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Osprey Family
Pandion haliaetus
38.4496, -123.116
Field Notes
Description:
The Osprey breeds near freshwater lakes, and sometimes on coastal brackish waters. Rocky outcrops just offshore are used in Rottnest Island off the coast of Western Australia, where there are 14 or so similar nesting sites of which five to seven are used in any one year. Many are renovated each season, and some have been used for 70 years. The nest is a large heap of sticks, driftwood and seaweed built in forks of trees, rocky outcrops, utility poles, artificial platforms or offshore islets. Generally, Ospreys reach sexual maturity and begin breeding around the age of three to four, though in some regions with high Osprey densities, such as Chesapeake Bay in the U.S., they may not start breeding until five to seven years old, and there may be a shortage of suitable tall structures. If there are no nesting sites available, young Ospreys may be forced to delay breeding. To ease this problem, posts are sometimes erected to provide more sites suitable for nest building.
Notes:
This Osprey family was astonishing to watch. Early morning, the osprey juvenile was sitting in the nest nearly until the sun came up. The father returned with a half eaten, large fish. The mother in one of the taller trees, near the nest, immediately flew down to join in the feast. The juvenile barely got a taste of the fish when the two parents started ripping at the fish as well. Shown soon, there was a reason for those actions. The father flew away leaving the mother and juvenile playing tug-of-war with the fish. The mother eventually ripped it from the hooked claws of the juvenile and flew away in the trees to the right. Previously watching the juvenile stretch his wings and attempt to gain small amounts of flight, he began again, getting 1 to 2 feet of air from the nest. Later, not paying attention, I realized there was an osprey in the air, I looked back at the nest and realized it was the juvenile osprey taking it's very first flight! He flew up in the air doing wobbly circles then flew away down the river to the left, not to be seen again for the rest of my time there. Needless to say, I feel more than blessed.
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