I wonder how many juvenile Osprey wind up protecting the natal nest for their parents – alone? Today is the third time that I know Tiny Tot waging battles against the ‘Intruder’. There could have been more.
There Tiny was, sibling #2 eating the morning fish as usual, paying attention to what was happening around the nest. No parents around anywhere!
Around 10:02, Tiny was sniffing around the fish that sibling 2 was eating and 2 flew off the nest to the perch.
Almost immediately, Tiny Tot begins alerting. Sibling 2 is on the perch watching. Instead of hanging around to help his younger sibling, #2 flies off with the rest of his fish leaving Tiny Tot alone to deal with the adult intruder.
Tiny Tot is very alert looking up and down and around the nest. At 10:07:28 Tiny Tot flies off the nest. He is ready to engage the ‘Intruder’. I am starting to think we should be ordering Tiny Tot some kind of Super Hero costume!
At 10:11:18, the ‘Intruder’ is on the nest. Thirteen seconds later Tiny Tot is hot on the heels of the ‘Intruder’ and chases them off the nest!
Here comes Tiny. No turning back now for our brave little juvie. His talons have caught on the edge of the nest.
Tiny is not backing down. His wings are up. That intruder is going!
Tiny lowers his wings in the mantling pose screeching all the time. The Intruder flies off the nest.
Tiny Tot is hot. He continues to look around.
Tiny sees the intruder and does a couple of flaps to get him to the other side of the nest.
He stops and looks around. Tiny Tot is mantling. He sees the ‘Intruder’ above. It is 12:24:16. He is alerting never taking his eyes off of the nest invader, the adult that has been hounding the family for more than a week.
At 12:24:25 Tiny Tot flies off to engage the Intruder for a second time in less than two and a half hours. He must be tired and hot but Tiny Tot is not giving up.
Good luck, Tiny Tot!
It is now just past 13:30 nest time. Tiny Tot has not returned and there has been no sign of the ‘Intruder’, the parents, or sibling #2. Send warm wishes out to Tiny. All the things this little one has gone through he deserves a break and a big fish. Tiny Tot – our Super Hero!
Thank you for joining me this morning. I will do an update on the situation at the Achieva Credit Union Osprey Nest this evening.
Thank you to the Achieva Credit Union for their streaming cam where I grabbed my screen shots.
