George guarding his new nest, officially named Nest 3 this year of new nomenclature.
2024 – What I Knew Then, What I Know Now – 2026
In March, a fifth nest platform was installed between the pier and the Bigs, an attempt to lure George and Martha off the pier entirely. Overall, the neighborhood opposed the gesture. Vehemently. The Bigs ripped that nest apart.
I accept responsibility for a poor design, and Martha’s eggs likely rolled off as the apocalypse raged. Once Martha’s eggs were gone, the Bigs calmed down quite a bit, but never stopped harassing the new neighbors.
George kept delivering fish to Martha and they maintained possession of the disintegrated Nest 3, the Purple Martin hotel, their treasured crossbar at the end of the pier where George’s lower level had once rested, and five pine trees in the side yard. One of the five had succumbed to the pine borer and would be removed along with others before the Ospreys returned the next year.
Martha hung with George until migrating the end of August, a few weeks before him. She will not return the next spring.
Big Mama and Big Daddy will not return either. They divorced the end of 2024. Their two chicks disappeared overnight, likely early June 20, the morning an intruder knocked Big Mama off her nest. She took chase into the South Copse, returned 90 minutes later at a good clip, lifted her talons and shoved Big Daddy off their nest. Not much later she shoved him off again.
There followed some make-up mating, fish deliveries, shortening days, and time for a second clutch passed. Big Daddy left the end of July. Big Mama went the distance. She rested and dined on the North Copse trees traditionally deeded to Nest 4. She migrated the middle of September. I’ve not seen either of them since.
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