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Osprey Timeshare |
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Don Maxwell - Apr 17,2012
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A pair of ospreys have turned our pier into a timeshare. They began building a nest in a boatlift motor. That wasn't going to end well for anyone, so I kept knocking it down and they kept trying to build it up again. Finally I nailed a few boards to the top of an unused piling, and they got the hint. <br /><br />Of course, there are some drawbacks to this arrangement, but we're hoping to work out a way of sharing the pier for the next couple of months. <br /><br />The male is the decoy; he takes off as soon as he sees us start out there, probably thinking we might follow him away from the nest. The female usually stays on the nest until we get quite close. Sometimes she stays--or returns--when we're sitting on a chair out there. And the male often will fly in with sticks if we sit very still.<br /><br />This morning I sat for a while, chatting with the female. Or, well, I murmured sweet nothings in her direction while she scolded me for being such a... a... stupid, flightless human. After a while I stood up and she stood up, then relaxed again. But when I started walking toward shore, she got vexed and flew away.<br /><br />Here's a lo-res phone video:
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Dennis Scearce - Apr 17,2012
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Really cool video, Don. But be careful. Down here we are warned to stay away from their nests, especially when they are nesting. Their talons are very sharp and they could easily induce the need for some stitches.
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Don Maxwell - Apr 17,2012
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We're a bit worried about safety, Dennis, and will keep our distance if we can't get them to tolerate us. It's great fun to watch them, but unless we get to be good friends, one year will probably be enough for us.
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Frank A. Carr - Apr 18,2012
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Don, you know I'm sure why they are building a nest; but did you know that they mate for life and always come back to the same nest? In Maryland they arrive around St. Paddy's Day and as I recall they leave around Labor Day. Sharing the pier is not recommended, add a piling off the pier > 50' if you can.<!-- >'"><br><font color=red size=6>' or > missing in user HTML. Please fix the HTML.</font> -->
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Don Maxwell - Apr 18,2012
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Yes, we're aware of that, Frank. If we can't manage to co-exist, I'll destroy the nest when they leave it this year and remove the crosspieces that I nailed on to make this piling usable. Then I'll work out some kind of covers for the boatlift motors so they won't be tempted to build on them. That will probably discourage them in future years. And by then there will probably be some suitable alternate locations for a next. <br /><br />A storm last fall wiped out an abandoned duck blind near a low island (called 'Buzz Island' on the marine charts) about 2000 feet off shore, which had a long-established osprey nest, and I suspect that these are the birds who had been using that nest. <br /><br />If you're curious about the location, these coordinates point to the piling in GoogleEarth and GoogleMaps: 37.305271, -77.214270 . Our house is on the approach end of runway 26, of the old Hopewell Airport that got converted into a subdivision about 25 years ago. (See <a href="http://www.airfields-freeman.com/VA/Airfields_VA_Richmond_S.html">http://www.airfields-freeman.com/VA/Airfields_VA_Richmond_S.<br>html</a> )<br /><br />The subdivision has one of those pretentious real estate developer names, so I call it Shangri-la-di-da.
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Mark Alan MacKinnon - Apr 18,2012
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Could they attack your Searey Don, thinking it's a big bird invading their territory?
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Don Maxwell - Apr 18,2012
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We had a close encounter last year, Mark, but I'm sure it was accidental. Anyway, I don't think they'd come after an airplane unless it got right up close to the nest. Our only real worry is that they'll attack a person who gets too close.
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Frank A. Carr - Apr 19,2012
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Depending on your definition of "attack" Mark, some years back while living on the Chesapeake an incoming pair decided to build their nest on the starboard side of my boat. It was only a third finished when I ran down to the boat and threw all the limbs and sticks onto the dock and went back to work. The next day the dock was clear and the nest was back underway. This was apparently all caused by the winter ice destroying the piling that held their nest. A quick call to the Wildlife Preservation and a check for $200 provided a new piling and a mutual agreement that they would like it better than my boat. In Maryland, at least some years ago, a nest served as cause for non use of your boat for the season.<!-- >'"><br><font color=red size=6>' or > missing in user HTML. Please fix the HTML.</font> -->
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Don Maxwell - Apr 19,2012
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It's astonishing how hard it is to photograph a birds' nest with one hand while flying a SeaRey over it. <P><img src="inline/10073-OspreyOnNest_Aerial_8544_Adj_f_x2.jpg" alt="OspreyOnNest-Aerial-8544+Adj+f-x2"><P>This is cropped from a much wider shot. The mom-to-be has a white head. No eggs yet, but she and her guy have been installing fluffy stuff for a couple of days now.<!-- >'"><br><font color=red size=6>' or > missing in user HTML. Please fix the HTML.</font> -->
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Don Maxwell - Apr 19,2012
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I had a nice long chat with the female this morning. She scolded me a few times, but mostly she seemed calm, and when I whistled in her pitch, but with a long single note instead of her ten quick chirps, she seemed interested and curious.<P><img src="inline/10074-OspreyCloseUp__q_h.jpg" alt="OspreyCloseUp+-q-h"><!-- >'"><br><font color=red size=6>' or > missing in user HTML. Please fix the HTML.</font> -->
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Frank A. Carr - Apr 20,2012
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Don, I have a friend up in MD who placed a video camera above the nest and ran hardwire cable to his home TV and recorder. He does it every year. Imaging is awesome. If interested, contact me back channel for his name to contact.<!-- >'"><br><font color=red size=6>' or > missing in user HTML. Please fix the HTML.</font> -->
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Don Maxwell - Apr 20,2012
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Thanks, Frank. I will. (Although it's nearly 400 feet to the house--a bit far for either wires or wireless.)
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Eric Batterman - Apr 20,2012
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Try a directional wifi antenna?
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Don Maxwell - Apr 20,2012
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Yeah, thought of that. I have a high-power router that makes the distance (when it works; not working now).
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Eric Batterman - Apr 20,2012
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Female is thinking..'he doesn't look like a fish, but how often does dinner come to me?'
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Don Maxwell - Jul 24,2012
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Osprey update: Baby is almost as big as mom now and has been practicing for the first flight. Mom and dad have been encouraging Baby to do it today. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKVWTBiOOeE&feature=youtu.be">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKVWTBiOOeE&feature=youtu.be</a><br /><br />Maybe tomorrow.
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Steve Kessinger - Aug 30,2012
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Has the little one begun flight lessons yet, Don?
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Don Maxwell - Aug 30,2012
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Yes--I'm way behind here. He (I think it's a he) has been flying for about a month now, but still stays on the nest overnight. Mom and dad have been teaching him to fish, but we haven't seen him doing the hover and dive thing yet. That's a standard osprey maneuver, but it doesn't seem to be innate behavior. He has also had nest building lessons and has learned to cut up his own food by himself. We've been surprised by how much he has had to learn and how long the learning process has taken.
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Frank A. Carr - Aug 31,2012
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Don, I've had Osprey in several back yards for nearly 20 years, and have only seen one <br />confirmed dive. Cannot explain why-- they must eat every day. I've heard of confirmed <br />watchers take a beach chair, cooler, and binocs and sit all day watching; your technique is <br />easier.
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