This evening I biked to Treman Marine State Park to observe the Osprey nest for an hour and a half. For my observation platform I chose a bench near the west corner of the marina for several reasons. I had a reasonably comfortable perch, I was in the shade at the end of this sweltering afternoon, it wasn't buggy, I was far enough away that I doubted I would affect the Ospreys, and being far away I had a low angle in hopes of seeing any chicks who raised their heads beyond the general level of the nest.
I was rewarded with glimpses of the heads of 2 chicks, as well as some sense of the division of labor by the parents. The larger adult (female) was at the nest the entire time. The male was absent for the first 18 minutes I was there, but he brought a total of 3 fish, 2 of which he deposited in the nest, and upon which the female fed herself and the young. The male only fed himself atop one of the perches while I was there. Here's my notes:
7:19 adult (female) atop west side of nest with wings lowered, maybe shading nest contents, occasionally turns, preens, but wings kept low, sometimes slowly bobs head
7:37 female appears to call (inaudible at my distance); male (smaller adult) arrives and deposits food item the size of his own feet, in northeast side of nest; female moves there and feeds; male flies to southwest perch; heads of 2 chicks are raised occasionally: same size as each other, much smaller than adults, smooth, dark, with flat crown, vertical nape, skinny neck, hooked bill; female possibly feeding young (hard to see in this part of the nest with her back turned),
7:44 female stops eating/feeding, faces male and apparently calls prolongedly
7:51 male flies off, dropping to north
7:54 female resumes feeding
7:57-7:58 heads of 2 chicks more visible & active
8:01 stream of chick poop shoots up over northeast side of nest
8:07 female stretches one wing & leg
8:10 male arrives on northeast perch with large fish (~1/3 his length, long and narrow) in left talons; chicks perk up; male tears at head end of fish while tail end still flails
8:12 male takes large fish down to east side of nest by female
8:13 male flies up to southwest perch; female feeds herself and young; male preens, perches with wings lowered
8:23 male flies off
8:24 stream of chick poop shoots up over northwest side of nest
8:44 male arrives at northeast perch with medium-sized tall flat fish (Pumpkinseed? Sunny? I don't know my fish well) in both talons, tears at head end and then continues to feed himself
8:45 female flies up to southwest perch, cleans her feet & bill
8:49 male still eating on one perch, female still on other perch when I left
--Dave Nutter
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