Chesapeake Bay Area Osprey Activity
If you’ve been following my posts on our community’s osprey nest platform and the possible residency of a pair of Osprey, that pair has stopped altogether in trying to build a new nest this season due to another Osprey pair who have been stealing from our platform the sticks that our pair has been laying. They still reside mostly on Lippincott’s channel marker but do visit our platform for a perch or to chase away another Osprey thinking of resting there. So they seem to think they still own it. Maybe next year they both will return and give it their all in total control of their nest building, and our community will have an Osprey family to celebrate and enjoy!
Not to fret, our area off the Chesapeake Bay is absolutely abundant with Osprey. You cannot go around the water and not see one. The male Ospreys are fishing not for themselves now but for their families too, plus they are try to keep their nests built up to keep the young chicks from falling out. It’s the male’s busiest time to say the least! And in another month, all of those chicks will be in the air as well. 🙂
We are boaters and that gives me even more opportunities to photograph birds that love being around the water. Unfortunately, we’ve only gotten out a few times this season, but the ops were awesome as always! With so many photos on several bird varieties, I’ve decided to devote this post entirely to the Osprey, my fave. I took SO many Osprey photos, it was crazy. On a trip up the Miles River and around the Wye River, I stopped counting Osprey nests at 57, it got monotonous if you can believe that!
Ospreys in our area for the most part are quite tolerate of humans. You can slowly pass by them on their nests and they just curiously look at you; of course, I wouldn’t doubt they’d attack if you got right up to their nest of babies.
In addition to some close-ups and flight shots, I’ve included photos to show some of their nesting habitats. Now onto one of my Osprey overloads! 😉
I did say Osprey overload, right?!! I hope you enjoyed and thanks so much for stopping by!
Oyster Cove Osprey Nest Update
This post will bring us up-to-date from my last post on an Osprey pair who had shown perseverance on attempting to rebuild their nest on our Oyster Cove osprey nest platform after the severe weather had blown it off. This first photo shows almost double growth on April 14th from the previous day of the rebuilding.
April 14, 2013
As if it’s not enough to have to start again on buildling, our Osprey pair still had to defend their nest from another local area Osprey that lives over on the Kent Narrows South Entrance Channel Marker #4.
Our Male Osprey taking off after the other local Osprey
Our male Osprey chasing off one of the Osprey that lives on Kent Narrows South Entrance Channel Marker #4
Still chasing!
The other Osprey retreated to his home and ours returned as if he was proud at what he’d done!
Well, that was early in the day of the 14th. Later that evening, I was shocked at what I witnessed. The male Osprey from the KN Channel Marker #4 flew over to our unprotected osprey nest platform, swooped down, grabbed a large stick, and bee-lined back to his nest, the stick dragging along in the water! That STINKER!
Osprey from KN Channel Marker #4 flying off with a stick from our OC nest platform!
Other Osprey arriving ‘home’ with our Osprey’s nesting material.
That may further explain why our new Osprey pair have been having a heck of a time trying to build a nest, neighbor Mr. Stinker Osprey may have been taking from ours all along and adding to his noticeably well-built nest.
The Osprey pair on that channel marker I believe are the same pair from last year. I noticed they reunited quickly and immediately rebuilt/repaired their nest from last season. And just as quickly the female was sitting low in the nest, incubating eggs. Several weeks ago, I could see with my binoculars it appeared little ones were being fed periodically.
The day after I witnessed the ‘taking’, we went for a boat ride and passed by the Osprey pair as we passed through the Kent Narrows markers. This pair is quite use to boats passing within just a few feet of them as there’s little room otherwise. I took a couple shots while we cruised on pass Momma feeding her babies.
Momma Osprey feeding chicks on KN Channel Marker #4.
Momma Osprey feeding a chick while the other one gives me a pose.
Awwwwww…… 🙂 Okay, so daddy Osprey really does need the extra sticks to build that nest larger to keep those little ones within! I saw two chicks total.
Later in the day when we returned, I took a few more photos of the family.
On watch while the chicks were up and about.
Keeping an eye on us but never a peep or noise.
I see you!
I’ll be trying to get some more photos of this family and the chicks as they grow!
This Osprey family is exciting but our nest platform is not so. The sticks and nesting materials, or lack thereof, continued.
April 17, 2013 – 7:21 a.m.
When I got home that evening, it looked like the other area male Osprey had ‘visited’ again and took basically the rest of the sticks.
April 17, 2013 – 5:43 pm
On the 18th, we had a lot of rain. That evening those last couple measly sticks were gone. Yesterday and today, I’m finding no sticks on the platform and ‘our’ Osprey pair are either perching over at Lippincott’s channel marker or are no where in sight.
I can imagine they are quite discouraged this season. I know I am for them…. 😦
2013 Derecho And Osprey Perserverance
I’m in the Maryland Chesapeake Bay region, and today we were expected to be in the path of yesterday’s Midwest’s “2013 Derecho”. Two storm events did occur today for us, first a strong line of storms came through the area around 8:30 a.m. I made it to work in Delaware (an hour east of home) well ahead of this line of storms, thank goodness. Here’s a couple shots that I took at work in Delaware. After these swirling, ominous clouds rolled through, we had a huge wind-driven downpour. I worried what it had been like at home.
Storm crossing over our building.
Here’s what had already rolled over us as it continued east. You can see the beginning line of the storm in the distance.
After it came and went, we actually had partly cloudy blue skies. But we were warned that the heat of the day would start up another, more severe storm line. Tornadoes were possible.
As forecasted, another storm-line headed into Maryland. Several tornadoes were reported. Keeping an eye to the weather channel’s radar since I had to drive towards the storm to get home, I felt I was on the road in plenty of time. As I drove, I watched the dark horizon got closer and bigger. My husband called and said BWI Airport was evacuated to all lower levels of the terminals due to a tornado heading towards it. I called my son who lives within 15 minutes of the airport, he was already tracking it. It passed by 10 miles south of him. And missed the airport.
I raced home a little faster. The derecho was upon me as I pulled in. I took these next photos from my balcony as soon as I arrived home. The storm cell was mesmerizing…..
This dangerous cell crossed at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge from Annapolis, temporarily shutting the bridge down to traffic. Winds were recorded at 68 mph. (That is an osprey flying in the sky.)
Osprey flying into the winds of this cell. Crazy bird!
The edge of the cell now to my left, crossing the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center.
And then the downpour came along with lightning and 60+ mph winds!
I, of course, had big worries for all of nature’s creatures, including our new Osprey pair and their nest on our platform. This struggling Osprey pair have been trying to find a specific place to call home after being driven away from their first chosen spot on a boat. Their nest looked like this before the storm.
One of our new Osprey residents and Nest as of June 11th
After the storm, I checked the platform and found the 60 mph+ winds had taken away our Osprey’s hard work to date. 😦
After the 60+ mph winds, the nest is gone. (Sorry for poor quality!)
I was truly dismayed. Now what will the Osprey pair do? This pair just cannot get a break. I looked and didn’t see them on Lippincott’s channel marker. I hoped they made it through the storm…..
A half hour later, look who was on the platform!
Our male Osprey returned. I watched him look around & around at the platform, seeing the nest gone.
“There’s part of my home!”
And with that look down to the water, the male Osprey took flight and flew down to a stick that he sighted (I didn’t!) and brought it back to the platform.
Got it!
To the platform!
The Osprey placed the stick, sat a minute and then took flight out of sight.
With all their troubles, is that Osprey perserverance or what?!! I was all smiles. An hour later, the sun was shining through the clouds and I took another photo. More stick(s) were added in the last hour. YAY!
A few more sticks were placed on the platform within the hour.
After taking that photo, I looked down to Lippincott’s marker and there was our Osprey pair, on their usual perch, keeping tabs from afar on their nest.
Enjoying a rest after the brutal storm and a little nest rebuilding.
Here’s hoping our Osprey pair remain comfortable in trying to rebuild YET AGAIN another nest that they can call home.
As always, thank you for stopping by!
Oyster Cove Osprey Nest Platform Update
This is an update to our community’s Osprey nest platform from my last post dated May 30th, The Makings of an Osprey Nest, which showed the beginnings of a possible Osprey nest by an Osprey pair I had noticed was trying to start an impossible nest atop Lippincott’s Channel Marker #3. Oyster Cove community neighbor, Becky, commented on my last post the following:
“I believe these two are the osprey pair that built a large nest on top of a boat at the marina next door. They were very busy and had mated I believe. At some time in the past few weeks someone destroyed the nest and left these two osprey without a home so late in the season. Maybe the boat owner decided he did not want to share his boat! It really was a mess. I did however feel sorry for the uprooted osprey.”
This now makes sense and possibly completes the ‘puzzle’ of how a pair came about so late in the season to start a nest on our Oyster Cove platform! Thank you, Becky, for your observations, it is most appreciated! 🙂
Our ‘new’ Osprey pair take turns perching singly on the platform, sometimes you might catch them on it together, but they seem to perch more often on the Lippincott channel marker. They can probably see where they were first building a nest on the boat from the marker and may still feel the need to protect that area, may have even tried to restart the nest on the boat with a stick or two. Depends on whether the boater has been around more often to scare them away. I have noticed they do act as if they own our Oyster Cove platform and will chase away any of the other area Osprey that come near it. That’s great news!
The final photo in my last post on this ‘new’ nest is repeated now first, and then followed by photos as the nest changed. It’s really not much bigger, for every few sticks added, one or two get knocked off. I’ve not taken a lot of the Osprey on the platform, and most times it’s been through my sliding glass door, so that blurred the shots. I’ve just enjoyed watching them from the window through our binoculars. 🙂
May 30, 2013 pm
May 31, 2013 am
June 3, 2013 am – Landing to have breakfast on the platform
June 3, 2013 pm
The male Osprey in the next photo perched in this position for quite a while. I just couldn’t see how he could be comfortable, lol.
June 4, 2013 am
June 5, 2013 pm – A stick doomed to fall
As the male Osprey in the next photo was perched, he decided to work on the nest. Now that cannot be easier! No, it wasn’t, he quit after couple attempts.
June 6, 2013 am
June 6, 2013 am
June 8, 2013 am – Protecting the nest from another Osprey doing a fly-by
Here’s the nest as of this evening. The Osprey pair came a few times to perch…..
June 9, 2013 pm
but I found them this evening back on the channel marker, where they feel the most comfortable I guess.
Our Osprey pair perched at Lippincott’s Channel Marker 3 – June 9, 2013 pm
My fingers are still crossed this Osprey pair continue to build, perch, and protect our Oyster Cove platform for the season, learning to get comfortable amongst us!
Hope you enjoyed, thank you for stopping by!
A Heron and A Crab at the Golden Hour
Several days ago we had a gorgeous sunset and the golden light was reflecting on the water off to our balcony’s right. I was gazing at the rippling water from my window, not realizing the window frame was blocking out of my view a Great Blue Heron doing a little fishing. Realizing the water had a continuing ripple band coming from the berm, I moved my head and then I saw him. A sprint out to the balcony, grabbing my camera in passing, I quickly took aim, not sure if his capture would turn out with such low light, but hoping a pretty silhouette shot. Not only did I love the shots, I got lucky with a cool surprise. My exposures changed a bit but I didn’t do any color editing, only cropping.
Great Blue Heron doing a little fishing
I was only going to take a couple photos but got lucky as he immediately plunged for a fish……..uh, no, a crab!
The heron held onto the wiggly crab, plunging him a couple times. But the crab was not going to be dinner, in the next photo he had a free claw reaching up to the heron’s beak.
I think the crab must have gotten in a quick pinch, because the heron quickly plunged the crab again in the next photo….
and then let him go in a circle of ripples!
The Great Blue Heron stood there for only a few seconds and then took flight……
and landed on the other side of the cove on the point.
Hopefully the fishing was better over there and there were no crabs & claws to contend with! 🙂
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for stopping by!
Have a great weekend!
The Least Tern Dive
Weeks ago I was working on photographing the Least Terns that were busily flying back and forth and diving for small fish in front of our community’s Osprey nest platform across the waters of Marshy Creek. What a challenge! What fun! What a huge amount of photo deletes!
I especially loved watching them dive. Just like an Osprey, they dive full-force into the water submerging themselves. But they aren’t so lucky to have talons like the Osprey to grab the fish, the Least Terns use their beak and skim/scoop up the tiny fish. Such simple nature entertainment!
Finally, I got lucky with one of the Least Terns diving. He flew actually a bit closer than they normally were and was off to the left of the Osprey nest platform when he took the plunge! Here’s the series of my best shots captured of his dive.
Least Tern diving for a fish
Unfortunately, he came up empty but was quickly searching and diving once again with all his fellow terns. 🙂
Hope you enjoyed and thank you for stopping by!
The Makings of an Osprey Nest
I’ve debated myself on whether to post on this just yet, as those of you who have followed my blog for some time know I’ve been wishing with fingers crossed that a pair of Osprey will find our community’s empty nest platform desirable as a home after our beloved previous Osprey pair, Oliver and Olivia, did not return last year. I don’t want to jinx! BUT since Memorial Day (May 27th) a pair of Osprey appear to have taken possession of the platform and have started making a nest. 🙂
This pair seem to be young and have possibly paired up for the first time this season, evidenced by the late start on finding a home and the inexperience of getting the nest started. Sometimes they’ve looked a bit bewildered at it all! Some of expressions are priceless. It is too late in the season for them to mate, but that’s all in due time next year, now they will bond and work together to protect their new home if they decide to keep it, which so far they are chasing other area Osprey away and acting as if they own it.
This series of photos are not the best in quality but I wanted to share these primarily for my community followers who’ve been as eager as I have, but also to my other followers to share them and the massive smile on my face! 🙂
To start, this Osprey pair have actually been occupying Lippincott’s Channel Marker No. 3 that I can see at a distance off to the left of my balcony for some time. They stayed on that marker most of the time, and then would visit our platform to eat a fish and perch for a while. Back and forth I’ve watched them.
Then several days ago I watched them begin to build a nest on the marker, which is a solid piling, flat on top.
Osprey pair trying to start a nest on Lippincott’s Channel Marker No. 3
Sticks are not staying on the marker
As you can see, the sticks and other nesting materials have fallen or gotten knocked off the channel marker as they’ve landed and departed from the marker. There’s just no room!
May 26 – Our platform is still empty of nesting materials as one visits.
Okay, so where else could they build? They must have had a discussion the evening of May 26. Here’s what I found the next morning on our platform! 🙂
Morning of May 27th
Yes, this’ll work! (female on left, male on right)
As the male shifts some sticks around, three get knocked off into the water.
One of the fallen sticks
The male Osprey looks down at the fallen sticks.
Darn it!
Off to fetch stick #1.
Got it!
Heading back to the platform.
Here I come!
Don’t hit me!
Now stick #2!
Score!
Placing stick in front of female as a gesture of bonding.
And now after stick #3!
Don’t hit me!
Time for a break after that workout!
That series of photos all occurred in just ten minutes. What entertainment they provide! The next morning, the pair rests amongst more sticks!
Platform the next morning, May 28 – More sticks!
May 29 evening
Osprey pair taking a break on channel marker.
The next photo is from this morning. The nest is coming along nicely!
This morning, May 30th
Just before leaving for work this morning, I took another photo to show the work they did in the hour I was getting ready. Interesting architecture!
Flag pole! 🙂
Well, I was hoping it would still be there this evening but the new ‘flag pole’ has disappeared, either it fell or is laying down within the platform.
This evening, May 30th
What entertainment they provide out in the open for us to enjoy so easily! This young Osprey pair are a bit skittish of us, they will fly off if a walker comes along or a lot of movement is occurring on our balconies. So I’ve been trying to photograph from inside through an open slider so they don’t catch a glimpse of me. I want them to stay and be comfortable as they learn to co-habitat with us as Osprey will do.
So can you see the massive smile on my face?!! 🙂 Now, time will tell if they stay or move on. But I am certainly hoping they are here to stay for the season.
I hope you enjoyed, and thanks so much for stopping by!
A Variety of Returning and Resident Birds
The season has changed and so has most of the birds in our area here in the Kent Narrows/Grasonville, Maryland area. It’s disappointing to see some leave but refreshing on the return of so many others! You may have read my last two posts on the return of the Osprey, an entertaining bird and a favorite of mine. Here are random photos of a variety of other birds taken here from my balcony or within our community in the last several weeks. Enjoy!
I saw this pair of visiting Snowy Egrets for three days in a row, along the water inlet behind our community’s tennis courts that I check out frequently. I only photographed them the first day and most of the shots were the same pose, as they were too busy watching something else I couldn’t see. I didn’t want to scare them off and left. These were a treat for me!
Snowy Egret
Also over near the tennis courts are our re-erected Purple Martin houses which are quite busy with activity. I haven’t ventured close to the houses yet for photos but as I sat in my car watching and listening, a pair of female Purple Martins were right above me in a tree singing. I liked that I captured them in a tree instead of their homes and gourds!
Female Purple Martin
Female Purple Martin
A few birds that we see daily……
American Robin on my neighbor’s balcony railing
American Robin
American Robin
Female House Finch
Female House Finch
Common Grackle
Common Grackles gettin’ a suntan
Mourning Dove
Mallard Ducks
- Double-crested Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorants
Double-crested Cormorants
We are not seeing very many American Bald Eagles now, just an occasional by-pass of one or a pair, but they are still around.
Juvenile American Bald Eagle
The Turkey Vulture is also a year-round bird seen daily, but these next photos are unusual to show them landing on our berm along the water. I was lucky to see and catch one landing, who in turn gave me a very nice pose. Check out those feet!
Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture
I captured a different Turkey Vulture a couple weeks later, but this time there’s a reason he landed. He was checking out a large fish that appears someone else had already worked on.
Turkey Vulture checking out a dead fish
I need a little help on this next bird who also perched on our gutter. Is it a female Brown-headed Cowbird? Or maybe a juvenile finch? UPDATE – With the help of fellow bloggers, it’s determined it’s a juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird! Thanks everyone for your ID help!! 🙂
Juvenile Brown-headed Cowbird
Here’s my back-side!
The Green Heron has returned! The first shot was weeks ago at a distance and isn’t very good after cropping. This weekend I spotted one along our berm at low tide during midday so the lighting was terrible. I’ll keep working on getting this one shot better!
Green Heron
Green Heron
Green Heron
Green Heron
Green Heron
We had dinner one evening at Fisherman’s Crab Deck where there is a pond alongside that Mallard ducks flock to beg for you to put a quarter in the duck feed machine for them. They literally sit on the pavement and at the base of the two machines, lol. Camera in hand as usual, I took a few photos. I loved this next one and had to share!
Male Mallard Duck
He’s a happy duck, isn’t he?!! I have a few more bird series to share including our wonderful Great Blue Heron who provides me fantastic poses all the time, a Least Tern fishing, a Red-wing Blackbird chasing a Spotted Sandpiper, the popular Rt 50/301 Osprey where some are laying on eggs, and of course more Osprey photos that I take daily from my balcony, which I’ll post a bit later. I hope you enjoyed these today and thanks as always for stopping by!
Osprey Osprey Everywhere – Part 2
Welcome back to the Osprey! This series of flight photos from the last 6-7 weeks continues my previous post on the resident Osprey in our area, all taken from my third floor balcony. If you didn’t get enough Osprey on the last post, this one will do it. Actually you should beware, this one might put you on Osprey overload! 😉
As I said, Osprey overload! LOL As you can tell, I thoroughly enjoy watching and photographing Osprey. They provide great photo ops as they go about their business and adventures right alongside us humans.
I hope you enjoyed the Osprey through my lens! As always, thank you for stopping by and make it great week!
Osprey Osprey Everywhere – Part 1
For the last eight weeks, the surrounding Chesapeake Bay have welcomed back and been entertained by the Osprey. They are easily sighted if you are in our area around the Kent Narrows waterways in the sky or perched on signs, buoys, channel markers, trees, and man-made nest platforms. We’ve not had a pair of Osprey take residence and build a nest on our nest platform this season, but I witnessed a few attempts. The first on was on April 7th, I shot them through a double-pane window so not to spook or disturb him which caused a focus problem, but it’s proof we’ve enticed interest!
A male Osprey bringing & laying a stick on the platform on April 7th.
Moving the stick around to the ‘perfect spot’.
Oh no! The male Osprey looking over side at the stick that fell off & into the water.
The male Osprey perched for a while after losing his stick. Enough work for that day!
Another day…..
Male Osprey with nesting material on platform on May 3rd. Another Osprey harrassed him & he finally departed with the material.
A third time…..
Osprey arriving with sticks on the platform on May 8th. Another Osprey in the air was harrassing.
The Osprey departed and left the sticks.
A female Osprey returned shortly thereafter, and perched for a few minutes before departing without them. Later that evening, I check the platform and the sticks were gone. 😦
I imagine young Osprey that returned this season are trying to figure out what they are supposed to be doing, maybe trying to entice or impress a mate with their building skills. 🙂
In the meantime, our Oyster Cove platform is a regular perch for the area’s Osprey just as it was last season. And again, the different pairs all think they ‘own’ our platform and at times will fight over who gets to perch on it.
Osprey fighting over platform
When they aren’t chasing each other off, the Osprey perch temporarily to rest, territory watch, sleep, eat, and even mate.
Male Osprey
Male Osprey
Even mated Osprey meet up at the platform for a ‘home away from home’ perch.
Osprey Mates
Osprey Mates (male on left, female on right)
Male Osprey enjoying a meal
Osprey Mates
Osprey Mates
Osprey Mating
Lippincott’s Channel Marker 3 is another perch enjoyed and fought over.
Osprey partners
Osprey mating
The Osprey dines almost exclusively on live fish, often catching its meals by hovering over the water at an altitude of 50 to 200 feet, then diving feetfirst into the water to catch its prey. It is very entertaining to watch them in action. AND very challenging to photograph! Here are a few of my attempts at trying, to show their form and technique.
Osprey in dive-mode
Osprey in dive-mode
Feet-first for the attack
SPLASH!
The Osprey lifts himself back out of the water.
Up, up, up! Was he successful?
Yes!
And he’s off to enjoy his meal!
Another Osprey, another dive…..
Well into his dive, ready to strike.
SPLASH!
Lifting up and out
Another Osprey succeeds!
And he’s off to enjoy his meal as well.
One more time…
Osprey in dive-mode
Lining up for the strike
SPLASH!
It’s amazing to watch them lift out of the water into flight after total submersion!
Wings of strength!
This Osprey came up empty-talon but was successful when he quickly tried again!
Each osprey foot has a reversible front toe, as well as barbs (called spicules), which help it hold onto a slippery fish in flight. And that’s why I’ve never seen an Osprey drop a fish!
I watched two Osprey fishing at the same time and they both snagged a fish quickly. They then flew to each other and swirled around and off together, as if they were celebrating. A mated pair fishing together was a first for me! 🙂
Osprey pair that fished, celebrated, & flew off together. So cool!
It is here I’ll make a stop and finish a Part 2 with lots of Osprey flight photos.
Thank you for your visit, I hope you enjoyed these behavior shots as much as I enjoyed taking and witnessing them. I do love my Osprey!
