A Study in Courage and Fear

I’m concentrating on only two nests these days – the single Least Tern I’ve discovered who seems determined to raise chicks, and is apparently all alone in the world; and that high nest I’ve followed for years, which now has two huge Osprey chicks who both seem afraid to fly.

I watched her for quite a while yesterday, as she sat stoically on her lone nest. She would fly away for a minute or so now and then, but mostly she just sat there and checked the brood or looked around as if she was hoping for company. Maybe a mate who would bring her a fish! But no one ever showed.

Then, down the road, there are these two.  They seem to be thinking about flying, but about all they do is flap their wings half-heartedly and jump up and down. And it DOES look like a long way down, if their untested wings should happen to fail.

So for now, they’re staying put. And expecting mom and dad to keep them fed. Typical adolescents – they just want to hang around the house and wait for the food to arrive.

So … home again. Back across the bridge and into town. It was after dark. And as I stepped out of the car and looked up, I saw this.

Not a bad shot, considering that I just pointed the camera and pulled the trigger. Didn’t even adjust the settings.