Bella & Beau 2019: Splish Splash, Bella Takes a Bath
Osprey nest location: Cambridge, Maryland, Chesapeake Bay Region, USA
July 3, 2019
All seems to continue to run more smoothly this past week in Bella & Beau’s Osprey World Park. No witnessed roller coaster rides, thank goodness!
In Bella & Beau’s last update, I shared one photo from a series of Bella taking a bath right down in front of me. I love it so much, I want to share the full 26-shot series.
If you enjoy watching wildlife of any species delight in taking a bath, whether in the wild or at the zoo, I am sure you will adore seeing beautiful Bella during hers.
(Click on the first photo to run through the series in time order, photos will also enlarge.)
Bella takes a bath
Bella takes a refreshing bath in the creek
I’m photographing the nest when I see the chicks up and about to try to capture their growth and changes that continue to occur to share in the next post.
Here’s a pretty sneak-peak shot before ending.
While heading out on our boat yesterday early afternoon, I snapped this as we passed Bella and her chicks.
Bella and her two chicks (approx. 4 to 4 1/2 weeks old)
The above photo gives a good look at an Osprey chick’s eye color. They are presently reddish-orange in color as a juvenile. When the juveniles return from their South America winter migration at age two, their eyes will be bright yellow in color like their parents.
More to come showing those teenagers’ growth! Would you believe they will be flying before July ends?!!
Wildlife Comedy: American Robin “Gangster”
My American Robin buddy playing “gangster” on me.
“You got something to say to me?”
“Oh, you wanna take this outside?”
I think he’s got the “tuff-stuff” down pat!
Bella & Beau 2019: The Good, The Bad, and The Sad
Osprey nest location: Cambridge, Maryland, Chesapeake Bay Region, USA
June 27, 2019
Bella & Beau’s last update was such an upbeat post with the three chicks looking healthy and their nest receiving a surprise toy stuffed animal to complete their ‘nursery’.
Unfortunately, things have taken a few turns.
I know Bella’s different loud calls. I can crack my slider balcony door just a bit when I’m intent on listening, and bop out on cue.
After the last post, I was home all the next day and able to watch Bella, Beau, and the nest, thinking how neat to post on what a full day with the Osprey family would be like.
And as usual, Bella woke us up calling for fish at sunrise that morning. Shortly thereafter, Beau must have delivered a fish, as Bella quit calling; and she and the chicks were quiet and content until about 9:00 a.m. That’s when Bella started calling for Fish #2.
Bella crying for fish
After a while of Bella’s calling, I stepped out and tried to locate where Beau was perched but couldn’t find him, and Bella wasn’t giving me any signs of her seeing/looking at him while she called.
Bella called and called.
After five LONG hours of begging, I finally heard Bella’s cry that said Beau was incoming with a fish. I stepped outside, and sure enough, he was flying towards the nest with a fish in his talons.
Beau enroute to the nest with a fish
From where I didn’t see, but a pair of intruding Osprey quickly appeared and Beau flew to the nearby water tower where he stayed perched with his fish.
Intruding Osprey harassing Beau with his fish for the nest
Bella watching the action while the chicks chirp for the food that Momma said was coming
Beau made it known loudly he wasn’t giving up his fish or perch. Eventually the intruding Osprey departed the area; yet Beau refused for the next hour to bring the fish to the nest, no matter how loud Bella cried and stared at him.
The three chicks are hungry
Beau did not deliver that fish. He stayed on the water tower, and the fish soon disappeared. I guess he ate it.
Bella is not happy
It’s now 3:26 pm, with almost another hour having passed. Bella suddenly took flight from the nest and plunged herself into the creek and proceeded to take a bath. She pulled up from the water and plunged three more times, once right in front of me. I could see another chick’s poop mishap had doused her pretty good. I’d want it off too!
Bella taking a refreshing, cleansing bath
A wet Bella returned to the nest and immediately resumed crying for fish.
I don’t know what Bella said with that last crying. Suddenly, Beau left the tower, flew towards the nest, and actually started fishing the creek. He dived quickly and caught one, circled around to head back to the nest, and, you’re not going to believe this, accidentally dropped the fish back into the creek.
Beau then flew to a sailboat mast and perched. Looking at Bella, I gathered she couldn’t believe it. She just sat and stared in Beau’s direction.
Beau perched after dropping fish in creek
Bella looks at Beau in disbelief
Beau perched after dropping fish Bella looks at Beau in disbelief of what just happened
Another three hours pass. Beau had disappeared from my sight. The chicks hadn’t eaten since shortly after sunrise.
Bella had had enough. At 6:17 p.m., I caught a glimpse of Bella taking flight from the nest and watched her fly to the direction of the Choptank River.
Bella leaves the nest to go fishing while the chicks lay low
I still couldn’t find Beau perched anywhere, so I was a bit nervous. Was he on nest-watch duty and I just couldn’t see him? It was early evening. Other raptors and owls are on the prowl for their next meal.
Bella was gone for six LONG minutes. When I saw her coming, I was so relieved. And happy! I could see Bella had a large fish.
Bella lands with the day’s long overdue Fish #2 meal
The three chicks were unquestionably hungry. They were pushing, trying to get in close position to Bella, chirping loudly “fish fish fish”.
The three chicks are pushing and shoving, trying to be the closest to Momma Bella and that long-awaited fish.
Bella begins feeding the chicks.
Notice the size difference of the three chicks.
The youngest chick usually hangs back and allows the two older chicks to be fed first. It’s safer. But this time he was just as hungry and didn’t wait.
Sibling rivalry can be detrimental when they are hungry.
The oldest chick roughly attacked the youngest several times into submission. The middle chick wasn’t spared either; but it was the youngest that really took a beating that time.
Sibling rivalry over food
Eventually, the oldest chick was filled and fell back to rest. Bella fed the other two chicks with what was left.
Beau, in the meantime, had flown from out of nowhere over to a sailboat mast and had watched over the feeding event. He was probably close by all along, watching over the nest when Bella flew to the river for the fish. For some unknown reason, Beau obviously had an ‘off’ day on his fish duty. He needed to keep up the pace on fish.
So Bella got that last fish herself at 6:17 pm. At 7:19 pm, Beau dove from the sailboat mast into the creek. I didn’t see him try to go in flight as I rushed to grab my camera. I found him swimming to the marina’s bank across the creek.
Beau swam to the marina creek’s edge with a huge fish and climbed up on the rocks.
Close-up of Beau resting with the huge fish.
Beau then began eating the head of the fish.
Beau kept sliding back into the water from the slippery rocks, so he climbed higher.
Suddenly, Beau stops, looks, and listens. He and I both hear Bella calling him.
Beau slid back into the water and tried to start taking flight.
Beau kept trying to lift off alongside the length of the dock.
Beau still trying to get up in the air with that huge fish.
A wet Beau makes it airborne……without the fish.
Beau flew past Bella and the nest and off into the distance.
Bella watched Beau the whole time, including him losing that fish and flying off into the distance.
The sun set. There were no more fish deliveries that day. It had turned into a bad day for Bella, Beau, and family. It certainly wasn’t what I anticipated in sharing a day in the life of the Osprey.
Beau’s fish deliveries are better now, but something wasn’t right for a couple days. I saw Bella fish a couple times herself in the creek for a quick, small fish for the nest. I always saw her share it too with the chicks, even though I knew it wasn’t even enough nourishment for just her.
That long day was followed by a couple days of severe storms, high winds, and heavy downpours, causing some damage to the nest.
First storm approaching Bella and chicks – June 17, 2019
First storm was full of lightning and strong winds.
When the first violent thunderstorm’s downpour and strong winds hit us on the evening of June 17th, I was worried for Bella and the chicks. I opened my door and took a couple quick shots of Bella and the nest. That’s when I saw the toy stuffed animal was missing. It was there before the storm slammed us.
Bella covering her three babies best she can as the torrential rains and winds hit.
The next morning I was very happy to see three chicks. I searched the waters but didn’t find the toy. It was cute in the nest while it lasted, wasn’t it?
(Side note: I shared a few photos of Bella and her toy stuffed animal on Facebook at MD Birding and Friends of Blackwater NWR. In addition to my blog ‘likes’ from all of you and over 200 views to date, the two Facebook posts also received 487 ‘likes’ and 163 shares to date. WOW, Bella & Beau really had their moment of fame! I had contacted our local WBOC news station to do a feel-good wildlife story and was disappointed I never even heard from them.)
So that first storm took our beloved toy away. A couple more days of the same type of storms passed through.
Another evening, another storm with heavy rains and winds.
And the next morning after each, I would check and be happy to find Bella and the three chicks ready for another meal.
June 20, 2019 – Bella’s head buried in preening and her three chicks
The morning of June 21st, we left for a last minute, three-day getaway. The storms had finally passed and it was to be a nice, although a high-wind weekend, with 20+ mph winds expected most of Saturday. I took a photo of the three chicks, not the greatest, but for my records, while we hustled out the door. (They don’t cooperate when you want them too!)
June 21, 2019 – Bella and her three chicks
We returned the afternoon of June 23rd. I checked on Bella and the nest. I checked it again….and again….and again, up until sunset. I was only seeing just two chicks each time.
The next day confirmed what I feared. One chick was missing. Whether it was blown off, or knocked off by sibling rivalry, or severely injured in a sibling attack, or not being able to get enough to eat, would be some of my guesses. It is sad to accept, but accept we must.
The good news is it seems Beau is back on track delivering fish. And Bella still doesn’t give Beau any slack in her demanding.
The two remaining chicks look healthy and are growing like weeds.
There is a noticeable difference in size and pin feather growth between the two. Enough that makes me think Chick #2 was lost.
Youngest chick chirping for food but still hanging back while the oldest chick is fed.
Here’s a great profile of the two chicks showing their crops full after being fed.
Another profile shot with those full crops.
The youngest chick finally getting his feeding after the oldest collapses full.
Another sweet shot!
The oldest is being fed again while the youngest hangs back to watch and wait his turn.
The youngest getting braver on not waiting.
Hopefully, things will stay the course now for Bella, Beau, and their two remaining chicks.
That’ll end this update of mixed news. I’ll leave you with some pretty sunset shots of Bella and Beau from the last couple days.
Bella at sunset
Beau and ‘his’ tower aglow with the same sunset.
Last night’s sunset had a unique bonus cloud.
Bella and her nest are on the left over the creek’s glow.
Wildlife Comedy: Canada Goose
Capturing the beauty of wildlife is what we strive.
Sometimes a capture result can end up giving us a giggle.
Canada Geese are a good subject for that, whenever they get in their loud “honking” stance warning off others, they can look a bit comical, stretching that neck and waggling that tongue.
“She Is Mine!”
Silly goose!
American Robin: Proud Profile
The American Robin chicks have grown and should be flying now. Their parents are still around, singing their songs and possibly preparing for a “Round 2” brood.
One favorite perch is a sailboat mast directly out in front of my balcony. We’re almost at the same level, eye to eye.
“Singing Cheerfully”
“Proud”
You might see a few more of this handsome fella this season. I think we’ve become buddies!
Bella & Beau 2019: Three Healthy Chicks and A Toy Story Delight
Osprey nest location: Cambridge, Maryland, Chesapeake Bay Region, USA
June 15, 2019
A week has passed and it appears that all three of Bella & Beau’s chicks are healthy and thriving. Their growth has been amazing already!
June 6, 2019
June 10, 2019
June 6, 2019 June 10, 2019
Hello World – June 15, 2019
“I’m hungry, Mom”
“I’m hungry, Mom”
Their beige downy feathers are all but gone and little pin feathers have begun to grow. The oldest two are beginning to sport the golden color at the back of their head already.
I did fret a bit with the heavy rains and strong, cool winds that overtook our area several times. Bella did her best to cover all three chicks to keep them warm and as dry as possible.
Not good conditions for three newborn chicks trying to stay warm and dry
And with their flourishing growth, Bella has done an excellent job to date!
Before I get on with the past week’s photos, I’ve got a toy story to share first.
Toy story?
I wish, I wish, I WISH I had seen this new nesting material addition being delivered! It was not present April 11th, and I was out of town all of the 12th til late night. Early morning April 13th I saw something odd on the nest alongside Bella.
My first notice of an odd object in the nest
(Bella had just returned from a bath)
I couldn’t make it out. I could see something fluttering and thought, geez no, not another plastic bag.
Early the next morning checking out the nest with my binoculars, Bella was renovating, and I noticed the odd thing had been moved.
What is that thing?
Forty minutes later, I checked on the nest; and the object had been moved again.
Hmmmmmm……
And then literally, after retrieving a cup of coffee, it was moved again! I couldn’t believe I was missing Bella moving it around.
Ah-ha!
A child’s toy stuffed animal! Oh my goodness!! Here’s a grainy cropped shot.
Kitty Cat or Teddy Bear, maybe?
And that is where the toy stuffed animal is resting now. No more movements, thank goodness. Here’s more shots from yesterday and today.
Bella from ground level
Hello World from way up here!
Beautiful Bella
I first thought it was a “Hello Kitty” brand toy, but it’s not. I do think it’s either a kitty cat or a teddy bear. Any other ideas or does anyone recognize (or are missing!) this toy stuffed animal?
I was quite excited to share this, although it’ll now be a worry that the chicks will peck at it later. We’ll wait until we come to that bridge. It’s possible it may not stay in the nest for long and fall out.
Okay, now let’s continue with Bella & Beau’s week. You’re privy now on why you’re seeing an odd nest object in the last few days’ photos. J
Fish is on the menu! Three hungry chicks plus Bella means one busy, busy Beau.
Bella crying for Beau’s attention
Bella crying for Beau’s attention
Bella crying for Beau’s attention – “We need fish!”
Beau is doing his best I guess, but I do feel for Bella crying, sometimes for an hour or more. Keep at it, Beau, you can do this!
Beau incoming with fish
Beau incoming with fish
Beau incoming with fish
Beau incoming with fish
Beau enroute to the nest with a fish right over me!
Fish means eating time. Line up everyone!
Bella’s thinking, “What have Beau & I done?!!”
With Beau having the busy chore of constant fishing, Bella has ramped up helping to retrieve nesting materials and renovating. The only concern, she is sometimes leaving the nest for 1-5 minutes when Beau is not there, which leaves the exposed chicks to aerial predators.
Bella breaking off a stick
Bella with nesting materials, looking at me
Bella with nesting materials
Beau with stick
Beau landing with stick
Beau going to renovate the stick
Bella starting to take notice
Does Bella like Beau’s stick placement?
Bella with stick
Bella with stick
Bella with nesting material
Bella with stick late evening
I am constantly witnessing an Osprey intruder trying to land on the nest, at times when just Bella is there, other times when both Bella & Beau are present. It does not look like an attack, just a visit so-to-speak. Of course, Bella & Beau will not allow a landing.
Osprey intruder trying to land
Bella puts up her defense guard
The Osprey intruder aborts the landing
Bella stands strong as the Osprey intruder departs
Bella vs. Osprey Intruder
I wish I had photos, but I actually witnessed Bella attacking a Great Blue Heron who was just flying down the creek and got a little too close to the nest while in flight. Bella was off the nest in a flash, hit the Great Blue Heron with her talons, and they both went into the water. Both recovered quickly and took flight, Bella back to the nest, and the Great Blue Heron flying away, squawking his unpleasantries!
Then, of course, the Double-breasted Cormorants still drive Bella & Beau batty.
Bella spots the Cormorant and starts for it
Bella enroute to attack the Cormorant
Cormorant sees Bella and dives
Bella’s talons are ready to strike
Bella vs. Cormorant
Back to the chicks! All three have already learned a bit about Osprey life. They know they are required to poop over the top edge of the nest. That’s still a work in progress at times.
“I’m backing up!” “Wait, I need to move!”
“HEY!! MOM!!!”
“I hope it rains later….”
Poop Mishap
Sibling rivalry has already begun too.
Kid fight!
Bella’s look is priceless!
Kid fight!
The three chicks are very curious about their world outside those sticks now. They walk around, using their wings to help navigate their huge feet around the nesting cup, peering up and over Mom Bella’s border wall that she continues to try to raise to keep them within.
“Hmmmm….Wonder what that is up there?”
“Whoa, it’s a long ways down there!”
Bella asks, “Okay, who messed on me?”
“Not me!” all three chicks said innocently.
One chick is already flapping and stretching its little wings
Finally, a couple flight shots of Bella & Beau….
Beau in flight
Beau in flight
Bella in flight
And two sunsets from this past week that calmed down some of the weather and Osprey excitement…..
All is quiet at sunset – June 11, 2019
All is quiet at sunset – June 15, 2019
What an amazing week!! 😊
Canada Geese Mating
Making a lot of splashing noise, I started watching and photographing a pair of Canada Geese.
Canada Geese splashing
The splashing was a sign of mating.
And, sure enough, there was a heated moment.
Canada Geese mating
Canada Geese mating
And just as quick, it was over.
“Happy Ending”
Canada Geese mate for life and remain together year-round. What a beautiful commitment!
Blue Dasher & Muskrat Combo
While hanging around the boat docks with the Barn Swallows, I’ve also been trying my luck at the numerous dragonflies and damselflies that hunt the embankment.
Kudos to all you excellent insect photographers, these are not easy! Quite frankly, after a ton of takes over several days, I scored only two shots of the Blue Dasher dragonfly.
Blue Dasher “Smiling”
Blue Dasher
They were shot with a 70-200mm telephoto lens and 1.7 teleconverter combo from about 4-5 feet. I need to go back and work on these some more.
My “unusual combo” title also mentioned a Muskrat.
Yep, I had one come out from under the dock I was standing on while taking these dragonfly shots; it crossed the creek to swim alongside the bulkhead on the other side.
For over a month now, I’ve watched a muskrat going back and forth along the creek. I’ve finally gotten some great shots of him/her up close, with this one displaying a beautiful water-play of reflections.
Muskrat
“Study nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.”
— Frank Lloyd Wright
Bella & Beau 2019: One, Two, Three – Cute As Can Be
Osprey nest location: Cambridge, Maryland, Chesapeake Bay Region, USA
June 9, 2019
A week has passed since the last update, and it’s exciting to report Chick #1 now has two siblings!
All three chicks lined up for a feeding
Three Hungry Chicks
Bella & Beau checking out their new chicks.
Beau (left) & Bella looking at their three chicks
Beau (left) & Bella looking at their three chicks
Beau (left) & Bella looking at their three chicks
Beau seems to give more looks of surprise, the looks are priceless.
Beau checking out the chicks.
The chicks amaze Beau.
“We had three???”
Since the hatchings, Bella has become the full-time incubator and chick feeder, only taking breaks to exercise or wash, before being back to the nest in a flash.
Beau always seems nervous and bewildered when she goes. He’ll glance at the chicks but keeps his eye on Bella the most. What is he supposed to do?
Beau keeping eye on Bella while he ‘babysits’.
“Come back, Bella!”
“Come back, Bella!”
I am most sure Beau would rather be fishing, right?! Of course, Beau now has to step up his game on quantity and size to feed Bella and three very hungry chicks.
Beau’s fish have indeed been been coming in bigger, and many with the head still attached. Beau will have to find his nourishment inbetween runs best he can.
This specific instance, Beau was enroute with a fish and had to chase an Osprey intruder away before delivering it to Bella. Talk about doing two things at once! Go, Beau!
Beau chasing an intruder with a fish in his talons.
Beau finally delivers the fish after successfully chasing the intruder away.
Another fish delivery….
Beau landing with a fish and Bella taking it aggressively.
Beau landing with a fish and Bella taking it aggressively.
Beau landing with a fish and Bella taking it aggressively.
Beau landing with a fish and Bella taking it aggressively.
Beau landing with a fish and Bella taking it aggressively.
Beau landing with a fish and Bella taking it aggressively.
Beau landing with a fish and Bella taking it aggressively.
Beau landing with a fish and Bella taking it aggressively.
Poor Beau!
Beau delivering a fish and Bella aggressively taking it
Bella will feed herself first, hungrily devouring the head and gills. She then begins feeding the chicks the meatier portions in small bites.
Three mouths to feed
Feeding Time
Feedings easily last 20-30 minutes. Although Chick #1 is the biggest and most aggressive to grab the offered bites, Chick #2 is right in there alongside #1, getting his share. Chick #3 is hanging back, sometimes not even up and trying, letting the older ones get their fill first. But after a couple minutes, #3 tries to get in there for a bite. Bella is awesome, ensuring #3 is getting his share too! It can be very tough for the third chick to survive if food is scarce, even more so if any Osprey has four chicks.
After delivering, Beau gets out of the way, perching on the wood block until the feedings are done. His job is to keep his eye to the sky for any intruders, alarming when necessary.
Beau alarming a pair of Osprey intruders.
Beau got Bella’s attention to help watch the Osprey intruders.
Beau alarming an intruder
We still have numerous Osprey flying overhead often, agitating Bella and Beau to no end.
Osprey intruder harrassing Bella & Beau.
Osprey intruder harrassing Bella & Beau.
Osprey intruder harrassing Bella & Beau.
Osprey intruder harrassing Bella & Beau.
Bella & Beau watch the intruder move on.
Bella mantles over her chicks while she & Beau warn intruders
Beau would prefer to have a rest and scratch an itch, which always feels good.
Beau scratching an itch.
Beau scratching an itch.
“That feels better.”
Beau scratching an itch
While shooting the Barn Swallows around our marina, I can still see Bella & Beau’s nest, although it is at a distance farther than my balcony.
It was then an awesome photo-op moment occurred. From the marina docks, I watched Beau fly to the nest with a fish. Bella didn’t jump up like she always does, screaming and grabbing.
She just ignored him and stayed incubating.
Bella ignoring Beau’s fish delivery
Bella must have told Beau to “Shhhhh…the babies are sleeping, go!”
I watched Beau take flight and fly directly towards and past me…..
Beau in flight with a fish
And then he landed atop a sailboat mast six boat slips from where I stood.
Beau preparing to land on a sailboat mast
“Touchdown!”
He seemed to be worried with something or someone behind him that I couldn’t see.
And then just as quickly, Beau took flight again and flew off towards the water tower where I imagine he either ate the fish or waited with it for Bella to call when time.
Beau departing the sailboat mast
Talk about a right place, right time moment. It being Beau made it more special!
Starting today, we had and are due several days of rain showers. Wet Springs are detrimental to recently born Osprey. The female parent must try to keep them warm and dry best she can, and delay feedings if possible to not expose the fragile chicks to the extremes.
We’re sure Bella will do her absolute best during these rough times.
I’ll end with a comical series with Beau trying to help out with more nesting materials. Bella gave Beau some looks, she is known to prefer to arrange her nest herself.
Beau taking stick to nest.
Beau landing.
Beau arranging his stick.
Bella watching where Beau is putting it.
Bella’s thinking, no not there!
Bella ignores Beau, she’ll move it later. 🙂
And a shot of beautiful Mama Bella.
Bella taking a break on a warmer day, giving the chicks some fresh air.
Barn Swallows
With their aerial acrobatics, Barn Swallows are not easy to photograph, but I keep trying.
Fortunately, by our boat slip where they’re nesting underneath the docks, they will cooperate and pose nicely.
Barn Swallows
Sunny mornings and evenings, there are more photo ops than imaginable.
“Fluff-Up”
“Dock Line Swaying”
“Just Chillin’ in the Breeze”
“Blue Beauty”
Cool Fact: Barn Swallows are the most widespread of all Swallow species — they’re found on every continent except Antarctica.
Bay Photos by Donna 