Osprey Update August 31st
Dad delivers fish to a waiting chick and mom on August 4, 2024.
In August the osprey cam often captured the chick spending time on the nest, on nearby poles, and on the camera above the nest. Mom and dad both continued bringing fish to nest for the chick and dad also delivered fish for mom at times when the chick was away. Both adults continued to defend the nest – but the chick also defended the area forcefully – at times challenging mom for fish and sometimes chasing her parents away. There were several battles with other osprey and some with black crows throughout the month culminating in a lengthy battle on August 29th that involved the entire family. This was the last day any of the three remaining osprey who nested at our Middle Farm nest this year were spotted by the cam. They may have begun their migration south as early as that afternoon or August 30th.
The video clips below captured some of the activity around the nest from August 1 through August 29th.
AUGUST 1, 2024. Mom leaves pole and lands on nest to receive fish from dad but gets chased off by the osprey chick.
AUGUST 1, 2024. Mom delivers leftovers for the chick and defends the nest.
AUGUST 1, 2024. Dad delivers fish for mom.
AUGUST 1, 2024. Mom teaches chick how to gather seaweed for the nest but the chick seems only interested in fish today.
AUGUST 2, 2024. In this clip, mom can be heard chirping from the camera and the chick flies by and grabs stick from the nest. She circles back and returns the stick, then hangs out on the nest.
AUGUST 2, 2024. After the chick lands on the nest and grabs the fish from mom, dad delivers another fish and mom grabs it.
AUGUST 3, 2024. The chick can be seen eating on a nearby pole when mom chases another osprey from the nest carrying her own fish. Mom eventually flies by the chick to eat her fish on the 3rd pole.
AUGUST 3, 2024. Mom and chick squawk from nearby poles before mom flies to the nest to battle an invader.
AUGUST 3, 2024. The chick is resting on the nest and mom is on a nearby pole when barnswallows begin to fly through the area. The chick flies closer to mom during the barrage – but both osprey leave the area after a few minutes.
AUGUST 4, 2024. The osprey chick almost lands on nest but spots mom on nearby pole so she tries to get her fish but mom wins the battle and leaves. The chick returns to the nest screeching and remains for about ten minutes then leaves. A couple minutes later they both return and mom lets the chick have the fish.
AUGUST 4, 2024. The osprey chick finishes leftovers from mom, then receives leftovers from dad.
AUGUST 4, 2024. Mom is on a nearby pole during the rain. and the chick lowers from camera to dry off a bit, then flies to the 2nd pole for a while before returning to the camera.
AUGUST 5, 2024. Dad flies by nest with fish but returns to deliver it again after mom leaves nearby pole. Mom flies back to a nearby pole to eat, chasing a crow away while dad cleans beak.
AUGUST 5, 2024. The osprey chick chases mom from nest so she moves to the camera.
AUGUST 6, 2024. Dad delivers fish and the chick moves to a nearby pole to eat but drops it a few minutes later. After two attempts the chick retrieves the fish and flies around the area with it before landing on the camera. Soon after, she flies back to the pole to resume eating.
AUGUST 6, 2024. After hanging out on the nest for a while in the afternoon, the chick flies up to the camera.
AUGUST 6, 2024. The osprey chick returns to the nest wet and preens.
AUGUST 6, 2024. Mom delivers fish and chick starts to eat on nest but then circles the area and takes it to the camera.
AUGUST 7, 2024. The osprey chick chases a couple of crows from the nest.
AUGUST 8, 2024. During fish delivery, dad gets his claw grabbed and almost falls out of the nest trying to get away. The chick eats on nest for a while then circles the area and lands on camera to finish.
AUGUST 8, 2024. The chick battles another juvenile osprey that lands on the nest. She eventually chases it away and returns to the nest a few minutes later.
AUGUST 8, 2024. The invader returns and tries to land on the nest again but the chick successfully swats it away then chases it.
AUGUST 8, 2024. Dad gets bitten and pecked by the chick during fish delivery – and both fall off the nest as he tries to escape.
AUGUST 9, 2024. The osprey chick is eating fish on a nearby pole and gets attacked by crows. She leaves and flies to the camera.
AUGUST 10, 2024. After dad delivers fish to the chick, she chases another juvenile away.
AUGUST 10, 2024. After not seeing mom on camera for a few days, she lands to help the chick defend nest but the chick does not appear to want her help.
(There appears to be a wound on the left side of the chicks face.)
AUGUST 11, 2024. The chick is on a nearby pole eating fish dad delivered earlier, then suddenly leaves and lands on the camera. Another osprey can then seen flying from the 4th pole area and squawking can be heard off-screen, then mom lands to defend nest. She remains to guard the nest for a few minutes after.
AUGUST 11, 2024. The osprey chick lowers to nest and gets startled a couple of times, then returns to camera.
AUGUST 11, 2024. The osprey chick lands on the nest to prevent another juvenile from landing.
AUGUST 12, 2024. After squawking at mom for a while, the osprey chick chases her off a nearby pole and returns to the camera, then a few minutes later lowers to the nest again to defend against another juvenile.
AUGUST 12, 2024. While the chick is away, a juvenile male osprey checks out the view from the nest until a dog walker comes near.
AUGUST 12, 2024. The osprey chick begs for fish on pole and then from nest, she eventually returns to pole and battles mom for the fish. During the battle, the fish drops to the road and a good samaritan attempts to move it out of harms way. Soon after the chick tries to retrieve it but is unsuccessful and squawks at mom until she retrieves the fish. After several vehicles pass her, mom flies to another pole and continues to eat.
AUGUST 13, 2024. After winning an earlier battle for the fish, mom delivers leftovers for the chick.
AUGUST 13, 2024. Dad defends the nest from another osprey.
AUGUST 14, 2024. After dad delivered fish for chick earlier in the morning, mom lands with fish and hangs out for a while, then moves to a nearby pole. Soon after, dad lands for one of the longest nest visits of the summer.
AUGUST 14, 2024. This extended clip shows edited segments from a more than three hour period where the chick and mom defend the nest in multiple battles and dad delivers fish to the chick in the middle of the drama then helps defend the nest while the chick attempts to eat.
AUGUST 15, 2024. The osprey chick lowers from the camera and grabs a piece of bark as she flies away. Soon after she returns with the bark and tends the nest.
AUGUST 15, 2024. The osprey chick flies in to defend the nest.
AUGUST 16, 2024. Mom delivers fish but the chick gets spooked by dog walkers approaching and leaves without it, so mom returns to retrieve it. The chick attacks and tries to get fish but mom wins the battle. She later returns with leftovers.
AUGUST 16, 2024. The osprey chick chases two crows from a nearby pole.
AUGUST 17, 2024. The osprey chick lands on the left perch and shakes off. About an hour later, dad delivers leftovers.
AUGUST 17, 2024. Dad delivers the third fish of the day and has to struggle to get away. The chick eats on the nest for a while, then moves up to the camera. Eventually she moves back to the nest, cleans her beak and takes some nest material.
AUGUST 18, 2024. The osprey chick defends the nest and chases the invader away.
AUGUST 18, 2024. The osprey chick flies in from nearby trees with a green leaf, then flies up to the camera.
AUGUST 21, 2024. Dad delivers fish for mom in the morning.
AUGUST 21, 2024. Dad delivers fish for the chick in the afternoon, then later tries to deliver more but gets chased off the nest.
AUGUST 23, 2024. Mom delivers fish for the chick and later returns to defend the nest.
AUGUST 25, 2024. Mom delivers fish for the chick.
AUGUST 26, 2024. Dad gets another brutal leg biting during the morning fish delivery.
AUGUST 26, 2024. While the osprey are away two black crows ransack the nest.
AUGUST 26, 2024. The osprey chick gets chased off a nearby pole.
AUGUST 26, 2024. After a rain, the osprey chick spends time on the nest and preens.
AUGUST 29, 2024. The osprey chick defends nest while adult osprey battle in the air and near the 3rd pole. Some crows land on the 1st pole during the drama and get chased off in the ongoing battle. The battle lasted about an hour and a half, and after it was over a mink can be seen running along road.
