Richmond and Rosie together!

Richmond was flying around the SF Bay area and arrived at the nest to check on things and bring a piece of fish to Rosie in case she had returned from migration. That was nine days ago, just after Valentine’s Day, 16 February 2021. That is brilliant Richmond. You know she is on her way home to you.

Rosie returns landing on the nest on 18 February. It was her shortest winter migration ever. Wonder how Richmond knew to expect her? She was only away from the Whirly crane nest for 154 days. She sits resting and waiting for Richmond to find her on the nest.

Then early on the morning of 25 February 2021 magic happens. Rosie is waiting at the nest. What a beautiful view she has. The sun is just coming up.

Here comes Richmond! Hello Rosie. Did you miss me?

Not sure Richmond’s grand entry was what Rosie was expecting but it is, Richmond, after all. What a crazy Osprey he is! They have been apart now for a little over five months.

Rosie gives Richmond a flip of her wings and he pretends he is a hovercraft. Gosh the hovering that these sea eagles do is amazing. Rosie looks up at him adoringly.

Richmond decides to take a spin around the Whirley Crane. So happy. Both are back home and ready for another season!

Richmond is a character and he and Rosie have successfully managed an Osprey nest with three chicks to fledge several times. Incredible! But the one thing everyone loves is when Richmond brings something interesting to the nest. He is notorious for this. Once it was a blanket, then a number of stuffed toys including a monkey and another time it was an apron with a person’s name on it. In 2018, he brought a red hat to Rosie and the three chicks that everyone played with for awhile.

Richmond and Rosie are experienced parents. And again, raising a nest of three Osprey chicks is no easy feat. This is the type of rivalry that can go on and yet, the three survived to fledge. Yahoo, Richmond and Rosie!

Moving from San Francisco Bay and the experienced and successful nest of Richmond and Rosie to the central part of the bayou in Louisiana. This is the nest of the new couple at Kisatchie National Park. It was a busy first twenty-four hours for this young mother brooding her little one. Right around 23:29:19 a racoon tried to get up to the nest. The female was alert and she successfully defended the nest and her tiny, tiny eaglet.

Their first and only eaglet of the season hatched at 11 pm on the 23rd. It is now 36 hours old. Below is a picture of it in the big nest on the morning of the 25th. The eaglet is 34 hours old. The father has really filled the nest with food. He is a fantastic provider. The eaglet looks so little next to the fish.

A challenge for this first time mother is how to feed their baby. The eaglet and the mother know by instinct that it is beak to beak. However, the mother is always either too close or the sight line for the little one is off a bit. Fish goes on its head and on the side of the face with a few bits getting into its mouth. These two need to begin to coordinate so that this little one will thrive. They are both trying – it is hard to hit a slightly moving target, the mouth of that little bobble head. Sometimes the mother tries to push the fish into the little one’s mouth. She is trying very hard. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for them. The eaglet will survive on the contents of the egg for about twenty four hours (or so I am told).

In the image below both of the parents are there caring for their wee one.

The young mother seems to get a little frustrated when the eaglet will not open its beak wide enough. She will get the hang of it. It is hard to realize just how small the bites are these wee ones can eat!

Everyone knows what to do. They just need to meet up at the right time like Rosie and Richmond! We will keep a close watch on these two nests for developments.

Thank you for joining me. Have a fantastic day. Updates on other nests will be posted in about nine hours.

Thank you to the streaming can at the KNF Eagle Nest and the SF Bay Ospreys and the Audubon Society for the streaming cam for Richmond and Rosie.