Life is peaceful on the Whirley Crane.  There are occasional visitors or harassers when a fish is brought to the nest, but our pair are well versed in dealing with such annoyances. Rosie spends most of the time on the nest, incubating the two eggs, but when Richie brings her a fish, she gets up and takes it to her strut and he happily takes over the incubation. We get an occasional glimpse of the two eggs. It appears that there will be no third egg this year. 

 Below, our chatter Absent Corvid caught the series of actions of Rosie getting a fish on May 3, 2023 at
​6:23 pm. First Richie flew in the fish.  

Richie spends the nights on one or the other side of the boom, while Rosie sleeps in the nest. 

Richie's talon has grown back partly and doesn't seem to impede his fishing ability. He brings fish regularly to the nest and takes off and lands with ease.

Rosie? eating a fish on the light pole. March 11, 2023 video by Toaster28

March 10-12  The action continues to be on the light poles while the crows build a nest on the crane. 

At night, Richie and Rosie usually sleep on the ROV wires, sometimes close together, other times farther apart. In inclement weather they seek refuge elsewhere. 

With the cams down due to high winds blowing down the electric poles on Canal Blvd. we had to rely on our BOTG (boots on the ground) reporters to tell us what was going on. And they delivered! Rosie and Richie were seen on separate light poles then on the same one briefly until both flew off to go fishing. They seemed to be fishing over by the sandbar. Rosie returned with a large striped bass and spent a long time eating it.

March 20: The cams are still down so we can't see everything that Rosie and Richie are doing, but our local chatters faithfully visit the nest and report back. It appears that the ravens have abandoned the nest they built on the boom of the crane and have relocated back to their light pole. Meanwhile,  Rosie and Richie seem to have reclaimed the crane and  are busy preparing the nest. They have been seen bringing sticks to the sheave and then to the nest.

March 23: The action has moved more toward the nest. Richie and Rosie spend time on the light poles and usually eat their fish there. But they are coming to the nest. Richie stays up on the pulley while Rosie has been sitting on the rail of the nest. She calls to Richie for fish but seems to be catching fish for herself. On March 23, two observers on the ground watched Richie bring a fish to the nest then be chased off by the ravens. The gulls and ravens have been more aggressive this year. But the ravens did abandon their nest on the crane and seem to have nested on the light pole where they were last year. Meanwhile, Rosie and Richie moved toward the nest. 

March 25: Rosie and Richie are spending more time around the nest, although they tend to do their eating on the light poles. Rosie, especially, sits quite a bit on the nest rail. She also seems to be bringing all the sticks. So far the nest is rather haphazardl placed sticks, which are stored first on the sheave. Richie brought fish to the nest today. 

A funny look at Richie poking up behind Rosie taken by VA on March 23, 2023

​​March 27: A pattern has set in, but not one to Rosie's liking. Richie goes off fishing in the morning and catches a fish, then eats it on a light pole. Rosie comes to the nest and calls for her share but Richie does not bring her any. Sometimes, he comes to the nest, but empty taloned. Occasionally there is an ACK (attempted CK). During the day, they may bring a stick or two and store it on the sheave. There is little active nest building going on. 

One has to wonder what role, if any, Richie's broken talon plays in his behavior this year. Is it harder to catch fish so that he can only provide for himself?  Increased intruder interruptions? Is he less able to defend himself now? Or are there other reasons? Is he just not ready to the commitment yet this season? Humans can only watch and conjecture. 

​Meanwhile the nest is a mess. Sticks are stored on the sheave, one presumes to be placed later on the nest, and a few sticks are placed haphazardly on the nest. No real nest building has gone on. The weather has played a role, several stormy days each week, with heavy winds and rain, but on the sunny days, the two ospreys don't do much either. 

March 30:The action has moved to the sheave on the crane, where Richie and Rosie have been stockpiling sticks for a while. Today was the first sunny day in a while and both ospreys got busy brining sticks. Our BOTG (boots on the ground) got some great shots of sticks being flown in. The two birds spent more time together too. But Rosie still appears to be feeding herself, instead of the usual pattern where the male brings fish to the female. 

The evening of March 30, a raccoon was seen climbing to the nest and up the crane. 

April 1- With a day of sunny weather, Rosie and Richie really got going today, bringing stick after stick to their new nest. It appears that they have decided on the sheave location for their nest, although Rosie seems to like to sit on the rail still by the other nest. Today the nest started to take shape, with a real nest bowl. And the pair spent more time together. 
With this development, we are ever more dependent on our boot on the ground chatters, who take great photos and videos onsite to share. 

April 4: Rosie and Richie seem to have chosen the sheave nest as their nest for this year. Both  have been bringing sticks there.But Rosie likes to spend time on the rail as is her wont. And both can be seen on the old nest at times. The new nest is fully formed, with a nest bowl and both birds seem to fit, although it is not as spacious as the old nest. We can only wait and see. 

Crow harassing Rosie eating fish on a light pole April 2? 2023

They seem to be eating mostly on the light pole, with each catching their own fish. But a few fish have made it to the nest. For information on these, see the Fish Matrix.

April 5: With nice weather today, Rosie got busy repairing the damage done to the sheave nest by the previous winds. She had a fish too, apparently caught by herself. Richie has not been doing much. 

April 9: With the continued warm, sunny weather, our two ospreys are getting back in the groove. Richie is delivering fish, there sas an ACK today, and they are spending more time together on the new sheave nest. Rosie also spent quite a bit of time on the rail, her old spot.

Chatters all love Rosie and she has been photogenic lately. 

April 13-18: Rosie and Richie are in a pattern now. They have chosen their nest and are working hard to make it suitable for chicks. Every day they bring sticks and materials for the nest bowl.Richie has started bringing fish to Rosie, although she also catches her own. The crows and ravens continue to harass the ospreys but they defend themselves without trouble. Rosie is spending more and more time on the nest itself, although she takes her fish to the strut to eat. Richie is spending time on the nest as well. There have been frequent ACK's (i.e.mating). Chatters think an egg in imminent. 
It may be hard to see an egg with this new nest and a limited view but the camera operators are doing their best to show the next close-up. 

April 18-20: Richie and Rosie are staying close to their new nest, the upper one. They bring in sticks and soft nesting materials and they bring in fish. Sometimes, Richie delivers, other times, Rosie fetches her own. She likes to eat her fish on the strut. The corvids continue to harass the ospreys when they are eating but appear to be no real threat. Rosie spends more time sitting on the nest and there have been more ACK's, some of which appear to be successful, so chatters are hopeful that an egg will soon appear. 

​There is a new game afoot among the WWOC/chatters. Whenever a fish is seen caught by Richie or Rosie ,either the chatter who spies it or PP makes up a little song. This was started by PP, who created an annex to the Fish Matrix for fish that don't make it to the nest. Each fish noted gets a little song. Fish brought to the nest will continue to be logged by our Fish Matrix Master craigor. 

Toaster 28's fish song:

 Fountains fountains everywhere!
 Ponds of water I declare! ]
Fishy fishy wishy wish,        
Where did Rosie catch her fish?
 
 Goldfish color is the best
I will bring you to the Nest. 
Rosie’s goldfish can’t be beat 
 We will now have lots to eat
 
 Lots of goldfish for us now
 So let Rosie take a bow
 Fish for me, fish for you 
 I will share my source with you.
 
 Fountains fountains everywhere 
 Ponds of water I declare!
  Fishy fishy wishy wish 
This is where I catch goldfish!  
 
Toaster28

Attempted CK Rosie and Richie.  March 11, 2023 video by Toaster28

Richie and Rosie can be seen on separate light poles, often calling to each other, and sometimes eating a fish, or occasionally together. There have been a few attempted CK's. 

March 13​: Richie and Rosie were on the light poles most of the day. But Rosie did pay one quick visit to the nest, bringing a stick. She chirped and looked around. When nobody answered, she flew off with the stick. Is she trying to get Richie to help her build the nest?

Video of Rosie flying and being harassed by a crow. Photo by  Dianne A  March 15, 2023.

​March 16: The weather was better today, warmer and sunny. And the ospreys responded. Rosie was seen delivering a stick to the crane and Richie attempted a CK on the nest. 

Attempted CK on the sheave March 16, 2023. video by Toaster28.

In the late afternoon of March 17, midi was at the nest. She saw Richie and Rosie on the wires of the ROV. Then they both flew off and seemed to be fishing in the ship channel. Midi walked along Canal Blvd. and soon saw Richie on one light pole eating a fish and a bit farther along she saw Rosie on another light pole, also eating a fish. Midi came back to the nest area and before she left, she again saw Rosie and Richie on the wire. Then they flew off again. 

Fetching a stick from the ground. March 31, 2023. Toaster 28. 

There have been a few ACK's. We cannot know if any were successful CK's but there is some hope. 

And of course, the boats provide an endless source of entertainment when the osprey are away. 

April 8: The weather has been sunnier and warmer and Richie and Rosie seem to be responding appropriately. They are spending much more time on the nest area and today Richie brought fish to Rosie! The usual pattern is emerging. to chatters' chagrin, however, the osprey pair has chosen the pulley/sheave as the location for their nest. It does not look as secure spacewise and they have trouble maintaining balance when they bring sticks. But they have their reasons and we can only wonder what those reasons are and "Trust the Ospreys." 

April 10-12: Rosie and Richie have definitely chosen the pulley/sheave area for their nest this year and they have been busy bringing sticks and other nesting material. It is beginning to really look like a nest. They are also spending time together on the nest. They still spend the nights elsewhere. They were perching on the ROV wires at night but lately they have been out of sight of the cameras. Richie has brought some fish to Rosie as well. 

​
​Welcome Rosie
 
Welcome back, our Rosie
Welcome home today.
We are glad to see you,
Our favorite osprey.
 
Did you have a good time
Down in Southern clime?
Do you like to be alone,
Down there on your own?
 
Now it’s time to get busy,
Find Richie and mate,
Gather sticks and eelgrass,
Start to nestorate.
 
Lay some eggs, one, two, three
For us all to see.
We will watch day and night,
To dawn’s early light.
 
Chicks will hatch and will grow,
Keeping us on edge, 
Until the day that fully grown,
They decide to fledge.
 
Then we will scan the skies
For their bright blue bands.
Until you and they decide,
To migrate to Southern strands.
 
Then Richie will be alone,
Again a bachelor.
And we will have to wait
To see what is next in store.
 
But Rosie, you will return,
For you always do.
We know we will see you again,
We can count on you.
 
So let’s raise a toast
To our ospreys dear,
Here’s to Rosie and Richie,
And a new osprey year!
 
Midi 2021




​

Lunch is served. There was a nice variety of food and some very tasty dishes. The favorite seemed to be toaster28's trail mix. Many reported taking bags home with them. 

Instead of rebuffing the visitor, Richie and Rosie upped their fish bringing. Below is the statement from the Fish Matrix Master at 5 pm. More fish came later. 
 
"Four for Rosie today ties her season best. Highest total for a day this year is eight, six for Richmond and two for Rosie. Would not be terribly surprising to see that exact ratio reversed today. She just needs to bring two more by nightfall.
Six fish today and the last four have been eaten by some kid from down the block."

At 5pm, a smelt was delivered by Richie. At 5:46, a goldfish was delivered by Rosie. Trudy flew off. Brooks flew in to claim a fish and Trudy came back to reclaim the fish. They had a struggle over the goldfish. At 7pm, Brooks was on the nest again and Trudy landed on her, still clutching the goldfish. Brooks was mantling over the herring that had been brought earlier. Trudy attacked Brooks and Brooks went into a submissive position. 

Another chatter saw this same nest 2 days earlier, with an osprey, possibly Brooks.

Trudy landing on Richie  July 29 evening. video by B

Trudy's shark.  August 2, 2022.  video by VA

Above: Skirmish. around 6pm. video from VA

Below: Interloper arrives and leaves, then Rosie comes in with a fish.  6:25 pm. August 4.

Osprey with fish   August 13, 2022. video by VA

Molate takes from Brooks  June 29, 2022

Brooks takes from Molate.  June 29, 2922

New Type of Fish: With Richie impaired and not brining as many fish, Rosie has been going out more. She seems to be opportunistic and, not wanting to be gone long from the nest, fishes nearby. Although she has gone to the San Pablo Reservoir for trout. She has a place to get PlainFin Midshipmen near Brooks Island and now she has been bringing an orange fish believed to be an introduced goldfish. They are bright orange and quite distinctive when she flies in. (Garibaldi are another possibility but they don't usually live this far North, as they prefer warmer waters and kelp, such as in Monterey Bay.) All are speculating as to where she might be catching these fish, as she is gone for only 6 minutes. 

 From GGAS: 

Dear Osprey friends:
We have watched with growing concern as the younger of the two Osprey offspring, Molate (band WM), shows signs that they might not be thriving. We are keeping our fingers crossed that they will survive to fledge in the next week.
Like many wildlife species, Ospreys live vulnerable lives. Typically 10-20% of nestlings don’t survive to fledge, with the majority of deaths caused by lack of adequate food (Poole, 1984). Their highest risk of death is around 4-5 weeks after hatching, and it is unusual for nestlings older than that not to survive through fledging (Hagan, 1986). But even once they’ve fledged, they face steep challenges. Research suggests that fewer than 50% of young Osprey fledglings survive their first year.
We can’t know whether Molate’s apparent decline is related to a lack of food resources or some other illness or injury. We do know that both chicks appeared healthy when they were banded last month.
It is Golden Gate Audubon’s policy to minimize human intervention in the lives of wild birds. That includes reducing risks to birds from buildings and glass, pesticides and herbicides, and badly sited energy projects. Despite our deep personal connections to Rosie and Richmond and their offspring, they are not pets. We will not impose upon their wildness, nor will we make efforts that may inadver- tently harm otherwise healthy and productive individuals.
That does not mean we will stand by idly. We will maintain vigilant observation of the nest, and should Molate end up somewhere in trouble, outside of the nest, we will make every effort to get them to care at one of our trusted partners, WildCare or Lindsay Wildlife, as only a California Department of Fish & Wildlife permittee is legally allowed to handle wild Ospreys.
We share your concern for Molate, and hope our fears don’t come to pass. Moments like this remind
us how precious and fragile life is – both human life and wildlife. Getting to know individual birds like Molate and Brooks (band XA) makes us more committed than ever to protecting our local birds, every- thing from magnificent raptors like this Osprey family to the towhees and finches in our backyards.
With our thoughts on Molate and their family,
Glenn Phillips Executive Director

​From the Asst. Director of 07-10 11:36
Wild Care: "Lucy shared your email with me
regarding the osprey chick in Pt. Richmond.
After checking the live feed, it does appear
that one of the chicks is not as strong as the
other and is having some signs of labored
breathing. The bird seems to be alert and
standing normally at times as well.
Unfortunately, as long as WM is in the nest,
we have no ability to intervene. Because of
their ages, the other osprey, who is healthy
and doing well, would likely jump from the
nest and this would cause significant injuries
or death. Sadly, ospreys are a very high
stress species and have very specific feeding
and housing needs that are incredibly
challenging to minic in captivity. For that
reason, it is much better to keep the young
bird in a natural, reduced stress setting, with
parents who know how to care for him/her.
Right now, WM looks weak, but otherwise is
showing many positive signs and has a much
better chance for a healthy life in the nest. If
the osprey does come out of the nest, needs
medical attention, and it is safe to intervene,
WM should be taken to the closest wildlife
hospital, which may be WildCare or Lindsay

For similar reasons, it was decided to leave Molate's body where it is, in order not to disturb the remaining chick Brooks or deter Richmond and Richie from tending to their chick.