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The Story of DDT
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Bald Eagles Visit Nest
Ospreyzone Highlights: May 21-29, 2020
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OspreyZone Yankee
March 18, 2016 Timelapse
The Summer of 2015 by GinaM
Osprey Rescue Extended - July 30, 2015
Osprey Zone Highlights - June 28, 2015
Osprey Zone Highlights - June 19, 2015
osprey 07/11/15 squirt
First Sighting
George and Gracie's First Baby
Eggs Over Easy
Changing of the Guard
Breakfast is Served
Upgrading
Feeding Time
First Love
Let's Hang Out
Hard to Get
Little Brother
Intruder
Dinner is Served
OspreyZone Montage
OspreyZone Highlights: George Returns
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Belle’s Journey
Written by Dr. Rob Bierregaard & Illustrated by Kate Garchinsky
Take flight with Belle, an osprey born on Martha’s Vineyard as she learns to fly and migrates for the first time to Brazil and back–a journey of more than 8,000 miles.
IMPORTANT: Messages from osprey experts
I haven’t seen the little guy yet this morning, but I would be very surprised if he survived the night. That sure was tough to watch yesterday, but that whole process is as much a part of the essence of being an Osprey as is eating a fish. It’s part of the life of Ospreys that was rarely seen before we started putting cameras in nests. As hard as it is, we should not label the behavior as mean or cruel. Being mean or cruel implies that there is intent to do harm just for harm’s sake. Those young were responding to a set of stimuli (very little food being delivered to the nest and the presence of a very small young) in a way that evolution has hard-wired into them. It helps ensure their survival. Nature is not cruel. It is harsh, unforgiving, and often random (had the little guy been born 1st, he would have been just as aggressive as was his sibling), but not cruel or mean.
Paul Henry ospreyzone July 1, 2015 at 8:17 am
Thanks Rob for bringing your knowledge and experience to help us all gain perspective here. We are all saddened by the events that unfolded before our eyes and it’s only natural for all of us to feel and express our emotions appropriately. There have been many issues pertaining to intervention which have been discussed amongst us all. There is no doubt in my mind that the right decision was made, to let nature take it’s course. By the way, that doesn’t equate to heartless, on the contrary, nobody feels worse about this then the apparent decision makers. I say apparent, because when all was said and done, and all the issues were properly weighed, there really weren’t any other options. It was clearly pointed out, by experts, that intervening at this stage could have spooked the whole nest to the point of losing all the young. If the little one was saved, and nursed back to health, what kind of a life would it have had, perhaps caged up in a zoo. I remember when I was younger I saw a golden eagle in captivity, caged behind a wire mesh. I could practically see it’s tears. As far as placing the little one in another nest, such a low probability of success would never have justified the possibility of spooking the nest. There’s a piece of me, however heavy hearted, that believes that perhaps it is better to be born free and die free. We mourn for the little one as we marvel at the wonders of nature.
Hello Paul,
Thanks for your query, and you have my admiration for persevering. We know very well how tough your job is, including dealing with an anxious public.
Our policy with our Bird Cams project is essentially “just say no” to pleas for interference. The behavior you are witnessing – while seemingly cruel and heartless to us – is natural for many kinds of birds, especially those that feed on variable, unpredictable food supplies. The little nestling does have a chance to survive, but if it does not then that result was “meant to be” by the nature of Osprey breeding strategy. The wonderful things about these nest cameras also sometimes yield the difficult things for us to watch. As you might know, we actually post a “siblicide alert” on some of our cams where we suspect the possibility exists.
I’m copying your note to Charles Eldermire, project leader for our Bird Cams. He may have some additional comments, and he would be the one to ask if we might be able to use your stored files for biological analysis.
Best wishes, and good luck,
John W. Fitzpatrick
Director, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
It’s also important to acknowledge that intervening can also cause problems of its own—depending on the ages of the birds in the nest, disturbing them can trigger an early fledge. We have restricted the scenarios in which we would even consider intervening to injuries or dangers that are explicitly human-derived. For example, 3 or 4 years ago we were alerted by viewers that one of the osprey chicks at the Hellgate Osprey nest was entangled in monofilament line. We consulted with our partners there (wildlife biologists, raptor researchers, raptor rehabbers) to determine if the monofilament was an issue, and if intervening was both likely to solve the issue AND not have bad effects on the other nestlings. In the end, a quick trip to the nest was scheduled via a bucket truck, the monofilament was removed, and the nestlings all eventually fledged. In that case, all of the permits were already in hand to be studying the ospreys, and we had already discussed how to approach issues in the nest.
Good luck to the young one—hope it all turns out well.
charles.
*******************
Charles Eldermire
Bird Cams Project Leader
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
I’ve been to your site—great cam! And I noticed the runt in the nest. This is just normal Osprey reproduction. It happens all the time and you should not intervene. It’s tough to watch, but it’s how nature works. Ospreys almost always lay 3 eggs and on average fledge between 1 and 1.5 young each year. They stagger the hatch so there is a spread of ages in the young. That way, if food is short, the first-hatched (and therefore largest) will get enough food to survive while the smaller nest mates do not. If all three young were the same size and there was only enough food for 1 young, none of the young would get enough food and they would all die. If there’s lots of food, the smallest will eventually get fed and can survive. These nest cams can show some gut-wrenching scenes. The most infamous perhaps was one of the very first Osprey cams (on Long Island somewhere), where the smallest young died. One of the adults carried it out of the nest and after several minutes flew back into the nest and fed it to the other young. Waste-not-want-not at its goriest. At Hog Island up in Maine just last week a Bald Eagle came in and took the young out of the nest. Last year at another nest, cameras documented a Great-horned Owl taking young Ospreys out of a nest in NJ or MD. All of these things have been going on for millions of years and Ospreys are doing fine.
Rob Bierregaard
Academy of Natural Sciences
Drexel University
http://www.ospreytrax.com
Hi folks…….. I sincerely hope everyone had a great, safe 4th of July! I’ve been peeking at our family every so often—not everyday though. But when I do, it’s like WOW! That little one is growing like a weed. And I read that Betsy said that our ‘baby’ is a whole 4 weeks old today! Happy Birthday to you little one! Congratulations!! May our baby have many, many more birthdays to come. Bless his/her heart……… Stay safe osprey family, especially our baby. Take care everyone.
First tuning in at 9:40am. Everyone seems to be doing well and resting with full crops. It is amazing to me how they change overnight. All the new feathers coming in and they are all getting very attentive to their surroundings. This is so amazing!
Another fairly large fish at 8:25am EST. Looks like little was well fed.
Look how dark Rocky’s feathers got overnight! He is looking more and more like his older siblings!
Miss Gina M. I just love how you call the wee-one Rocky….love that name for him/her….What a darling they all are…but I love Rocky!! LOL
What is the temperature there?
It is very hot and humid – going into the 90s
89 right now
It’ll be a hot humid day today…high 80’s, maybe hit 90 in afternoon.
7-6-16 Reply Kathleen
Last year Paul statement to us all ( planning to name the babies when they start flying, Please submit all naming entries in the “Name the Babies” section of the website, contest will end the first day of flight.)
So I think he will do the same this year but dont know for sure.
Sorry it took me awhile to get back with you but I did see others answered the question you asked me about the naming. Yes they are right it came down to a vote and the names were picked to go along with the TV show Tommy loved called the George Burns & Gracie Allen Show. This is how George and Gracie got their name and Paul started the naming contest and to go with the theme the votes were totaled and Paul announced that Ronnie and Sandy was the winners. That is the names of George and Gracie’s children I think.
Nice talking to you, love our osprey family
rjoneal – Thank You!
5:13a.m.7/6- Fresh fish of the day..possibly bunker…flips its was among the chicks when George brings it in. Gracie takes charge.
Second fish @5:40am. George stops in with it; Gracie still working on first. I think everyone had a few bites, George takes to have breakfast himself.
6:12am- Gracie has finished off that first fish, calls, and George drops from perch with a whole fish. Question..is this a new fish or has he been sitting upstairs holding the second fish? This fish is whole. I don’t think he had time to down a fish, then catch a new one, so I guess he managed to save it whole til Gracie was ready for it.
The chicks are slow in the mornings. I know the feeling. They did some eating, and a lot of preening those itchy, new feathers.
A bee was interested in the camera housing then several were buzzing around the nest
Looks like some bees are expressing interest in the camera area, sure hope they don’t decide to settle in…….one of the older two ospreys is fascinated watching
06.16 AM, 6 July – Two fish already this morning and #1 not interested in either. Sick, perhaps?
He was sneezing a lot yesterday. But I don’t think they get colds.
Chick #3 is 4 weeks old today!
July 06- 4:36 am- This is a video from yesterday of George delivering that VERY lively fish:
https://youtu.be/2GUmid-3vLI
Ooops! I forgot to mention that the large fish that gave George the fight was brought to the nest at 6:29 p.m.
Wow! George caught a big fish which was giving him some fight. I don’t blame him. Who’d want to be delivered to an osprey nest with hungry babies as their dinner. It gave George such a difficult time that he had to make three separate landings with the fish. On the first attempt, the fish kicked up all kinds of dirt.. Never realized a bird’s nest has so much dirt in it, although I shouldn’t be surprised when I see what the parents (especially Gracie) have brought in. On the third landing, Gracie takes over the fish. Naturally, #1 eats first; then Gracie eats some of it. Honestly, I don’t see her eating so much, so I’m sure she needs nourishment — especially all the twisting of her neck and strength she needs to break off pieces. #2 and #3 ate when #1 was finished. I think #2 ate a little more than #3, but then he wobbled away because he was so full, and #3 enjoyed his meal. He, too, was so full that he could barely walk. Too funny! His crop looks fuller than the others! Afterward, #1 came back for some more dinner. There was a moment when #2 and #3 looked at each other, and #3 pecked his sibling. However, nothing became of it, thank goodness. Finally, Gracie flew off and George flew in to finish his favorite part — the tail end. It was interesting, because when Gracie flew away, I saw her landing in the water below, to the left of the nest. Looks like she took a little bath and then returned to the nest. No wonder her legs are usually whiter than George’s!! She washes up. By the way, I know we don’t know the sexes, so when I refer to he/she, you all know that the sexes are unknown. Thanks, Paul, for getting the timing correct on the feed. You put so much time and effort into this osprey project. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. (I guess you must; they must feel like part of your family.)
8:38pm – Today #3 was well fed. I don’t watch all day long but I saw one peck by either #1 or #2 this afternoon. And it really wasn’t that bad. The little guy knows to lay down to prevent any further pecking. But, I noticed he’s standing up to his brothers. He gets up and has that look as if to say, “ok, what’s your problem?” This little guy is ‘smart,’ assertive and crafty. Again, I think he’s going to make it. 🙂
The camera lens didn’t look that dirty to me!! Hmmm … diversionary tactic or coincidental? 😀 Watch chick #3 get fed!!
P.S. I taped at 2x speed.
https://youtu.be/KMVS1qv9g90
Thanks for all the short post. ?
BirdRJSviewer16: I guess I can get a little wordy!! 😀
Hi All.
I’m watching the feeding at 6:30-7:00 pm and littlebit is really pushing it. I’ve been watching, praying he doesn’t get attacked but he is almost asking for it. I’m really surprised that #2 isn’t going after him. Maybe the tide has turned and littlebit will be able to hold his own.
I saw a pretty severe attack this morning by #2 which is why I’m so surprised that #3 is pushing it so hard tonight.
I just love this little bird’s resilience and determination. YAH, LITTLEBIT!
Sorry my mistake, it was around 6:29pm EST
At around 6:19pm EST George brought in a very large fish for dinner. This will certainly be enough for everyone to share.
6:16pm….Getting harder to spot Trey quickly ! I hope she keeps that thin stripe on her head..it would help.
Glad I caught the end of 2 something P.M. feeding..YAY for the return of 4-hr. scroll back…Thank you, our computer geniuses !!!! Looked like Trey was well fed and Dos stepped in, too. Haven’t read all comments yet, just quick scan.
More fish at 3:43..Go, George! A chunk of fish just after 5…was it a leftover? Gracie greeted it…ah, greeted George…
@6:28pm….Huge fish..it was almost the one that got away…several times! George held on….
The chicks..especially Trey, are gonna need a second crop! Good providing, Daddy!
I’m going with bluefish…anyone?
There have been several comments about the camera angle (i.e. not able to see the entire nest). My opinion is that I like the close up view PLUS the ability to see the water and horizon. Also, we are able to see the adults fly in with a fish in talon. If the entire nest was in view of the camera, we would either lose view of outside the nest (water, horizon) OR the camera would have to be moved away from the next.
My “2-Cents”—- leave the camera where it is. I appreciate what we have.
I think the camera angle is perfect as well. Best osprey cam I’ve seen to date.
Got a real good close up of chickpea #3 eye’s are turning green & feet are getting bigger now like the older sibs in just a matter of a few days of only peeking in on occasion instead of watching for majority of the day i sometimes lose track of time lol, you can see a drastic change in growth; details jumps out at you! the babes markings are absolutely beautiful 😉 thanks to everyone keeping us caught up on the happenings i scroll back as much as possible..kudos to “Betsy” & a few others for all the hard work in putting together the video ‘special moments’ i especially get a kick out of the comical ones, AWESOME job!!!
While we’re being thankful for our wonderful country I’m also thankful for the people who bring us this osprey cam. It is truly a miracle! . I’m grateful to be living in a time when this technology exists. My parents couldn’t see this unless it was in a documentary. Now my grandchildren can see this their whole lives! Think of what a miracle it is, not only to see nesting birds, but to see them live and in real time from the comfort of our homes!
A wonderful and accurate thought, Marilyn.
LOVE how #3 imitates Mom!
Mom’s calls – #3 screeches just the same immediately after Mom
I love the full crop on “little bit”.
rjoneal – Perhaps you can tell me – How did last year’s chicks get their names – Ronnie & Sandy?
Ronnie and Sandy where the children of George Burns and Gracie Allen who the parents are named after. Hope that helps Kathleen
Reply … They were named after George and Grace Allen’s children
Paul and Aidan: Woo-hoo!! I think you nailed it!! Seems to be no head-snapping, disappearing then reappearing, staccato-calling osprey in current-then-back-then-almost-current twilight-zone time! (Just a quick freeze at 13:32:55. : ) ) Only a beautiful Gracie, a dapper George and three gorgeous chicks!! And, the 4-hour window!!
Hope everyone has a great 4th! Went away but popped in from time to time to view the little ones. Good feeding time for them about an hour ago. Happy to see #3 growing his/her wings and looking more like #1 & #2
It was so good to see the little one who was as hungry as a horse get a tremendous feeding. He had to be quite hungry to keep grabbing food so aggressively. Let’s hope a full belly will continue to strengthen him to the point where he can fight off his aggressive siblings and continue to grow, get stronger, exercise his wings more, etc. I must commend George on bringing home a good sized bluefish or weakfish so there was plenty for all. He has been hunting well. Hope the weather continues to allow him success.
2 pm feeding, #1 got stuff followed by #3. #2 finished it off. Dad is an awesome provider but Mom is an awesome feeder. She must get tired with all that tugging and feeding but she keeps at it and that is admirable. Love this family.
What a satisfying lunch!
Hello all!! I was viewing on a full screen and I’m happy to see that the little guy’s feathers are coming out. He’s growing! I think he’ll make it after all. Every time I watch him, it reminds me of the theme song from that old show (with Mary Tyler Moore) that says “You might just make it after all!!” Love it! But, I pray for the little guy each and every day. My Mom does as well. 🙂
I pray for him too!! That’s my baby!!!!!!!!!!!!
The wee one is not so wee after all. It is enjoying a tremendous growth spurt! All 3 nestlings are gorgeous. Thank you to Paul and Tom for allowing us the privilege to peek in on such a beautiful family.
Let’s be more positive. The words are “You’re gonna make it after all.” 😉
Oh My Word! #3 just ate and ate and ate, squeaked prior to each bite, (maybe saying thankyou or more) Just hilarious to watch prent dig its beak and twist out each morsel and then the squeak! The crop is dragging on the nest almost! #3 is just a trouper!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I rewound and saw that feeding. Yes, he certainly got a lot to eat!! So happy for the little guy!! 🙂
Nice to see the little guy get an all-you-can-eat gorge from Gracie! He even got fed before one of the big guys. Also first time I saw the lens cleaning ;-). What a brilliant idea that was.
Cinderella got a heartwarming feeding from Gracie at 2:20 today. She also had Duo’s wing wrapped around her around 11. During quiet loving moments like this she becomes Cinderella to me – no need for me to call her Rocky when her step siblings are passed out in food comas.
No one can possibly be concerned about the amount of food offered by Gracie and eaten by the youngest osplet around 14:15 today – it look as if he/she got almost an entire fish.
HI, I have watched other nest cams and on each of those it’s possible to see the entire nest. Are there any plans in the works to possible raise the camera so that the entire nest can be observed?
Thanks you.
I can’t speak for anyone else, but I like this position. We may miss the action in that lower right corner and the edge under the camera, but we also have the birds-eye view..almost literally…sometimes it seems the birds are looking back when they get up-close and personal with the lens. And we have that panoramic water view! I’ve been to other sites and just don’t feel as connected. This has been the position since installation; they had the nest down over the winter to shorten the tower it sits on. Tommy also installed the amazing-fantastical lens washer. Position stayed as is. George needs his selfies….
July 5@1:11 P.M. (EST) The fish George has been bringing in to the nest in the last 2 days have been on the smaller side. He was bringing in Moby Dick size fish. These fish have barely fed the other two so Rocky doesn’t get fed till George brings in another fish quickly so Rocky gets to eat This happened yesterday as I posted and hope if the fish are smaller George steps up and delivers another quickly. Or it will cause problems for Rocky..
Aaaarrgghh! At 10:30-ish am was watching video at about the 9:30 am time in video scroll back, halfway through window … wham reset!!
Enough coffee, Betsy..
You’ll have to fill me in!!
Has the format changed again? Now it says offline and offering other streams on the right to choose? Very confusing.
The stream will be down for about 10 minutes for maintenance. We’ll get it back up as soon as possible.
Thank you all for your descriptions and thoughts. I pop in as often as I can, but it’s really nice to be able to catch up on what’s happening in the nest.
5:35am7/5- George brings in a whole fish. Gracie takes it and Uno steps up.He ate well. .hard to tell wet chicks apart. Dos and Trey each had a couple of mouthfuls.
Another small whole fish @6:46am- May be Dos lining up for this. Trey is nearby with head upright.
and sharing.
Uno moved in, right in center, and other 2 moved out of way.
Twas Dos 😀
Little one is still huddling under Mom.
They are soaked but too big to huddle under their mother now.
Paul or Aidan: Are you doing away with the 4-hour scrollbar (although since that last reset on July 1st it’s been only 2 hours)? Because twice today, the video stream reset to the current time leaving a scroll-back time of zero minutes. Really a bummer when you’re in the middle of watching the video stream knowing you’re an hour away from the end of the window and suddenly you’re watching the video stream in the present time and that the past hour or so of the video that you were looking forward to watching is no longer available. I’m just wondering if this is going to be the new routine for OspreyZone?
No Betsy, this isn’t a new routine. I believe that we are still experiencing intermittent technical difficulties which are resetting the buffer for some reason. Hope to work it all out in the morning along with a couple of other glitches.
Thank you, Paul. Any way to upload part of it for me to see what happened between 7:30 pm and 9 pm? I was humming along watching the video and I was so happy to see chick :#3 not getting overly pecked today — only twice that I saw — when I took a break to watch some of the fireworks, then when I went to continue watching the video from about the 7:15 pm or so mark, it reset!! Read the comments just now, but it would be nice to watch where I left off!! 😀
I hate to keep pestering you about the comment system i showed you but, if you activate it and setup it up, you can see how it goes like i said, takes no more than 2 minutes to install, this comment system you have now makes me not want to comment because it’s not up to par with new technology, if you don’t like after you install it, you can always get rid of it.
8:18pm…George in with a big headless fish. No one seems interested but Gracie. A couple of minutes later, Trey pops up. Had a few good bites before she felt dragon-breath on her neck and ducked. Avoided punishment.
ooopps..she made the mistake of raising her head…got bit. Looks like when my loving brother used to give out “Indian rope burns”, A nice pinch and twist that left a lovely bruise…..
Uno missed out on that sea robin, so he’s extra hungry.
20:34: Trey cautiously raised her head, carefully looked around, shifted to get the lay of the land, then, had some fish with Gracie.
George came in and all 3 chicks were looking at him, when Uno decided Trey should be bopped, So he did.
Betsy: I found the speed adjustment! Yay, Me!
CarolV: Yeah!! Makes watching so much easier (when you’re trying to catch up) … and when you add using the mouse to scroll along the scrollbar, it’s like speed reading!! 😀
I.ve been doing the mouse scroll, but makes it hard sometimes to refind something you thought you saw.
That happens to me … I’m trying really hard remember to make a mental note of the time I saw something that I want to go back to — and then when I don’t and I’m looking for the spot I yell at the computer that I KNOW I saw x so where the hell is it now!! 😀
Now THAT’S something I do know about computers ! Yelling helps..me, not the problem …
I guess that 4:00 early bird special was appetizer. George just flew in at 5:13 p.m. with a medium/small fish; must be dinner time. Looks like #1 and #2 are both getting good portions. I believe the little one is still asleep, but he ate ALOT at 4:00. Now, at 5:55 p.m., George brings another fish, on the small side, funny-looking, I don’t go fishing, but I’ve heard that sea robins are funny looking. This fish looks funny looking; maybe that’s what it is. Anyway, #3 seems to be enjoying it while the other two are preening themselves. At 6:04, the older two decide they are hungry and they get fed. Number 3 walks away, and there are no problems — only harmony. And, around 7:20 p.m., George flies in with a big headless fish. I think he’s outdone himself today. I hope Gracie gets to eat. I don’t see her having too many leftovers from the chicks. OK, so Gracie finally gets to eat. And who pops up between both parents looking for food? Our favorite baby, who is eating again! Then, #3’s crop is absolutely bursting, and #1 and #2 wake up for a snack. This must be dessert. They are all growing so beautifully. I can’t wait to see the size of #3 tomorrow. He is really sprouting. Maybe that is why #3 is not picking on him. Let’s hope it lasts. Sorry for the lengthiness, but I thought viewers who missed today would like to know if any fish were eaten.
July 4 @ 7 P.M. (EST) George brought in a fish at 5:15. It wasn’t very big so baby 1 & 2 got fed. Rocky didn’t even attempt to try getting some he stayed in the lower right hand corner(hard to see him.) after the other two finished Rocky went to where the feeding had gone on but there wasn’t anything left over. I was praying that George would come with another fish quickly so the other two would still be full and they would let Rocky eat. Well George came back at 5:55 with another fish. I must have been praying really hard. And Rocky got a private feeding. He looks like a turkey. I am so happy that he got fed and that he knew enough to stay away when the first fish arrived and the other two were getting fed. That behavior will keep him from getting attacked
Hope everyone had a Happy and Safe July 4th. We are lucking out here on Long Island. Rain was forecast and might have impacted the fireworks but it has been delayed so our Grucci fireworks will be very visible and those who braved the ordeal to get to see them will say dry. We had an absolutely beautiful week-end. Rain will start late tonight and end tomorrow afternoon.
Keep up the good work, Jo-Ann ! Lots of fish coming in and little aggression !
#3 ate so much he is still in a food coma! LOL
I think it’s interesting to see how often the babies are left alone in the nest now.
They just feasted on a fish for the past hour …all 3 got fed and thankfully the bonking has eased up….have not seen much of it lately….hope that continues…keep the peace guys…:)
5:49pm-George has been on perch; Gracie has been making suggestions. He flies out. @5:55pm, he is back with what looks like a sea robin. Quick-Claw McGraw! Whole fish goes to Gracie. Trey, who really doesn.t look like she needs it, is front and center and gets well fed while the biggies sleep.
After about 8-9 mins., Trey stepped over to left as Biggies approached, avoiding a bopping. Biggies ate and folded back up. Gracie was sharing last remnants with Trey and swallowing tail, when @6:20. George landed behind Gracie and, a few minutes later, handed over the headless fish he just brought in! And Trey is right there again. Another 5-6 mins of getting stuffed and Trey rolls aside for ?Dos.
CarolV: Yes … Dos. You’re getting good!! 😀
#3 and Mom are sharing a fish and no one else! Happy 4th of July my friends!
5:45pm Grace flew in a few minutes ago with more plastic. And did I see a water bottle in there yesterday ?
Nancy: Yes … the water bottle has been there since June 21st!!
5:14pm…George brings in what I think is a blackfish (tautog).Biggies are eating..Trey is barely a tail in the lower right corner.
Biggies polish off that fish. Gracie seems to be calling for more…
Hi All,
It looks like Gracie dragged in some netting of some kind. It already looks like she is having trouble getting it off her feet. I can just imagine the babies getting wrapped up in it. Maybe another rescue plan should be put in place. Just in case.
Maybe we’ll get lucky and George will get rid of it. I saw him take off with a piece of plastic he didn’t like once, but unfortunately I think Gracie brought it back!
She certainly does like her trash!
Chicks #2 and #3 — especially #3 – got really good early bird specials around 4:00 p.m. Numero uno was dozing and was relaxed, and seemed disinterested in eating. I guess relaxation replaced eating. Finally, #3 got up to eat, but only the end part of the fish was left, which is what #3 usually gets. However, there was no pecking, just satisfaction by all. Hope it stays like that.
3:50pm…headless fish by George. Looks like a decent size. Uno must be full; he seems distracted watching George. Dos and Trey wait in front of Gracie. Dos gets fed and is picking up dropped pieces. Trey waits her turn and is rewarded as Dos fills up quickly.Trey had 6-7 mins. of feeding time and was also picking up dropped pieces. Uno decided to join in and Trey stepped aside on her own. I didn.t see any bonking.
3:50 PM Mon. Little got a good feeding and 2 did not seem to mind too much. All is well only the wind is whipping.
It’s not only about the food – #3 gets shut out from all the important resources including Mom’s protection from brutal weather elements. #3’s feathers coming in good now – so hoping that will be a huge help for him/her.
Happy 4th of July everyone……. Just wondering what kind of fish is the usual feeding for these Ospreys…..? Do they prefer one over another like the Eagles do….? Thanks
Thank you Betsy for the great video of the storm. I was glued to the screen. What really got me was the way wee one had the courage to still have a look around and be fed by George while the biggies hid under Gracie.If any wee bird deserves a great life its this one.
isobel: You’re welcome. Maybe it was just hunger that made him/her stick his/her head out (but then again, there WAS George eating in the middle of the storm and not even letting go of the fish when he went after the intruder! 😀 ) or maybe s/he is too young to really know the sense of danger, or maybe it was courage — I do believe it’s his/her spunk and feistiness that has brought him/her this far.
@11:49am- George arrives with a whole fish…Gracie steps in to take it and comes right up front in the camera…Trey is right next to her, hopeful. …Since I was working, don’t know the fish count or her chances of joining in this lunch fish..I think she got squeezed out, but Gracie moved to no-see corner. There were 3 rumps visible in a line.
@12:42pm- George brought in a partial fish…he started feeding ?Dos til Gracie squawked her way over and took it. Once again, she’s standing in front of camera. We are getting a good study of her feathers. I think ?Uno has Trey on lock-down in that right corner. Gracie goes back over there …..Thanks, Gracie…
There’s a stiff breeze. Temps in the 80’s. Humidity supposed to rise and be oppressive tomorrow. yippee….
Lots of comments to catch up on.from yesterday..and new video…
What is the primary type of fish caught for this nest?
Not enough fishermen weigh in. It.s probably menhaden(bunkers) but we have seen flounder and striped bass. Maybe small blues. Wish more confirmation, but even my son, an avid fisherman, can’t always i.d. the fish due to position or head removal.
Add blackfish (tautog) and sea robin for today.
Follow up to my previous post. The abundance of fish that is causing this issue is occurring around the Long Island Waters. This article addresses Suffolk County, LI.
I have been observing from the onset and want to thank Paul, Tommy & the folks at Osprey Zone for making this happen, to George & Gracie for inviting us into their lives & to all those folks with such wonderful comments. I don’t comment very often, as you can see, my comments are very boring.
All comments are welcome. I’m sure you’ve seen the variety!
Happy 4th of July everyone. Haven’t posted since last year, but have been watching. Just wanted to comment on the little one. I read on a website that as long as the little one can beg for food he is OK. Hope they are right. Fatso is getting really big and at the moment not bothering little one. Hope it continues. Have a great 4th.
The smallest baby is absolutely adorable. I know he/she is a little behind in growth from the other two & probably will not fledge as early as the other two. Do Gracie & George stay on the nest until all of the babies leave? I’m assuming they do…but not sure if they handle their nest the same as Eagles. Thanks. Happy 4th of July to everyone.
It seems to me the aggression for those few days was a result of the storm. George probably had difficulty fishing, less food for the kids, and their survival instinct ‘kicked in’. Seems it is more peaceful at the dinner table now that fishing has improved. Here is a good article regarding the lack of fish last year and what local agencies are doing in hopes of preventing future fish kills.
http://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview.com/2016/05/73907/riverhead-southampton-to-split-costs-for-bunker-removal/
It’s funny you mention that. I have an elderly lady friend that gets mean and her whole disposition changes when a storm is coming. I kid you not.
I work with the public..yes, it shows in dispositions…as does full moon. And when we had full moon and summer solstice together…Fuhgeddaboudit!
NJD: Thanks for the link. Yes, I agree that George’s inability to bring, what I felt, was a sufficient supply of fish to the nest a few days ago affected the chicks’ temperaments, leading to increased pecking by chick #1 on chick #3. People get cranky when they’re hungry (hangry!), so I would imagine osprey do too!! Especially when it’s instinct to fight to survive when resources are low.
Maybe #1 notices that #3 has grown. When they stretch their necks to show who is bigger, #3 is just about the same height! Hopefully, this will calm things down.
7-4-16 Happy 4th to all ! I see our neighbor flew up for a visit this mornigng, our birdie friend from below Gracie didnt seemed bothered by it all. Hope our Osprey family and followers stay safe!
Around 8:04 one of the larger chicks tried to fly after watching George take off.Won’t be long now.
I was able to watch the cam starting at 6:00 a.m., and the 3 birdies were resting very nicely. George came in with a headless fish at 8:00. It seems like they are always delivered near #3 and one of the older siblings gave #1 a feeble peck, which did not even touch him/her, which I was glad about. Anyway, #3 let either the bigger one eat first and and went to Gracie when the eater was finished. The other bird had no interest in food. That leads me to believe that George brought in a fish earlier this morning. I was only able to scroll back two hours, so that’s all I know. I can’t get over how big #3 has grown. It warms my heart! His crop is full this morning, and when one of the siblings came back to eat, they shared nicely. When #3 was done, he went to lie down next to the other sibling, and there was no bickering. Glorious 4th to everyone — great weather!!.
#3 has made 3 attempts to relieve himself. Or at least that is how it appears to me. He is not “going”. This is not healthy to me. Nearing 8:30am there is an attempt, he was getting fed without the other 2 and enjoying his meal! Any input would be great.
Sometimes, this is just stretching.
Karen: Or, sometimes, s/he is a little off balance and has to re-position her/himself before trying again “to go.”
Baby #3 waited patiently for older sibs to dine and then sure chowed down for almost 10 minutes! The crop grew before one’s eyes and might wind up being the bigger and surely the strongest of all three!
I hope you’re right Sheila…
At 8:15am EST the little one finally had his turn eating, hopefully he won’t get disturbed.
Happy Independence day to our neighbors to the south.
I’m totally impressed with how big WEEBLES got in two days, go Weebles.?