At the end of February and first days of March, chatters began to notice more ospreys in the area. One female landed on the nest briefly. Richie greeted her from the boom, flirting, but then she flew off. A pair of ospreys was seen flying over the El Cerrito hills, perhaps headed to or from the San Pablo Reservoir, where there had been a recent "dump" of golden trout. And ospreys were seen flying around Pt. Molate and the areas around the nest.
Then on the morning of March 2, Rosie arrived. As soon as chatters saw her they knew it was Rosie. And she came to the nest, where Richie greeted her with a CK. There has been some speculation whether she was here earlier and was one of the ospreys seen flying around with their mate. But we'll never know. She and Richie immediately began to spend time together but not on the old nest. Instead, they perch on and around the ROV. Two ospreys have shown interest in the Dutra Crane. We're not sure who. The company was enjoined to lower the boom of the crane and did so.
Then on the morning of March 2, Rosie arrived. As soon as chatters saw her they knew it was Rosie. And she came to the nest, where Richie greeted her with a CK. There has been some speculation whether she was here earlier and was one of the ospreys seen flying around with their mate. But we'll never know. She and Richie immediately began to spend time together but not on the old nest. Instead, they perch on and around the ROV. Two ospreys have shown interest in the Dutra Crane. We're not sure who. The company was enjoined to lower the boom of the crane and did so.
Where's Rosie? Feb. 16 , 2024 at 2:20 pm. cap by midi
Rosie on the boom. March 2, 2024 at 7:02 am. Cap by Dk.
 Hmmm, should we nest here? March 2, 2024 9:50 am. cap by dk  Rosie on the boom March 2, 2024. 8:28 am. cap by craigor |  Rosie on the sheave. March 2, 2024. 6:52 am. cap by craigor |
Rosie and Richie together on the boom. March 2, 2024 at 8:22 am. cap by craigor
Rosie and Richie are not spending much time on the crane this year. They roost at night on the ROV wires usually, sometimes sitting close to each other, other times apart. They spend much of their days on the light poles. As there are more ospreys in the area now, it is not as easy to identify Rosie and Richie, especially from afar. We have seen them on the crane occasionally and they have brought sticks to the sheave nest but also bring sticks to light poles. They don't seem to have made a decision yet or to be ready to breed and settle down yet.
 Richie bringing sticks to the sheave nest. March 6, 2024. cap by dk  Two birds on a wire at night. March 6, 2024, cap by midi |  Richie and Rosie on the crane. March 4, 2024. cap by Jest.  Both on the crane. March 5, 2024. cap by midi |
Rosie on her rail spot. March 6, 2024. cap by midi
Rosie takes off. March 6, 2024 at 12:14 pm. cap by watcher.
Other birds besides ospreys are abundant this year but not very aggressive so far. The gulls come to perch on the nest or crane. There is no evidence that they are nesting yet. The crows fly around to the nest and the light poles but are not being too aggressive.
 Three gulls examining the nest. March 10, 2024. M Sk  Crows on the crane. March 7, 2024. photo by T28 |  Gull on the sheave March 28, 2024. photo by T28 |
Rosie and Richie began bringing sticks to the sheave nest mostly but didn't make much progress. They seemed to have trouble deciding where to nest this year.
 March 7 at 9:23 am |  March 13 at 10:51 am. cap by T28 |
Richie and Rosie on the sheave nest together. March 22, 2024. cap by watcher
As the sheave nest didn't seem to proceed well, and the original nest had lost its interest for them, they began to hang out on the light poles more. First separately then they began to sit together, especially on Lightpole 1 (aka LP7). They also have taken to spending the nights near each other on the ship's cables. Our faithful chatter T28 observes them from the ground and gets photos and videos for us. The new cams are also proving handy at maneuvering so as to capture them on the lightpoles. We cannot always be sure we are seeing Richie and Rosie but usually we do know, especially when we get a close-up. There are more ospreys in the area now, especially the ones ncknamed the Porters from a nest on a platform near the entrance to the car lot and the Wharfers, up Canal Blvd a bit.
 osprey on lightpole with fish March 14, 2024 10:48 am. photo by T28 Rosie occasionally visits the nest and sits on her favorite spot on the railing.  Rosie on her favorite rail. March 22, 2024 at 1:17 pm.  Both on the wire at night. March 19 at 17:38 pm . cap by midi |  Rosie headed to lightpole 1 (aka7) with a stick at noon on March 19, 2024. photo by T28 Osprey on light pole with a fish. March 14, 2024. photo by T28. |
This turn of events has, of course, made it harder to identify both the birds and the fish they bring to a light pole. But the chatters must accept that the birds will do what they do and we must adapt accordingly.
Most recently, they seem to have chosen Lightpole 1 (aka 7) as a place to roost. They have begun bringing sticks to build a nest but the humans have their doubts. We shall see. At least the cam operators have learned to zoom in on the light poles.
Most recently, they seem to have chosen Lightpole 1 (aka 7) as a place to roost. They have begun bringing sticks to build a nest but the humans have their doubts. We shall see. At least the cam operators have learned to zoom in on the light poles.
Light pole 1 (aka 7) with nesting material. March 28, 2024 t 7:55 am. cap by midi.