This is the sixth 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 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011 nesting seasons. The small images can be clicked for bigger images. Click your back button to return to the post.
This year, the female was the first to arrive.
On March 31, 2016, Ma arrives. This is the exact same date as her arrival last year.
Osprey * Whatcom Falls Park
April 1, 2016
Ma waiting for Pa.
April 2, 2016
Somehow the unattached males have figured out that Ma is alone. Several males are flying around the nest and fighting. We saw one pair lock talons and tumble into the trees. Eventually they disengaged and flew off.
Ospreys * Whatcom Falls Park
Ospreys * Whatcom Falls Park
Ospreys * Whatcom Falls Park
Ma with a fish
April 4, 2016
One male seems to have dominated and been accepted by Ma.
Ma at right, new male at left.
However the battles continue as others compete to be the dominant male. I saw as many as eight Ospreys in the air over the nest at one time, with much screaming and threatening flights.
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Ma’s new partner
April 7, 2016
April 8, 2016
April 15, 2016
The pair bonds, mates and starts working on the nest in between the continuing drama of several other males still competing to be king of the nest.
 |  Ospreys * Whatcom Falls Park |  |
April 25, 2016
For obvious reasons, the new male has been named Bigeyes.
 |  Ospreys * St. Clair Nest |  |
Osprey * St. Clair Nest
May 1, 2016
Several males in the area are still fighting for dominance and the privilege of being with Ma and this desirable nest. The chaos continues. At one point I counted seven Ospreys flying around, screaming and chasing one another. Ma repelled unwanted advances, and any bird that landed on the nest was dive bombed.
…. one enterprising male appeared with a nice fish. He hovered, swooped, and vocalized, showing it off to Ma in an attempt to impress her. Unfortunately he attracted the wrong kind of attention. An adult Bald Eagle was in the area and had designs on the fish. Chase ensued. Surely an Osprey could out maneuver a Bald Eagle, and he did for a couple minutes. The Eagle was persistent and showed flying prowess that matched the Osprey. Eventually, the Osprey gave up the prize, and the Eagle snatched it out of mid air. Kleptoparasitism. A closer look at my photographs revealed fishing line and a weight or swivel still attached to the fish. It appears that the Osprey is also guilty of kleptoparasitism. Some fisher person on Lake Whatcom or Lake Padden has a story to tell about the one that got away, snatched by an Osprey.
May 9, 2016
Bigeyes and Ma on the nest. Eggs may have been laid.
May 20, 2016
Water from Lake Whatcom and drainage from Alabama Hill, that filters through Scudder Pond creates a lagoon across from Bloedel Donovan Park.
This lagoon is the headwaters of Whatcom Creek, and is about 3/4 mile from the St. Clair Osprey nest, as the Osprey flies.
While birding the Scudder Pond area, we spotted two Ospreys circling over the lagoon, apparently looking for fish.
They didn’t want to share the fishing grounds , so much screaming and chasing ensued.
One perched in a cottonwood at the edge of the lagoon, only to have the other fly in and perch right next to it.
The standoff lasted a few minutes. One bird left. The apparent victor of this skirmish was our Bigeyes.
May 30, 2016
BIGEYES with a flounder
He ate his share, then took the rest into the nest for Ma {sitting on eggs}. However, there was an intruder in the area, so he removed the fish from the nest, perched nearby, and screamed at the intruder.
At one point, Ma left the nest for a minute, leaving the eggs unprotected. She returned and after the intruder was vanquished, Bigeyes returned with the fish. Bigeyes stayed on the nest and Ma took the fish to a perch where she had a meal.
Ma
June 10, 2016
Bigeyes brings a stick into the nest.
Ma stretching, preening and taking some time off of the nest.
June 16, 2016
Bigeyes yelled at an intruder. There is another Osprey pair in the area that get the wrath of Ma and Bigeyes every time they fly by.
June 22, 2016
Bigeyes delivers another stick to the nest.
While on a break from nest duties, Ma stretches.
June 26, 2016
Ma on her favorite perch.
June 28, 2016
Though the chicks have not been seen, I’m fairly certain they have hatched.
Bigeyes is still improving the nest. He carefully places the twig at the rim of the nest.
An intruder buzzed the nest, possibly hoping to steal a fish that was cached in the nest.
Bigeyes saw it coming and defended the nest.
Ma quickly returns to the nest. After the threat has passed, she flies over to her perch.
June 30, 2016
Both parents off of the nest, another clue that the chick{s} are getting bigger and don’t need constant attention.
July 6, 2016
Bigeyes still working on the nest.
Ma feeds the kids.
The fledgling discovered a snag low in the gorge over the creek. They like to perch on it and watch the creek. Their fishing instincts make them very curious about the rushing water.
April 4, 2014, Pa returned. They were renewing their bond, mating and immediately began nest repairs.
After some nest work, Pa gets a fish. He eats his share and then delivers the rest to Ma.
April 9, 2014, Pa continues to do most of the nest building.
April 13, 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 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.
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 5, 2014 *
Pa on one of his favorite perches
Ma
Pa with a fish
June 14, 2014 *
Ma
Pa
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.
Pa made a few trips to get more nesting materials … still working on the nest.
Pa flies over to perch next to Ma.
Pa is still working on the nest.
He stops in the nest only briefly and then flies over to his perch with the fish.
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.
July 9, 2014 *
An uneventful day at the nest ……
Ma
Pa
Ma
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?
Pa brings moss into the nest.
July 27, 2014 *
Proud mother.
Pa takes a fish out of the nest and eats his share.
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.
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.
#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
#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 24, 2014 *
One of the kids flies off the nest with a big goldfish.
August 28, 2014 *
