This is the fourth year that I have observed this Osprey nest. It is located in the Whatcom Creek gorge, just downstream from Whatcom Falls Park, Bellingham, Washington. For more background, please see my previous posts about the 2013, 2012, and 2011 nesting seasons. The small photographs can be clicked for bigger images.
This year, the female was the first to arrive. She appeared tired and her plumage looked worn.
On
March 30, 2014, Ma arrives
March 31, 2014, Ma was preening and resting after her long journey from her wintering grounds.
April 1, 2014, Ma
April 2, 2014, The nest has survived the winter storms, but is in need of much renovation and repair.
April 4, 2014, Pa returned. They were renewing their bond, mating and immediately began nest repairs.
Ma in one of her favorite perches, supervises the nest repair. Pa was working hard.

After some nest work, Pa gets a fish. He eats his share and then delivers the rest to Ma.
And back to nest repair.
April 6, 2014, Pa arrives with another fish, and again he eats some and gives the rest to Ma in the nest. She flies over to the preferred branch to consume the leftovers.
April 7, 2014, Ma contributes to the nest work.
April 9, 2014, Pa continues to do most of the nest building.
April 13, 2014,
April 24, 2014, This was the last day that I saw them both off of the nest at the same time. I think the first egg may have been layed on the 25th. Incubation period for Ospreys is 32 – 33 days.
April 26, 2014
April 30, 2014, Ma does most of the brooding including the night shift. Pa gives her a break in the morning. She usually perches near the nest to stretch and preen.
May 6, 2014, Pa is still bringing materials into the nest.
May 11, 2014, Ma on her morning break. She returns to the nest with a small stick and Pa is relieved of his nest duties.
May 18, 2014, Ma, at the end of her morning break returns to the nest with a stick. She circled the nest a few times, presumably to be sure that Pa saw her coming with nesting materials.
May 20, 2014, Ma on her morning break.
May 27, 2014, Pa delivered a fish to Ma in the nest. She flies off with it and he takes her place in the nest.

After eating her fish, Ma returns to the nest with a stick.
Pa leaves the nest.
May 30, 2014, I think the egg{s} have probably hatched. The parents seem to stand up and move around the nest more. I saw some movement that could have been feeding the chick{s}. This is Ma on her morning break, perched at her new favorite spot.
May 31, 2014, Pa delivers a stick and takes over for Ma on the nest. She flies to her branch.
June 2, 2014
June 5, 2014 *
Pa on one of his favorite perches
Both Ma and Pa were flying around and spending more time off of the nest. I still have not seen any chicks.

Ma

Pa with a fish
June 14, 2014 *
Ma

Pa
June 17, 2014 *
A quick review of the season so far …..
Ma arrives on March 30. Pa arrives on April 4. The next three weeks see them pair bonding, repairing the nest, and mating. Egg laying began about April 25. The egg{s} hatched about May 27. Three weeks later I had my first view of a chick. It can be seen in this photo in front of Ma’s chest, behind a stick.

Ma was perched on the edge of the nest, Pa was perched on his branch. He then flew into the nest, seen here at the left. After only a minute he left the nest and returned to his perch.
Ma made several short sorties around the area, vocalizing as she flew.

Pa made a few trips to get more nesting materials … still working on the nest.
Pa touched down in the nest, and left with a partially consumed fish.
June 20, 2014 *
A normal morning at the nest. Now that the chick{s} are getting bigger and don’t need constant attention, the parents spend more time perched.
Pa lands on his perch.
Like last year, as Ma’s nest duties lessen, she likes to take a morning bath.
Here she is drying out after her morning spa.
A Bald Eagle and a Red-tailed Hawk passed by and Pa yelled at them.

Pa flies over to perch next to Ma.
June 21, 2014

Pa is still working on the nest.
Pa leaves his perch and about an hour later he returns with a fish.

He stops in the nest only briefly and then flies over to his perch with the fish.
After a while, Ma took off from the nest, flew around while vocalizing. Pa gets the message and delivers the remaining fish to the nest.
June 26, 2014 *
Under the watchful eye of her chick, Ma delivered a stick to the nest.

Ma relaxed after her morning bath.

Pa stretched and flew into the nest.
June 28, 2014 *
For the first time, a second chick was seen.
July 4, 2014 *
With Pa perched nearby, Ma was on the nest when I arrived. She then flew off for a stick. Still working on the nest.

After a few minutes, she again flew off. This time she was gone for about 15 minutes. I was her bath time.
She perched near the nest for an extended drying off and preening session.
Some time later, with Pa away from the nest, Ma started screaming. An intruder Osprey was circling around the nest area. Ma was not happy about it.
Pa quickly returned and escorted the intruder out of the area.
The intruder.
Pa
July 9, 2014 *
An uneventful day at the nest ……
Ma

Pa

Ma
July 13, 2014 *
Ma and the chicks on the nest waiting for the next fish delivery.

Pa flies in with a large fish. It looks like a trout.

Pa exits the nest after dropping off the fish.

Ma feeds the chicks.

A few minutes later, the intruder alert is sounded. I was about to leave, but hustled back to a nest view spot. There I saw Pa contending with three Osprey intruders. All four birds were circling over the nest. I’m not sure if these intruders want to steal the recently delivered fish or are just troublemakers. I always wonder if intruding Ospreys are offspring from previous years. In any case, they are not welcome in the nest area.
July 22, 2014 *
The chicks are getting big. Pa brings in a fish with Ma and both chicks waiting.

Ma feeds the kids.

After her nest duties, Ma goes for her morning bath. She returns and airs out her wings.
July 24, 2014 *
The Family
July 26, 2014 *
One chick has fledged. It was perched above the nest.
Ma was perched near the nest with a fish. After some time she flies into the nest and feeds the chick that is still in the nest.

After the feeding, Ma perches near the nest and flaps her wings as if to encourage the chick in the nest to copy her.

She then makes several trips into the nest with sticks. Is she teaching the chicks about nest building?
The fledgling.

Pa brings moss into the nest.
July 27, 2014 *
Proud mother.

Pa takes a fish out of the nest and eats his share.
The fledgling flies in to perch on a branch right next to the nest where it watches little sibling exercising it’s wings.
The chick that has not fledged is getting big air. It won’t be stuck in the nest much longer.

Ma returns to her usual perch.

The fledgling shows off.
July 28, 2014 *
The second chick fledged. The first chick to fledge looks bigger and has a darker, more pronounced necklace. I’ll call it #1. The smaller one with a paler chest / neck is #2.

Pa flies in with a fish.
#2

Pa brings a fish to the nest. Ma grabs it and feeds a perched fledgling. #2, I think.

#1 buzzes #2

Ma makes several trips down the gorge, returning with new sticks for the nest. She brings them into the nest, one after another. Is she teaching the kids about nest building?
July 29, 2014 *
The fledglings are improving their flying, landing, and perching skills.

#1 seems to like to buzz her sibling. Perhaps this is playful, or maybe training for fishing.

Pa brought a large fish into the nest. #1 grabbed it, flew around the area, and managed to perch on a branch where she ate the whole thing without dropping it.
July 30, 2014 *
#1

#2 overshot the landing. It got its weight too far forward and unsuccessfully tried to hold onto the perch. It had to take off and try again.

It stuck the landing on the top of this small branch.

Pa was still providing fish for the kids. The nest serves as a delivery platform.
July 31, 2014 *
#2
August 1, 2014 *

Ma was still working on the nest. Perhaps it was nest building lessons more than fulfilling a need to improve the nest.
August 4, 2014 *

An intruder.

Ma escorts the intruder out of the area.

One of the fledgling watches the interaction.
August 8, 2014
*
Ma herding another intruder out of the nest zone.

#2
August 9, 2014 *
Pa with a fish delivery.

#1 stretches just before sunset.

Both fledglings on the nest at sunset. I suspect they may roost there.
August 10, 2014 *
Pa, the provider.
August 15, 2014 *
The kids chasing each other around in the last hour of light.
August 19, 2014 *
August 24, 2014 *
One of the kids flies off the nest with a big goldfish.
August 28, 2014 *