Osprey Season 2023 Pt. 2: Eggs

4/21/2023

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

Egg 1 on April 21, 2023 at 6:38 pm. cap by watcher

Richie was on the nest for the delivery. Right after the egg was laid, he got hungry and flew off for a fish, to eat it on the light pole. April 21, 2023 at 6:56 pm. cap by Dinnae ken.

Proud parents Rosie and Richie. April 21, 2023. 5:53 pm. cap by Absent Corvid.

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.

Rosie in her "spot" watching and resting. April 24, 2023. 10:30 am. cap by jest

Rosie on the strut eating her fish. April 23, 2023, 1:44 pm. cap by watcher

Both on the nest. April 23, 2023. 7:14 pm. cap by midi

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.

Rosie eating a Sarry Flounder. April 25, 2023. cap by watcher

On the alert. April 26, 2023 7:39 am. cap by Dinnae ken.

Both on the nest, April 30, 2023 at 10:26 am. cap by midi

Richie flying off the nest. May 2, 2023, 6:53 pm. cap by Dinnae ken

Rosie eating a striped bass. May 1, 2023. 3:13 pm. cap by watcher

The nest at sunset. 6:46 pm. April 26, 2023. Cap by AC.

Rosie yelling at an intruder April 26, 2023. 5:01 pm. cap by Dinnae ken

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.

On the crane and on the nest. May 2, 2023. 5:51pm. cap by midi

Rosie incoming with nesting material. May 1, 2023. 12:26 pm. cap by watcher

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.

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.

Richie looks sleepy. Enhanced photo cap by Absent Crow. May 3, 2023 at 7:36 pm

Richie on the boom at night. May 3, 2023. at 9:36 pm. cap by midi

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

Classic view from the crane. A ship carrying Subarus to the port, accompanied by two tugs and a view of the new nest on the crane. May 3, 2023, 6:56 pm. cap by dk

Video by VA of Rosie flying to the nest on May 3, 2023

Both on the nest resting May 5, 2023 at 10:478 am. cap by midi.

Both on the crane. May 9, 2023 at 4:53 pm. cap by dk

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.

A view of the two eggs. May 9, 2023 at 10:58 am, cap by watcher

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.

The flat fish Rosie brought. Struggling with it. May 13,2023. 10:43 am. cap by PP.

Rosie still struggling with the fish on the strut. May 13, 2023. 12:07 pm.

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.

The fish Rosie brough May 13, 2023 cap by watcher

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.

Richie on the eggs May 13, 2023 cap by watcher.

Richie at night on the crane. May 15, 2023. at 9:52 pm. cap by midi

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

Rosie flies in with a fish.. May 22, 2023. cap by watcher

Rosie flies off the strut with her fish. May 22, 2023. cap by craigor

Richie on the rail. May 22, 2023 at 8:26 pm. Cap by midi

The ravens and ospreys chase away a raccoon, a rare act of cooperative work. May 21, 2023, video by VA

Richie eats a fish he caught and takes off to bring the rest to Rosie, but he drops it. She must have seen that because she accepted that he came back without a fish. May 27, 2023. cap by craigor

Richie o the rail. May 26, 2023. cap by watcher.

Both on the nest in a quiet moment. May 26, 2023. 7:34 am. cap by PP

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?).