The osprey have returned from their wintering over in warm climates and continents to the south of us. The males and females winter over in separate places from one another, but when it is time to return to the nesting grounds, they find their life time mate and nest together again.
The female will spend most of her time on the nest, however, the male osprey is a sentinel guard. The male will perch on a nearby stump, tree, branch, or post to stand in protection and service of the female osprey. As the days get longer, the male will relieve the female osprey of her nesting ritual for a short period of time while she stretches her wings, glides on an air current and returns to the nest within ten minutes.
The male osprey will hunt and deliver the food and help feed the young fledglings once they have hatched. Osprey generally have 2-3 young each spring. It takes both parents to raise them. Righ now, the females are preparing the nest for the eggs. Once she starts to sit on the eggs it will be about 40 days.
Come out and watch the osprey as they begin the timeless ritual of nesting.
No comments:
Post a Comment