise their wings. One way is by stretching. Most times this looks quite funny.
“Mom, I’m bored, I have nothing to do…”
Bella and an OspreyTeen watch the other’s wing stretch out and then back in.
This was cute, a sibling “wing hug”.
Here’s another sibling “wing hug” in a six-photo slideshow.
The last photo is priceless!
The OspreyTeens also exercise their wings with strong flapping, sometimes with a couple hops as they feel the lift.
(photo chicks flapping)
It is getting very close now for the OspreyTeens to take their first flights. It usually happens while flapping, the fledgling will catch the wind and off it goes!
Usually the first flight is brief and awkward and ends soon with the fledgling landing on a nearby perch. After probably a much needed rest, it will try to return back to the nest where it will continue to live for several more weeks as it learns to control flight and then learn to hunt for food. It’s surely a nervous time, for both them and us!
And now here is a series of some beautiful flight images I’ve captured over the last couple months of the caring parents, Bella & Beau, showing off their gorgeous patterned wings.
Bella
Beau
Beau
Bella
Beau
Bella flew up close to me.
Bella
Beau is usually no longer at the nest except to deliver food. So catching a family portrait is not easy. Here’s a couple from this past week.
The Osprey Family
Family Portrait
Beau is alarming an intruder while the rest pays attention to the danger.
And a few more of beautiful Bella.
“Mombrella” Bella
Bella on guard while the OspreyTeens rest.
(taken from ground level)
Bella on guard while the OspreyTeens rest.
(taken from ground level)
Portrait of Beautiful Bella
Wrapping up this week’s post, I’ll share another sunset that Bella, Beau, the OspreyTeens and we enjoyed.
Sunset over Cambridge Creek and the Osprey Family (far right over docks)
(For all the posts on Bella & Beau’s 2018 season, you can click HERE.)
WOW! Stunning!
Thank you Cindy!
This series is simply amazing and awesome! Glad to hear we still have several more weeks for the fledglings to be hanging around. Bet you’re going to miss all the excitement when they migrate. 😀 But then you can tell or show us how much better they are at nest building the next time around!
Thank you Gunta! Yes, going to miss them. I sure hope Bella & Beau hone the nest building skills next year. Maybe Beau should take an architect class this winter! 😅
Wonderful captures and story. So glad the teens are doing very well.
Thank you, Kelly, me too!
Great photos, I love the majestic profiles and find the one stretch comical because it looks like Bella is standing on the teen’s back. ” No, you are not going out. You are grounded.” I find the gold feathers on the teen’s necks very pretty. Once again, an outstanding, calm sunset.
Thank you, Jane! Things are a little comical now, which is a break for all the chaos nest attacks and intruders from before. 🙂 I swear I see such personality in them all, especially Bella, who we know rules the roost!
Great watching, patient and photographs dear Donna, Loved them all. Thank you, Love, nia
Thank you, Nia! I think it is something kind of special watching a challenging season in the life of the Osprey. 🙂
Love them! bet you will miss them when they fledge.
Thank you Brian! Tears of joy and relief for sure! 😉
Another wonderful series Donna!
Thank you Belinda!
Great set of shots!
Thank you Kathy!
As always Donna, these are gorgeous shots! Even though I thought I knew about Ospreys from reading several sources, I have learned so much about the nesting phase from your wonderful posts. Our pair of chicks are 2-3 weeks behind yours. I wonder if there is something about “B”s for ospreys – yours are Bella and Beau, and ours are Betty and Barney – named by someone unknown who had carved those names into the previous platform (which fell apart and was replaced by some good Samaritan neighbor). Someone told me, at least with Bald Eagles, that the wing practice was ‘wingersizing’. I may have mentioned that in an earlier reply. It certainly seems to apply!
Thank you Susan! Yes, I’ve heard the wing practice called wingersizing. 🙂 Thanks for reminding me, I should have mentioned it and will in another post!
What a treat to see all the Osprey photos, and that beautiful shot of the sunset.
One question: where does Beau live when he is not as the nest?
Thank you Hien! Love the question! I’ll be discussing Beau’s living style in my next post. But so you know now, he is around most times perched on a sailboat mast, telephone pole, and other cool places, keeping guard on the family. 🙂
Good to know he’s not AWOL. 🙂 Thanks!
🙂
Simply beautiful! It shows parental care, teaching the “ropes” about keeping feathers in good condition, exercise of wings, positioning of wings to control flow of air for lift and brake. The parents dedication is incredible. This post has so much visual importance about a family of Ospreys and their brood…it’s priceless! You’ve done a great job Donna! I like it very much! Thank you. 🙂
Thank you so much, HJ, for your kind comments! 🙂
I’m so glad to be following your blog to learn so much about the osprey! They are beautiful birds that you photograph so well that it’s almost like I was there in person to witness their behavior in person.
I’m glad you’re following along, Jerry! I’m having a good time trying to capture behavior of the week, it changes so much. Now if I only had a longer lens, just think of the detail I could really capture. 🙂
Wonderful shots, as always! 🙂
I don’t think enough people realize just how intelligent birds are.
This morning, I said to Tweetie Pie, a Yellow Nape, “It looks like we got some rain.”
Her reply: “Yes, it does!”
Later in the morning, i asked, “Do you want to get a bath today?”
She then quickly said, “Yes, I do!”
Thank you, Tom, they sure are! 🙂
What a treat to have this family developing in front of you. Beautifully illustrated for us, thank you.
Thank you, Tom, and you’re welcome. Quite the entertainment!
I loved the term “Mombrella” the first time, Donna. I still do. 🙂
Even us human Moms shield our children, that makes us a Mombrella too. 🙂
Beautiful photos! The young one a;ready have a huge wing span!
Thank you Terry! It is very breezy here today, I’m watching for one of those wingspans to catch the breeze and be off! I am nervous, lol.
Thanks Donna for the very comprehensive story in photos beautifully depicting the development of the new Osprey youngsters.
You’re very welcome, Ashley! I am very lucky and am enjoying showing the world how entertaining it can be watching Osprey for a season. 🙂
Wonderful post.
Thank you Stephen!
A great spectacle with great shots and stories.
Thank you!
A great spectacle with great shots and story.
Thank you, Alix!
Beautiful birds, and great shots.
thank you!
Your process of documenting this story with these amazing photos is a wonderful thing.
A timely example of what is at stake in our fragile world.
Thank you very much for your kind comments!
Fantastic series! What a blessing to be able to watch these birds, and see the chicks grow. Thank you for sharing their story through your beautiful photographs.
Thank you, Deborah, and you’re welcome 🙂