Osprey Rejuvenation
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The Osprey are back to the Chesapeake Bay region, reclaiming their nest locations and reconnecting with their mates. Osprey mate for life, and it’s been exciting to see so many pairs already reunited. Last September 2022 was worrisome; we had seven named storms, including two major hurricanes, Fiona and Ian, that migrating east coast Ospreys had to survive.
The Osprey typically leave the Chesapeake Bay region late August through September, with the female departing first. Each flies alone thousands of miles to South America for the winter.
There they live alone, enjoying the tropical vacation single life of fishing and relaxing until late February, when the instinct to return home to breed kicks in.
Most times we see the male arrive first. His mission is to hightail it back to make sure he repossesses the nest location before his lady returns usually within days to a couple weeks.
Osprey arrive home looking ragged, thin, and exhausted for good reason. The thousands of miles just completed was challenging and in most cases nonstop into storms, high winds, and other hazardous situations.
Depending on the exact departure over the Caribbean Sea that all east coast Osprey must take, their flight includes a grueling 400-700 mile over-water flight that takes 27-40 hours, forcing the additional risk of night-time travel.
Just a little info. 😉 Now on with a gratifying photo series of what helps begin the Osprey’s rejuvenation, a bath!
I happened upon this female Osprey, who had reconnected with her mate just days prior at the first nest platform on the left when entering Eastern Neck NWR.
She was standing in the water, the male up on the platform watching me pull up. I took a couple shots from my car window and moved on to leave her be.
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Osprey (female)
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Eleven minutes later I passed back by and found her still in the water, but now she was taking one of her much needed feather-maintenance baths!
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Female Osprey taking a bath
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When finished, she took flight.
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When processing the next photo, I zoomed in to take a good look at her tail feathers, seeing several missing.
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It was then that I noticed some bling on her right leg.
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That last shot was as far back my body would turn from the car window, so I missed the shake-off! As I pulled away, I watched her circle around, fly up, and land next to her mate.
As to the leg band, knowing it was probably a slim chance, I reported the three numbers I could read (692) and sent high-res photos for review, including the small letters underneath unreadable.
I just heard back the small letters are important in identifying the bander to move forward with the numbers, and they couldn’t read the letters either. If I should obtain more photos over the course of the summer, I can resubmit with a report number.
Sounds like a plan! 😉
By the way….Welcome home, Osprey! We missed ya!
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Orange-crowned Warbler
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The Orange-crowned Warbler breeds in the western U.S. and Canada, and migrates to the southern states and Mexico for the winter.
Considered rare for our region per eBird, an Orange-crowned Warbler was spotted recently at Eastern Neck NWR at the end of Duck Inn Trail.
I didn’t have a lot of time and hit the 1/2 mile one-way trail with my binoculars, long lens, and fingers crossed.
When I got to the end, I searched for 30 minutes in a chilly wind. No sign of the warbler or anything else for that matter. I disappointingly decided to head back to my car. Maybe it was no longer there.
So while walking back, yeah my mind was talking. I was disappointed. But should I have given up just yet? It wasn’t that cold (well, maybe). And what if it is still there. This is a lifer for me, I reminded myself.
I stopped, turned around, and looked back down that path leading through the marsh grasses and trees.
That’s all it took. (And how a birder’s mind thinks! 🤣) Yes, I started walking back to the end to look some more!
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“Well, there you are! You were watching me all along, weren’t you?” 🙂
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Orange-crowned Warbler – My lifer #294 (photographed #273)
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I saw movement and then saw the warbler fly across the path in front of me and land on a branch. It then took off again, flitting back and forth, from tree branch to tree branch. I kept clicking away, hoping for a good shot. What a tease!
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Orange-crowned Warbler
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This little warbler does have an orange crown that it displays when very excited. I guess I didn’t excite it that much, ha! But I know it excited me when I saw it!
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Great Blue Heron
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I hadn’t seen one of the refuge’s year-round resident, a Great Blue Heron, since February 1st. Someone else at the refuge mentioned they, too, hadn’t seen it for quite a while either.
Two days ago, I was elated to find it back, fishing in one of its favorite ponds.
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Great Blue Heron
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Great Blue Heron
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Sunrise Over Shipyard Creek
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Good Morning! I couldn’t decide which panorama was prettier for this sunrise share.
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Turning slightly right and taking another shot, catching the light where the creek leads out.
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“Saw the sun rise.
A lovely apricot sky
with flames in it
and then solemn pink.
Heavens, how beautiful…
I feel so full of love to-day
after having seen the sun rise.”
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Raptors Perched in Trees
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Another post sharing different raptors perched in trees, taking in the big views!
Winter provides the best opportunities with all those bare branches, so I’ve had some great chances the past couple months, making this post even better for side-by-side comparing. 🙂
We’ll start with…..Guess who’s back?? 🤗
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Osprey (male)
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American Kestrel (female)
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Red-tailed Hawk
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Cooper’s Hawk
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Red-shouldered Hawk
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Turkey Vulture
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Black Vulture
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Peregrine Falcon
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Bald Eagle
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Bald Eagle (immature)
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Bald Eagle
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I think I need a bumper sticker that says, “I Brake For Raptors” 😏
(All photos in this post were taken at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, Rock Hall, Maryland)
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1-2-3 Medium Bird Jubilee – #15
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Hooray for the medium-sized birds!
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American Robin
Length 7.9-11.0 inches (20-28 cm)
Weight 2.7-3.0 oz (77-85 g)
Wingspan 12.2-15.8 inches (31-40 cm)
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Blue Jay
Length 9.8-11.8 inches (25-30 cm)
Weight 2.5-3.5 oz (70-100 g)
Wingspan 13.4-16.9 inches (34-43 cm)
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Belted Kingfisher (female)
Length 11.0-13.8 inches (28-35 cm)
Weight 4.9-6.0 oz (140-170 g)
Wingspan 18.9-22.8 inches (48-58 cm)
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Killdeer
Length 7.9-11.0 inches (20-28 cm)
Weight 2.6-4.5 oz (75-128 g)
Wingspan 18.1-18.9 inches (46-48 cm)
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Northern Cardinal (female)
Length 8.3-9.1 inches (21-23 cm)
Weight 1.5-1.7 oz (42-48 g)
Wingspan 9.8-12.2 inches (25-31 cm)
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Northern Cardinal (male)
Length 8.3-9.1 inches (21-23 cm)
Weight 1.5-1.7 oz (42-48 g)
Wingspan 9.8-12.2 inches (25-31 cm)
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2023 Winter Scenes at Eastern Neck NWR
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Here are my favorites of several scenes that caught my eye while venturing with nature at Eastern Neck NWR these past few months. Be prepared for several sunrises, my favorite time to start my visit. 😊
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Another morning…..
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A final sunrise shot 😊
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I hope you enjoyed seeing one of the places I love to go and photograph the birds I share with you.
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Five On The Wing – #34
Continuing my series of five bird species captured in flight!
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Ring-billed Gull
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Buffleheads (females)
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Wood Duck (male)
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Snow Geese
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Canada Geese
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Canada Geese taking flight
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1-2-3 Birds and Berries – #5
It’s about time to share more bird captures with berries as an added bonus in the composition!
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American Robin
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Yellow-rumped Warbler
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White-throated Sparrow
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Chipping Sparrow
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Northern Mockingbird
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European Starling
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Farewell Tundra Swan
Sharing a final post this season on the elegant Tundra Swans, I’m thinking no one will mind that.
These gorgeous swans are presently departing our region and beginning their long trek home to the Arctic tundra where they will breed and live directly on the ice.
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What a joy to see and listen to these huge birds as they live on the Chesapeake Bay and it’s tributaries for the winter.
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Tundra Swan at sunrise
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A tiny male Bufflehead leads the flock!
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At 16-23 pounds and a wingspan of 66 inches (168 cm), to see them fly by in close range is astounding.
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Parents and their youngster
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When they are 2-3 years old, Tundra Swans will pair up for life. When they migrate south for the winter, they travel with their season’s young in large flocks. The family will stay together and return back to the arctic together, where the young will venture to flocks of other non-breeding swans until they reach breeding age, while their parents prepare to breed again.
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Family of Three
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Family of Six
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It just so happened the two sets of families above were headed for a head-on collision, with no one wanting to change course.
Then the ruckus began….
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Lots of bickering
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Ouch! A youngster from the 3-family attacked a youngster from the 5-family
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A quick get-away from an angered parent
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The Classic “Goosing”
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All settled quickly as the 3-Family decided to change course and go behind the 5-family to pass on by.
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One of the parents of the 3-Family still had to flex it’s wings for the win
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while the 5-Family could care less, lol
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One of the youngsters had to follow with its own wing stretch
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A few more of my favorite photos….
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Tundra Swan, Snow Geese, Canada Goose
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Bay Photos by Donna 