A grackle chick visits the osprey nest at Middle Farms
The osprey mom watches the grackle chick as it leaves the nest on June 4, 2025.
In the early evening on June 3, 2025 the ospreycam at Middle Farms nest captured the osprey mom watching a grackle chick break free from the nest below. The osprey initially tried to scare the chick back down, but then allowed it to remain on the nest for the night. The following morning, she tried to feed the grackle chick but it would not grab the fish – and the osprey was attacked by other grackle. Though the osprey mom had her own two chicks to care for, and a third was about to hatch, she nestled the grackle and provided it some comfort.
A little before 10 am on June 4th, the grackle chick appeared to see another grackle again and tried to go down the outside of the nest – to return home. It was unclear if the chick made it, but on June 8th a grackle chick chased another bird along the outside of the nest and ended up face-to-face with the osprey mom. This time the osprey scared the grackle chick away.
JUNE 3: The osprey mom watches a grackle chick break out from the nest below, and then she tries to scare it back down.
JUNE 3: The grackle chick tries to keep warm in the evening by seeking shelter under the osprey mom’s feathers. She let’s it for a while but later gets up to tend to her chicks below and the grackle is pushed away. The grackle chick spends the rest of the night huddled in the corner of the nest.
JUNE 4: The osprey mom tries to feed the grackle but it does not take the fish and mom gets attacked by another grackle. After the osprey feeding ends, the grackle chick finally calms down as it snuggles next to the osprey mom.
JUNE 4: The grackle chicks appears to see its parent and tries to get to the nest below.
JUNE 4: The osprey mom nestles the grackle chick – but gets harassed by another grackle.
JUNE 4: Mom nestles the grackle chick with her two chicks and the egg.
JUNE 4: One of the osprey chicks checks out the grackle chick.
JUNE 4: The grackle chick appears to see another grackle and leaves the osprey nest to go home below.
JUNE 8: On June 8th a grackle chick chased another bird and ended up face-to-face with the osprey mom. This time mom succeeds in scaring it away.
