An Osprey Family Album (continued)
Part 2 (Part 1 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Changing Chick Profile)
Photos from July 20th
With his
fast-growing wings and tail, the young chick has to figure out what to do
with these changing appendages. Here he is try the famous Karate pose,
"The Crane." [Which could be called "The Osprey" if performed on two
feet instead of one].
Still the
grown-ups must feed the chicks, day after day, until they are able to fly
and learn how to catch fish for themselves. 
The young are
looking more and more like the adults, but they still have a long way to go.
Photos from July 23rd
Besides
screeching her warning, the Mother bolts from the nest, flying in an
intimidating manner towards intruders, circling over head, still squawking
and sometimes dropping excreta bombs. The message is pretty obvious to any
creatures with eyes or ears.
Meanwhile the
youngsters are getting used to the daily routine.
- (yawn) "Hey, what's for breakfast?"
- "Fish, duhh!"
- "Fish is good! Fish is good!"
Taking a break
from the family duties, the lady of the house visits a nearby pole and with
a shake of the body, reminiscent of a dog's shake after it's been petted,
she adjusts her plumage and tidies up.
Photos from July 29th
The Mother is
still bringing sticks and softer bits of brush to the nest. Is she teaching
her kids how to make a nest or just tending to her house-keeping chores? 
The chick
flaps its strong-looking wings as the Mother "weaves" the newly acquired
stick into the loose fabric of the nest.
Photos and text by Milt Moody
Copyright 2003 ©
Milton G. Moody – All Rights Reserved