OSPREYS 2022

Discussion in 'Non Disney Photos / Mobile Phone Photos' started by gary, Apr 1, 2022.

  1. gary

    gary Member

    no photos yet, maybe this weekend. last week in the early week, maybe monday i saw my first returning osprey, a single sitting on a nest, then later in the week i saw a pair sitting on the rim on another nest. today i had some errands that took me east of jamesport, so i grabbed a coffee and went further east to mattituck inlet, to my favorite nest. and there was a bird sitting on the edge, then a few minutes later the other one showed up, and one went off and came back with a stick, so they are actively repairing and working on the nest, no mating activity but that should start soon. i went down by the old mill restaurant, same creek just further inland, and both nests in view had a single sitting bird. saw what i think was a cormorant in the water repeatedly diving, 2 egrets in 2 different creeks, 3 mallards flying in formation, i did not have either a camera or binoculars with me, but tomorrow is calling for mostly sunny and 53, so maybe a return in the afternoon.
     
    Joanie Eddis-Koch likes this.
  2. gary

    gary Member

    i went to mattituck yesterday, and it was grey and overcast, and of course as soon as i got the full tripod and 200-600 setup, it started to sprinkle. there was another local birder there, and he pointed out this is a male, and sitting downstream about 250 feet away on another nest was the female, female ospreys have a brown neck band. we are pretty sure because he visits her some that this is a mated pair, they just haven't fully set up housekeeping yet. it is a very sunny day although a little cold as i type this so i may grab a coffee and go back trying for a better shot
    [​IMG]
     
    Joanie Eddis-Koch likes this.
  3. gary

    gary Member

    sunny day today so i spent a little time out at my favorite osprey nest, single bird on the nest when i first got there, i believe this is the male, and no matter how often i go, one or both, they swivel those heads around and keep a watchful eye on me
    [​IMG]

    and joined shortly thereafter by the female, at which time they just were hanging out on the edge of the nest, no repair activity or fishing while i was there, ran out of coffee and it was not that warm, in spite of the sun, so i left, probably won't be back for a week due to upcoming chicago trip. and yes the nest pole really is tilted that badly

    [​IMG]
     
    Joanie Eddis-Koch likes this.
  4. gary

    gary Member

    checked on the ospreys yesterday, another regular was there , he said there has been on and off mating this week, so i would expect the eggs to be laid over the next couple of weeks, usual timeframe here is 4/15 to about 5/7, quite a bit of male flight aggression , so i suspect we have some 2nd year males not attached yet and trying to steal nests and females, being soundly driven away by the older more experienced males.
    [​IMG]

    he hung out with her for awhile, no fishing taking place over the 2 plus hours i spent there, it was a warm pleasant early afternoon, i had coffee and cheese snacks so no need to be anywhere else, not as warm today and i am going to the orchid show tomorrow, so i may be back here monday

    [​IMG]

    they like to hang out on this vacant nesting platform, i have no idea why this stays unused, it is 400-500 feet away, and just up creek there are 2 active nests within half that distance apart, but he kept flying over to here

    [​IMG]
     
  5. gary

    gary Member

    so i got back to the dec access site in mattituck on sunday, not much osprey action, below is the only photo i took of ospreys. they are sitting on eggs in nests all over, there are 3 within view from where i took this, but not any real fishing activity.

    [​IMG]

    so i went for some other subjects, terns, a real challenge. i doubt i would ever have gotten these photos if i hadn't gone to florida, armed and set up with steve perry's book about wildlife with the A1, and the practice i got in florida. i think these are forsters terns, and they were definitely plunge diving for salt water shrimp, as you can see in the beak

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    they have a pretty good success ratio

    [​IMG]

    but they do not always get something for a dive

    [​IMG]
     

Share This Page