The morning of June 2, several chatters saw a chick head in the nest. Richie had been staying near and both had been spending time looking down, so chatters thought a hatch was imminent. At this time, it is assumed but not known for sure, that this is the second egg, which was due to hatch. The first egg would be overdue, but anything is possible. All is different this year and human chatters can but wait and see. Midi was given the honor of giving the chick its nickname. She dubbed it Clipper for the ships that rounded the Horn in the early days of modern San Francisco history. ships that were fast but able, and beautiful in full sail. It is up to the GGAS to decide on naming this year, as well as whether to band the chicks. The thought right now is that they will not do any banding, due to the remote location of the nest. For more information, click on the Archives, the FAQ and the chronological FAQs on the osprey chat page.
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First Egg of 2023 laid: 5:17 pm April 21, 2023 With this new nest, it is a challenge for the human viewers to see what is going on. Several chatters were quite observant, however, and chatter watcher knew the signs of imminent egg laying from past years, and so we were able to catch Rosie laying her first egg. The VA video shows it best. Rosie's first egg at 6:49 pm. Note the coloring, mostly white with a darker patch on the large end. cap by watcher. In the absence of a good view, watcher's running commentary described the action best: 04-21 17:17 watcher: look at the motions she's making - tail up and down I can't tell if she has her wings propped watcher: if she gets all fluffed up it's a sure sign 4-21 17:28 watcher: OMG that's her incubation pose - SHE DID LAY AN EGG! WE have egg 1! watcher: yep beak plant and wiggle again as she settled over it but I can't see it Now Rosie spends most of her time on the nest. Richie comes and goes, providing fish and sticks. And requesting nest time. He loves to sit on the eggs. Rosie does leave the nest for short periods, which is normal. Letting the egg cool off slows its development so that its hatching will be closer to the subsequent eggs. The ospreys know what they're doing, from years of experience. Richie also spends quite a bit of time on the nest, as well as flying off to find fish for Rosie and sticks for the nest. Egg Number 2 was laid on April 26 at 2:08 pm with Richie in attendance. While the view is not easy to spot happenings in the nest, sharp chatter eyes saw the telltale signs of Rosie's behavior and when she stood up, they could see the second egg. It has more color than the first egg and should be able to be identified when seen. The eggs are quite deep in the nest and not readily viewed. Meanwhile, life goes on. Rosie spends most of her time lying quietly on the nest, leaving to eat the fish that Richie brings to her. There have been some intruders but they are easily chased away. At night, Rosie sleeps on the nest and Richie perches nearby. All is calm on the Whirley nest. And the weather has been cooperating. Nice, sunny days, not too hot, not too cold.
Then Rosie took it to the strut. It was a jack smelt, a small fish, just a snack. She soon finished and flew back off. We received exciting news from chatter Bill D. Lassen, a chick from 2020 was seen at Coyote Point on the platform that was built for the ospreys. He is actively building a nest and mating. So far three offspring have been sighted in the area: Rivet (2017), Victory (2018) and now Lassen (2020). Lassen and his mate on their nest at Coyote Point Spring 2023. unknown photographer. May 4-10 Life continues apace on the new Whirley nest. Rosie sits in the nest, incubating the eggs and calling to Richie when she is hungry. He brings her a fish, she grabs it and goes to the strut to eat, while he takes over the incubating. When she is done, she returns and has to nudge or sometimes even kick him to get him up. Richie seems to love to incubate. There are occasional intruders or aerial harassers, but they are easily dealt with. It appears that this new nest works better for defense as it is not so easily accessed. We have seen no mammal intruders. It would be hard to climb the cable. A raccoon tried before the eggs were laid and was unable to get far. Meanwhile, the ships come and go, and the chatters talk about this and that, and the world turns. If all goes well, the chicks should hatch near the end of May. The incubation period is normally 35-38 days. See FAQs for more information. And see the GGAS Youtube page for videos of the action. Video by VA of Rosie flying to the nest on May 3, 2023 Note the teal rope. It has been on the nest for a while but doesn't seem to present a real danger as long as there are no chicks. May 11-13 Life on the nest is all about fish. Rosie asks Richie to bring a fish then he goes to get one and brings it to her. He gets a turn on the eggs as a result. But when she returns, he often doesn't want to give up his spot. She tries different tactics and finally he relents. Video on Youtube by VA. May 8, 2023 Below: Rosie brings a Plain Finn Midshipman to the nest. May 11, 2023 For more information on this fish, see the Fish Matrix or go to the fish chapter on this site. Video by VA. The gulls and corvids are always interested when an osprey has a fish. The ravens especially harass Richie and Rosie. On May 13, Rosie went to get her own fish, a large flat fish. But the ravens kept harassing her so she flew around with it. It also was a lively fish and at one point, she lost it then flew down to retrieve it. the following video captured much of the action, thanks to VA's skill at replaying the video from various angles. May 13-22. Life on the nest continues according to the osprey daily schedule. Rosie has been fishing lately and Richie missed a few days, perhaps fishing for himself but bringing no fish to the nest. Now he is bringing them again. The crows and gulls continue to harass the ospreys whenever they have a fish. And a raccoon was spotted all the way up at the raven "nest" on the crane. Fish delivery. May 12, 2023. 3:32 pm. video by VA Rosie being watched by a crow. May 17, 7:29 pm. video by VA The ravens and ospreys chase away a raccoon, a rare act of cooperative work. May 21, 2023, video by VA May 29-30: This week we are on pip watch. Both eggs are due to hatch soon. It is hard to see the eggs this year but we catch an occasional glimpse and our chatters and VA are skilled at enhancing the picture to see better. Gulls and corvids continue to harass the ospreys whenever there is a fish at hand( at claw?). Fish brought to the nest by Richie. May 29, 2023. 8:44 pm. video by VA June 2: A chick was seen early this morning. Go to the next chapter for more information and pictures.
Rosie has Arrived! March 1, 2023 After days of cold and rain, Rosie flew in at 4:09 pm on March 1, 2023, a cold but sunny day. She immediately chased off an ospsrey intruder then the raven that was hassling her, reclaiming her nest. Rosie and Richie quickly reunited to spend the night together on the ROV wires. All is right in Whirley Crane land. March 2: Rosie and Richie seem to have connected and spent the night together. Both were sighted today on the light poles by chatters on site. Rosie was eating a fish. March 3: Rosie and Richie were spotted on the light poles. Rosie was eating a fish at one point. An unknown female came to the nest briefly and was chased off by the raven. The ravens are apparently building a nest on the boom of the crane and are asserting control over the nest. Ospreys are returning elsewhere as well. A pair was sighted at the Richmond Yacht Club nest and at the Wharf Street nesst. March 4: Rosie and Richie are spending quite a bit of time together, getting to know each other again. they have been observed eating fish but we have not seen Richie bring a fish to Rosie. Rosie and Richie both spent time on the nest. Then they shooed off the ravens and the crows. The ravens who like to think they own the nest and indeed, appear to be building a nest on the upper end of the crane. March 6- The ravens are actively building a nest high on the boom, in a protected area. Rosie has been chasing them off but rather half-heartedly. She and Richie are still in the getting reacquainted mode and not very territorial yet. The ravens brazenly land on the nest as though they own it. To add to the confusion, a peregrine falcon landed on the crane and tussled with the ravens. The falcon left. March 7: Much the same today. Richie and Rosie spotted on the light poles, at one point eating fish. Rose brought in a reddish fish, possibly a goldfish? March 8: The weather was better today and Richie and Rosie were active, sitting on the light poles, flying and even coming briefly to the nest. March 8-10. While the ravens continue to build their nest on the Whirley Crane boom, and the gulls visit the nest proper, the osprey action is all on the light poles. On March 10, Richie and Rosie were sighted both apart and together on the poles ,watching and eating. And there was one attempted CK by Richie. The action is best viewed from the ground, in person. So come down to the nest if you get a chance. If you are too far away, there are chatters who go down there and post photos and videos on the chat
The end of the osprey season comes when Rosie starts her migration. But for the WWOC, it extends a bit and ends when they hold their annual party. Rosie left unannounced this year. We really don't know exactly when. Richie has been gracing us with his presence every night, perched on the ROV wires. We hope he is regaining his strength for the upcoming season. And that his presence will deter the corvids from intruding on the nest this coming season. 2022 Fish Charts End of season is when our renowned Fish Matrix Master posts the final counts of fish caught and brought to the Whirley Crane that season. Below are the charts. One notable development this year was Rosie bringing in goldfish. We never did locate their origin. For more fish information, including comparisons to previous years, see the Fish Chapter (Sept. 2018) The WWOC annual gathering was held this year at Pt. Molate park, in honor of our dear departed Molate. It proved to be a wonderful location, a beautiful view of the Bay, the bridge and Mt. Tamalpais, great weather, and plenty of shade and space. There were more than 40 attendees, many of them new to the chat group, and all having a good time. Many more attended virtually on chat. The ad hoc planning committee: craigor, Robin, Dianne A(with husband) and midi.(with the Golden Osprey). Highlights were craigor's talk on the history of the Point Molate area, the hotdog mustard challenge, and the fish bean toss game. Clay, the educational director at GGAS, helped people make osprey headbands, and the GGAS director Glenn Phillips conversed with many chatters. The WWOC thanks the GGAS for their presence at our celebration of the nest. Craigor and brother Jeff created a large heart in memory of Molate. Campers were encouraged to add to the heart throughout the day. Seabiscuit decorated the nest quite imaginatively with materials she either found or had brought with her. After lunch came the finals for the fish toss then the music began. The DelPrado brothers craigor and Jeff performed, as did midi and seabiscuit, along with seabiscuit's friend Bobo and Benjamin's brass ensemble. Quite an entourage. I'll let the music speak for itself in the video curated by craigor. Video created by craigor from footage gathered from Robin, our videographer and designer, and various other chatters. To cap off a perfect day, an osprey was seen flying over the Bay by the beach just as the DelPrado brothers were singing about Richie. The osprey, most likely Richie, flew around, periodically starting to dive to catch a fish then deciding against it, for quite a while before finally heading back to his side of the Bay in Richmond. It is hard not to believe that he heard the music and came to investigate. At any rate, all welcomed his visit. The annual blowing of the conch took place for Rosie on her migration and perhaps already relaxing at her Southern beach. Note: Photos were being posted and reposted on chat the day of and after the party. I was unable to identify the source of each cap and therefore cannot give attribution. The photos are the property of the person taking the picture and should not be copied without their permission. I am assuming permission for this post only. We wish Rosie and Brooks a safe, refreshing stay down in Southern lands. We will watch for Rosie in early Spring. We thank Richie for showing up to our party and hope to see him on the ROV wires each night. May his talon heal and may he find many fish to eat this Winter.
This osprey season is coming to and end. The hurry and flurry of mating, laying eggs, and raising chicks has given way to a quiet time together before migration. Out of three eggs, one didn't hatch and one chick died at 7 weeks, leaving one offspring to fledge and begin to start its new life. Right now, Brooks is flying adroitly, going off then returning and eating fish provided by her parents. Rosie and Richie spend less time on the nest but have been returning at night and during the day just to drop off a fish. It has been a rather rocky ride and we hope the next month or two will be calmer, with the ospreys remaining healthy, plenty of fish caught, and successful migration later in the summer. As every year, the chatters and lurkers have learned much from the ospreys. Week 10: July 18-24 Brooks on the nest Life has settled down at the nest. Brooks has mostly been staying on the nest waiting for someone to bring her fish, which she eats readily. Rosie has been supplying most of the fish with Richie bringing an occasional striper. Rosie is spending the nights on the rail. Richie spends some nights there. Brooks flies off for a short flight occasionally but returns quickly to the nest. Richie has not been spending time on the nest. He quickly dropped off a fish on July 23. Rosie has faithfully been bringing fish to Brooks, a jacksmelt and a pfm on July 24. She has a spot right by the pier where she can catch a pfm quickly. (see the Fish counting Matrix for more information). Week 11: July 25-31 : An Interloper and an exchange Rosie takes off and gets a pfm from by the pier in a few minutes, then delivers it to the nest. July 25 at 6:15am. video by craigor. Not long after, a juvenile visitor came to the nest. Brooks expertly defended the nest but then deferred to the visitor and left. Richie dropped off a fish, apparently without noticing the changing of chicks. Juvenile visitor to the nest, July 25, 9:30 am. video by B. The visitor, dubbed Trudy by some chatters, stayed on the nest, chatting up a storm. Interestingly, both Rosie and Richie responded by dropping off fish. Brooks made some attempts to retake the nest but was rebuffed. It is known that the bird is young due to the white marks on the feathers. It is assumed that she is a female due to certain behaviors, her heavier size and her speckled chest. It is also assumed that she fledged from a nearby nest recently and is now exploring.She still expects to have a fish brought to her but can eat one by herself.
Trudy spent the night at the nest and Rosie slept on the rail nearby. In the morning, the calls for fish started. Brooks has made several attempts to retake the nest but has been rebuffed. To add to the confusion, at one point an adult female appeared on the nest, first alone, then with Trudy. ![]() Rosie and Richie spent the night with their new stepdaughter Trudy on the rail.Trudy later moved to the nest to sleep. By morning, all were gone off on their own ways. The morning of July 27, Rosie delivered a pfm to the nest. Trudy immediately came rushing in to claim it, screaming all the while. She then flew off again. Brooks has not been seen on the nest but may be nearby and may be fed off the nest by her parents. While the nest is empty, the gulls and crows take advantage and come in to clean up the fish bits. Rosie and Trudy spent time on and off the nest throughout the day. There were only two fish brought to the nest, however. Brooks has not been seen but there is indication that Richie and Brooks are nearby and that she is possibly being fed off nest. Two chatters Dianne A and Ali went to visit the area in person. They discovered a banded juvenile on the Wharf Street nest off Canal Blvd. This has to be Brooks. So apparently she is well and fed on another nest. They also found Richie probably on a light pole, conversing with Rosie across the air. On July 28, another chatter Leah went to the area by the nest to look for Brooks. She confirmed that Brooks is staying at the Wharf Street nest, along with another juvenile, probably born on that nest. All seems to be going well. Meanwhile, Trudy is queen of her nest, being fed by Rosie and an occasional fish from Richie. Richie appears to be around the area and communicating with Rosie. Early Afternoon, a quiet time of day Exciting views of Brooks from the ground: all photos taken by and property of Leah. leahsteinbergphotography.com And a quiet night with Rosie and Trudy on the rail. There is a new order on the nest. July 29 was the start of a new order on the nest. In the morning, the nest was empty, so the gulls and crows came to clean up. Around 8 o'clock, Rosie brought a striped bass to the nest and Trudy flew in screeching "Mine, mine." She then proceeded to eat the fish, squawking all the while. Finally Rosie flew in with a goldfish to exchange for the striper. Rosie held onto the now stiff striper while Trudy ate the softer goldfish. At one point, she flew off with it. Richie put in a quiet appearance in the morning. A striper for Trudy. 7 29 22 7:57 am. video by B
All three were on the rail in the evening, At one point, Trudy flew in and sat on Richie's back! Later, Rosie was left alone on the nest while 2 birds, presumably Trudy and Richie were sitting together on the ROV cable. FW's meme says it all! Order has been restored to the nest again and a pattern has been set. The nest is often empty as its residents go about their daily business. The crows and gulls come to take advantage of their absence. A fish is dropped off sometime during the day by Rosie and perhaps Richie. Trudy appears to partake of the fish. She appears to be well fed and is perhaps being fed elsewhere as well. One day she arrived with a fishtail from somewhere. Perhaps she is learning to fish for herself. The nights are spent, in different configurations, on the ROV cables or the nest rail. In contrast to previous years, when Rosie and Richie would be sleeping together either on the ROV cable or the nest rail, Rosie often sleeps alone now. Migration time is fast approaching. The human observers never know when this actually happens as the juveniles fly around, going farther and farther away from home, then one day in August they are gone. We do usually see Rosie and Richie together one last time before she migrates, usually in September. Keep your eyes peeled for blue bands around the East Bay! Week 12: August 1-7 It's All About Fish A pattern has established itself. Trudy has a full crop, has appeared wet, and seems to be well fed somehow, somewhere. Richie and Rosie are bringing her fewer fish. The three spend their time apart or sometimes together, but seem to always be in the area, on a light pole, on the ROV, on the nest rail, or fishing somewhere. Chatters too have quieted down and are showing up less. They seem to have accepted the state of affairs, now that Brooks has been located. The osprey season is winding down. Craigor, the Fish Matrix Master, made a wise statement recently: Somebody has probably mentioned this, but all these intruders, plus our faux-Rosie and faux-Richie (remember?) visitors this year, and chicks swapping nests... is probably all a sign of a healthy and growing local community of O's. There's just more O's around than there were a few years ago so they run across each other more often and have to change their behavior accordingly. And I even seem to recall reading that O's will act territorial and defensive up to a certain population density, but when they get really numerous (as on Cape Cod back east) they shift to more of a colony-type behavior with more comfortable and flexible sharing of territory. And I suspect we're seeing evidence of reaching that density. I did note from Tony\'s remarks that it is now the Richmond shoreline and not Mare Island that is the epicenter of Bay Osprey life. August 3 Just when life on the nest seemed to be calming down, Trudy surprised everyone by bringing a fish to the nest. And not just any fish, but a shark! And it appears she may have caught it herself. She brought it quietly, not screaming as she does when offered a fish by Rosie. She ate it to the last bite. It is thought that she caught it herself by Brooks Island. See video on Youtube. Then on August 3, Rosie flew in with a big striper for Trudy. As she was eating it, however, it became clear that there was fishline and a hook attached. Chatters watched with bated breath, but Trudy skillfully ate around the hook and line, and it fell to the ground, to everyone's relief. All that practice with eating around a fish spine had paid off. Fish Matrix master craigor said: "Sensible. Just had to eat around the hook until it pulled loose, then there was nothing holding the line to the fish anymore. So, lift it off the nest, give it a good shake, presto!" Birdbrain remarked: "It's funny how what we had deemed 'bad table manners' (spitting out the skin, leaving the spine hanging on a wire) turned out to be what saved the day." Many chatters changed their opinion of Trudy that day, no longer a spoiled screecher but, as more than one said, a Warrior Princess. August 4: The drama continues. Today Trudy and Brooks appeared at the same time on the nest and a tussle ensued. It was rather fierce but nobody appears to have been harmed. By evening, Brooks was gone and Trudy was on the rail alone for the night. In others news, word came back that both Brooks and Molate, who were given a DNA test while being banded, are male. Trudy did not receive a test so we can only go by appearance at this point. Most seem to think she is female.
Life goes on mostly off the nest now. Trudy shows up now and then to call for a fish. Rosie comes by with a fish and drops one off for Trudy or if she is not there, flies on to eat it herself. Richie has perhaps visited the nest once that we know, calling against intruders. Rosie can sometimes be seen on the crane up high. We see ospreys sitting on the ROV wires, where Rosie and Richie usually sit off season, usually just one now. Where is Richie and how is he doing with his hurt talon? Trudy remains the Queen of the Nest when she chooses to appear. The season is definitely drawing to a close. If you visit the area, watch for blue bands, check the nest and the surrounding areas and get on chat to tell us if you see any ospreys. Week 13: August 8-14 August 10: Richie and Rosie seem to be keeping close to the nest, often perched on the crane where they can watch. Richie will fly in to chase off an inquisitive intruder. Trudy has flown the nest and hasn't been seen in several days. An osprey has been seen on the Wharf Street nest but a band wasn't sighted, so we can't know if it is Brooks or not. We assume the fledglings are exploring the area and getting ready for their migration. Rosie with a fish. August 13, 2022. 8:39 am. video by J Week 14-16 August 15-31 Richie and Rosie The two juveniles, Trudy and Brooks, have not been seen to identify in a while. Observers from the ground have seen an osprey on the Wharf Street nest, where Brooks took up residence, but they have not seen a band. An occasional osprey flies to the nest for a moment, but they are unknown to us. Rosie and Richie have taken to spending the night together as in the past. They can usually be seen from the ATN cam roosting on the ROV wires. Rosie spends much of the day on the nest rail. Richie puts in an appearance occasionally. Both have been seen eating fish, usually on a lightpole. The crows and ravens come to the nest occasionally to clean up tasty tidbits buried amid the sticks. They are tolerated for a while then sometimes Richie or Rosie will chase them off. Interloper to the nest. August 23, 2022. video by VA Who is on the wire? August 31, 2022. Video by VA Ir is presumed that Rosie left on her migration at the end of August, the earliest she has ever left. The last photo of her on the nest is August 28. An osprey is observed almost every night on the ROV wires. We assume that is Richie. We have also seen him on the crane. Farewell to Rosie and Brooks and Trudy the intruder. May the winds in your wings be fair and you arrive safely in your Winter home. Perhaps one day, we will learn where you spend the winter. We await Rosie's return in the Spring and hope to see Brook's XA band in a few years. And to Richie: we will be watching for you over the Winter. Please visit the nest occasionally. We hope your talon heals or that you at least adjust to it, so you can fish successfully. We think it is Richie who sleeps on the ROV wires each night, often leaving very early in the morning. Nobody has sighted him elsewhere in the day, so we don't know where he is hanging out. On the sand spit as he did in the past? Or at Meeker Slough, where late chatter SailMonkey often saw him fishing. Or perhaps at the San Pablo Reservoir, taking advantage of the trout that were planted there?
Week 6: June 23-29. Developing and using their wings The chicks have been banded and named. The oldest is XA, Brooks and the youngest WM, Molate. More information on their names can be found in Part 6. Their feathers have come in, they have grown, and they have developed talons and strong legs. In short, they are ready to start practicing flying. And learn to be independent. They will spend the next few weeks doing just that. Their development is a bit behind the chart because they hatched later this year. This week is all about food. Richie and Rosie must up their game to provide for their teenagers, who need sustenance to grow, develop and start flying. Richie had a few off days when he wasn't bringing as many fish, but this week, he and Rosie have provided up to 7 fish a day. XA, the eldest, is always the first to be fed, while WM hangs back, but eventually WM gets its turn. Both have become quite vocal about calling for fish. They have found their voices! The chicks are being left alone on the nest more. Sometimes one or both parents are right on the rail or crane boom. Other times they are off fishing and the chicks are alone for a while. They are well camouflaged and the parents are alert, coming whenever there is a threat. Rosie feels the need to protect her growing chicks as they begin flapping. So she is bringing sticks to build up the rails. One such stick was so big she had trouble but she persisted and finally found a good place for it. Although the chicks are more independent now, like all teenagers, they still need family time, they need their parents nearby and they are most comfortable at night at home on the nest, where they are well protected and loved. So here's a lullaby for the chicks before they get too old for such things. Osprey Lullaby Season 6 intro: CFC C F C Go to sleep now in the nest, C F C Just lie down and take a rest. Dm G7 C And I will tell you a tale Dm G7 C Of a boat that once set sail. C F C That boat flew the chicks way up high C F C To the blue moon in the sky. C Dm G7 C The moon rocked them on its swing C Dm G7 C And a lullaby did sing. C F C So they soon fell fast asleep C F C A sleep so soothing and deep C Dm G7 C That they fell right off that swing C Dm G7 C Back under their mother’s wing. C F C There they slept all through the night C F C ‘Neath the shining moon so bright C Dm G7 C Under mother’s speckled breast C Dm G7 C On their very own sweet nest. C Dm G7 C Sleep now ospreys, sleep and dream C Dm G7 C Sleep and dream, sleep and dream. F Dm F Dm C Sleep, dream, sleep, dream ,sleep Midi 2022 Week 7: June 30 -July 6. Getting Ready to Fly The chicks are quickly becoming adult and independent. They stand on their legs now and they are self-feeding. They are becoming quite proficient at tearing off pieces of fish, but still want to be fed as well. XA tends to dominate but will usually back off after a while and let WM have a turn. XA has only become belligerent a few times. WM caught on and takes a submissive position while XA is eating, trying to hone in when possible. They participate in yelling at intruders and calling to Richie for a fish.
Fish Tug o' War. July 4, 2022. video by B Both parents are bringing fish, but Richie's fishing skills appear impaired this year. Is it his damaged talon or some other issue? He is bringing fewer fish and often seems tired after fishing. Rosie is taking up the slack. She knows a place to get Plainfin Midshipmen and can fly off the nest, catch one and return in under a minute. Her fishing place seems to be near Brooks Island by the sand spit. The daily fish count has been as high as seven, so the chicks are not starving. And one day, two fish were on the nest at the same time. Rosie has also been to the San Pablo reservoir and brought back trout. See the fish charts on chat for more information. Rosie takes off and fetches a fish from near Brooks Island in record time. Video by VA There are many quiet times on the nest. The chicks show more awareness of each other. They now sit and watch out over the Bay just like their mother. They sleep. They exercise their wings, stretching and flapping. They're close to lifting into the air. With all this flapping, Rosie feels the need to build higher rails. One day she brought in a large stick that caused her no end of trouble. In the end, she found a place for it. For a video of the stick delivery, see sfbayospreys youtube channel EGGIE or EGGBRO: The first egg laid never hatched. Rosie left it on the nest and would even sleep with it under her. The chicks used it as a pillow or an armrest. It abided. Finally it cracked and Rosie picked it up and moved it, and the shell got buried in the nest material. The VA made a moving memorial video to the egg, complete with music and posted it on the GGAS youtube channel.
Eating the goldfish that Rosie brought July 6, 2022. Video by J Richie fish delivery, using both feet. July 5, 2022. video by B? Week 8 July 7-13. First Fledge Brooks, the oldest, had been flapping, then hovering and finally fledged on July 11, flying and landing successfully on the railing. (S)he showed the ability to fly back to the nest and now flies to the rail and back with ease. Next will be to take a real flight somewhere. There have been some intruders but they are easily chased off. One, however, actually landed on the nest, looked around, showed submissive gestures, then flew off. The two chicks just watched curiously. This pair does not pancake often. And they join in the chorus to ward off defenders. Right now, it is all about fish. Growing youngsters need plenty of nourishment. As the eldest, Brooks has been fed first but Rosie sees to it that Molate gets his share. He has some obstruction, however, and eating is difficult for him. Also, fewer fish are coming this year, due to Richie's lack of ability to bring them in. Rosie has been valiantly supplementing with pfm's and goldfish. Richie mostly brings smelt. Molate, as the youngest, and suffering from some obstruction to his breathing and swallowing, is lagging behind Brooks in size and flying ability. But he is valiantly hanging in there. He has hovered a few times. He still likes to snuggle under Momma and to be fed, but is beginning to self feed and to sleep standing up. Molate hopping. July 13, 2022. video by VA Week 9: July 14-20 Sad week: Brooks flying and Molate dying Brooks' fledging: After fledging to the rail, Brooks began to explore more. She got stuck in the "basement" for a while but managed to get out. She flew to the boom of the crane. And one day, the day after Molate died, she just took off and flew towards Brooks Island. She stayed away until July 19 when she returned to the nest, yelling for food. Rosie brought a fish. Richie came by briefly. Brooks continued to dominate on the nest, but Molate valiantly held his own, despite labored breathing and swallowing. Rosie made up for Richie's lack of fishing. She has a knack for finding fish nearby: pfms and goldfish. Fish tug of war. July 15, 2022. video by J. RIP Molate May 18-July 16, 2022 On July 15, Molate was still fighting his sibling for fish. And Brooks was flying around, exploring, but returning to the nest. In the early afternoon of July 16, Molate dozed, his chest heaving for air. He took a last gasp and tumbled off the nest onto the platform below. It appears that he died instantly, possibly before falling. July 16 Rosie brought a large striper to the nest about an hour after Molate fell and fed it to Brooks, baby-style. Then she and Richie stayed through the night and Brooks stayed on the nest. July 17 and 18 In the early morning of July 17, Brooks took off, flying proficiently. Rosie brought a fish to the rail, but there was nobody there to receive it. Rosie faithfully kept the fish all night, finally finishing it herself. July 18 and 19 There was little action on the nest on July 18. Chatters began to say the season was over with a sudden thump. Then on July 19. at 8am, Rosie was sitting on the rail when Brooks came flying in, chased by a gull and landed on the nest. And there she stayed, seeming a bit tired. Richie flew by once, looked startled and disappeared. See video below by VA. There has been some disagreement with how the authorities are handling Molate's body and many varied opinions. I have posted below the statement from Wildcare, who takes in injured animals, and GGAS , which is in charge of the nest. It should be noted that there are stringent rules from Fish and Willdlife and laws governing the handling of wild raptors. These must be respected and adhered to. These laws exist to protect the birds as a species.
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Midiis a poet and writer of children's stories who has been watching the adventures of the ospreys on the Whirley Crane Nest in Richmond, Ca. for the past seven years. Archives
June 2023
The Archive will not let me keep posts except by date. So before 2020, the dates are not accurate. The subjects of posts before then are listed here:
June 2019 WWOC Glossary May 2019 Life of an Osprey in Nuce March 2019- chapter by chapter for years 2017-1019 February 2019- Rivet's Diary January 2019- The Nest October 2018- The Boats Sept. 2018- The Fish July 2018 In Memoriam andThe Red Oak Victory ship |