Yesterday I watched this youngster (don’t know if it’s M or F) for a while. It was hanging around the old home place, alone, then went off to hunt. A few minutes later – I’ll call it “she” – she came back with her catch.
But I don’t think she quite knew what she had or what to do with it. Finally, she flew to the Pine that’s the favorite dining area for the birds from this nest and tried to hold it down – it was very much alive! – and figure out where to start. By the way, it was a baby Sting Ray.
Normally, with a fish, Osprey’s start at the head, eat half way down from the top, then share the rest.
But this thing didn’t seem to HAVE a top. And what was with that long dangly thing?
Thing wiggling. Bird pondering. Lost her grip and – Bam! – it fell to the ground.
That’s when I decided to leave the poor thing alone, and back off far enough that she might feel safe in diving down there in the tall grass to retrieve it.
I don’t know if she finally got her meal, or figured out what to do with it. I left the area so she could have some privacy, and went off to check on this little guy.
In a nest not far away, this sickly looking Osprey chick seems to be afflicted with something. It’s the only chick left in a nest this season as far as I can tell. I wasn’t there long enough to see if he/she is still being cared for. It seems somewhat active and alert, just no way to know why it hasn’t fledged out fully. I’ll be back to check on it soon. And I sent a report about it to my friends at the NPS.
Jim McDade, Photographer 