Week Two 07-03-22 Maryland Osprey Family Updated 07-04-2022

[Mark Garfinkel]

The story behind the photos
After watching this nesting box for about 20 minutes the father returns, after 5 to 10 minutes the female starts talking very loudly to the male (Photo 001). She was getting louder and louder until she turned towards the male, very aggravated saying “time to feed your family and I’m hungry” (002). In 2 motions the male was headed across the river at lighting speed (003). After 20 minutes the mother leaves the nest and returns with some nesting material (004), It’s like she’s showing the 2 chicks how to build a nest. After an hour, the father returns with diner, does a turn and burn (005, 006, 007). Within seconds the mother starts pulling pieces of the fish and feeding the chicks (008, 009). After the chicks settled down, she finally started eating herself (010) with the oldest looking on. Hopefully I’ll have future updates.

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e future updates.

 

[Mark Garfinkel]

Last two, Nikon D850 100-400

• Shutter Speed: 1/1250
• F/Stop: F/8
• ISO: 560
• Exposure Bias: 0.3

 

[Ralph]

Last two, Nikon D850 100-400

• Shutter Speed: 1/1250
• F/Stop: F/8
• ISO: 560
• Exposure Bias: 0.3

I experienced something similar on Sunday. The female started vocalizing after the male had been away for a very long time. When he finally returned with a fish she gave him hell for taking so long.

 

[Mark Garfinkel]

I experienced something similar on Sunday. The female started vocalizing after the male had been away for a very long time. When he finally returned with a fish she gave him hell for taking so long.

Ralph, I saw your series and "Liked It". It's amazing to watch the family dynamics. Last year we followed a family of 5 last year for 8 weeks.

 

[Ralph]

Ralph, I saw your series and "Liked It". It's amazing to watch the family dynamics. Last year we followed a family of 5 last year for 8 weeks.

I hoping to do the same.

 

[Mark Garfinkel]

Week two, was more exciting than I’ve seen in the two years, since I’ve been following several Osprey families. Only checking last year on a every 7 to 12 days, it’s amazing what you see every time. As I approached the end of the peninsula, the mother left the nest with a good size, partially eaten fish (same fish each time #01), only to return within 2 to 3 minutes (#02,03,06,07). The mother did this 5 times for the hour that I was there, never seeing the father. It was like she was teaching the chicks a different lesson, with each return trip. Every so often, she would feed the chicks, every other returning trip (#08), from last week both chicks seem to be 50% larger. From the research I’ve done, when the chicks are ready to leave the nest, they are 80% of their adult weight. I also witnessed a sign of affection by the mother, which I have never seen before by rubbing the head of one of the chicks several times (#05). On one of her return trips, she appeared to teach them how to talk, Osprey (#04), LOL.