Ethel, in the nest, and Mark-8 perched above, don’t seem to be really into one another.
Osprey dung had become an obvious problem by 2022. It eats the paint off cars, porches, everything. A windshield count identified 60 nests on the island, add a conservative third again for nests invisible from the road and those invisible staring straight at them.
The Captain, again, proclaimed St. George Island the Osprey Capital of the World.
Even so, only two of the four nests out front creek fledged Ospreys that year. Ethel brooded a few days in April, abandoned that effort. In June, as eggs in Island Creek nests started hatching, Ethel and Mark-8 hunkered a second time for some serious incubation. Lasted a week. Ethel split when fish deliveries halted. She returned after geese spent a few hours stomping anything in the bottom of that nest to smithereens.
Mark-6 continued to slide sticks down triangular Marker 6 and visited Nests 1 and 2 when the males were absent. Twice, Mrs. B and Mark-6 breezily landed side by side on Nest 2, like they’d just flown in from grabbing a quick drink. Mark-6 loitered briefly, Mrs. B was friendly, he flew off.
Likely Ethel’s chasing Mark-6 off her nest was actually following him into the South Copse. Although I hadn’t realized, in 2022, Ethel had returned from wintering in Central America as a free agent.
On July 12, the same day, Mr. B gave Mrs. B a fish to welcome her return, Mark-8 gave a fish to Ethel. There was a full moon, daylight hours waning, fishing had picked up, for whatever it’s worth.
Mark 8 had begun eating his fish on a low pier very near Nest 1. Ethel’s best chance for a piece was to wait in the nest. Drop down to the pier, he flew with his fish. The gulls, his ever present sentinels, cleaned up the pier. Once, with Ethel watching and calling, Mark-8 left a chunk of fish on the pier. The gulls were on it before his talons left the planking.
Both remained committed to that nest. Up to this point they acted as allies battling any intruders eyeing Nest 1.
The Osprey population increased every year, real estate naturally grew scarcer, and this trend continued into 2023. That season will have barely begun when an intruder threw Big Mama off her nest, ripped her chest open, and left her floating in the creek.
Previous Episode: 2022-4: Best to Lay by Early May
Upcoming Episode: 2023-1: Big Mama Attacked
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