Calico Tom-Protector and Defender

Good evening from the beautiful Eastern Shore of Maryland!   Thanks to all of you who were able to join us at the Welcome Back Osprey gathering in Annapolis, Maryland.  We were so happy to meet many of you who were in attendance, and really enjoyed Dr. Bierregaard’s informative presentation. Before we get into what has been going on in and around the nest, the Crazy Osprey Family is proud to announce that Osprey Girl is officially a Fightin’ Blue Hen at the University of Delaware.  It was a difficult decision for her, as she also loved Drexel University, but I guess we are keeping the bird karma going here at the Crazy Osprey Family homestead!  Congratulations, Osprey Girl and go Blue Hens!

I am quite positive that it has not gone unnoticed to all of our faithful readers and camera watchers that there are three beautiful eggs in our nest.  The eggs were laid on April 12, 15 and 21.  Last year, our three eggs were laid on April 15, 18 and 21.  Only two of the three hatched last year, both after thirty nine days on May 24 and 27.  In 2013, our first year with the Conservancy, Audrey laid four eggs on April 17, 19, 23 and 25.  This was the only time we had four eggs laid.  Three of the four eggs hatched on May 26, 29 and June 2, the first after thirty nine days and the second and third after forty days.  So if I am doing the math correctly, the first egg should be hatching around May 21, give or take a day.  Take a deep breath and put on your waiting caps, we still have a ways to go!

Tom and Audrey “sharing” a fish on our neighbor’s dock

Meanwhile, we have been enjoying the day to day activities at the nest.  Crazy Osprey Man (COM for all of you newbies out there) was concerned about the tilt in the new pole.  You may remember that last year, we had an awful time with our new pole spinning around in the wind before it worked itself into the bay bottom.  COM made a few trips out to last year’s new pole in some very cold and nasty weather to rotate it back in place.  This year, the pole didn’t appear to be spinning, but tilting.  Our very own Mr. Fixit aka COM, improvised an anti-tilt device and installed it at the bottom of the pole.  It seems to have done the trick.  COM’s trips out to the pole did not go unnoticed by some of our astute camera watchers, as he could be seen on the ospreycam for brief moments making his way through the water under the pole.  Thanks once again for your skilled and inventive workmanship, Crazy Osprey Man!

Crazy Osprey Man straightening up the pole with a more permanent solution of his making

This evening as I was preparing dinner, Tom was sitting on the nest, and Audrey was hanging out on the scraggly tree in our neighbor’s yard to the north of us.  Maybe it is my imagination, but I think Calico Tom sits on the nest more frequently than our old Tom.  Or maybe it is just easier to tell it is Tom due to his wild and crazy feathers.  Anyway, Tom took off to the north and within five seconds, Audrey hightailed it back to the nest to resume her motherly incubation duties.  She knew he was gone, and didn’t waste any time getting back to the eggs.  It is truly amazing to watch nature in action!

Audrey taking a break from the nest

There have been many comments regarding Audrey’s vocalizations while sitting on the nest.  Many of these calls are heard when Tom is out fishing.  If I hear Audrey squawking especially loudly, I will look up, and I can usually see Tom out fishing close to the nest (way up high), or in the area with a fish he has just caught and is not sharing.  It will soon be time to mute the sound on our computer, as when the windows are open in our house, we are treated to stereo squawking due to the seven second time delay between the real time squawking and when the camera image and sound are seen and heard over the internet.  The din can be overwhelming when our ospreys are in full voice times two!

Tom with a big fish-should be enough to share

We have all been pleasantly surprised by the smooth transition from our previous Tom to this year’s Tom, aptly described by Dr. Spitzer as “Calico Tom”.  Many of you were filled with worry and consternation, wondering if this mottled intruder could fill the shoes, or should we say talons, of the old Tom.  Well, I am pleased to say that Calico Tom has jumped right in and taken over his duties as defender and provider.  His hunting skills are providing many fish lunches and dinners.   When not at the nest, he comes a flyin’ when Audrey gives the distress call or he sees an intruder in the area.  We had a flurry of intruders a couple of weeks ago, which I attribute to some of the juvenile ospreys making their way back to this area after their first migration.

Audrey on Osprey Girl’s boat lift

There have been so many great comments on the blog this year.  I read them all with gusto, and enjoy each and every one.  It’s been a real treat to see where our readers/watchers are located.  This year, we even have a dedicated camera watcher from Germany.  Her name is Uta, and she posts informative comments and still shots from the ospreycam on the Conservancy’s Facebook page.  Fran’s comments are lovely, as she describes in poetic detail what she has observed on the nest.  We have Joan watching the camera from Long Beach, California and Maureen from Cape Cod in Massachusetts, truly from sea to shining sea!  Which leads me to my next request, submissions to our “Where in the World are Tom and Audrey” contest.  Please take a photo of yourself watching the ospreycam on your home computer, tablet or phone.  Send it to Tom_audrey_osprey@yahoo.com.  We will post a weekly winner in each blog, and then announce a winner for the 2015 osprey season.  The overall winner will be awarded a great prize after all of our ospreys take off to their winter digs.  All of the winning photos from the last two seasons can be viewed in our old blogs.

Returning to the nest

Don’t forget about the Great Give coming up on May 5 and 6.  More information may be found on the Chesapeake Conservancy’s website and Facebook page.  The largest donor during the Great Give will win a visit to the secret location, hosted by none other than the Crazy Osprey Family in the flesh!  We put out a great spread to welcome our guests, but not to worry, we won’t be serving fish!

Well, that’s it for now.  Until next time, we remain-

Crazy Osprey Man, Mrs. Crazy Osprey Man and Osprey Girl

If you are enjoying the osprey camera and blog, please consider a donation to the Chesapeake Conservancy so they are able to continue supporting programs such as this one.  Go to http://www.chesapeakeconservancy.org today.  Thanks very much!

Who’s Your Daddy?

Good evening from the breezy, no, that would be windy, Eastern Shore of Maryland!  Well, I guess there is never a dull moment here at the secret location.  Just when we were looking forward to a nice, normal third season, BAM!  The drama is starting early this year.  After Audrey returned from her winter vacation a little earlier than last year, we were all waiting with bated breath for the return of her faithful companion, Tom.  But lo and behold, a great osprey mystery ensued!

Audrey waiting for her Prince Charming

As most of the regular blog readers and ospreycam watchers are probably aware, there have been many questions as to the true identity of our male osprey this season.  I have conducted a detailed analysis of Facebook postings and blog comments, and consulted with Dr. Paul Spitzer and Dr. Rob Bierregaard.  In addition, I have spent many hours (which I don’t have to be looking at birds) observing the ospreys at our nest.  Here at the secret location, we have the advantage of being able to view images from the nest directly from the camera without the images coming across the internet.  Our enhanced view makes it a little easier to ascertain subtle differences between visitors and residents at the nest.  So here is my unscientific analysis. Remember, you can click on each photograph to enlarge it for your viewing pleasure:

3/16/2015:  Audrey arrives back to the secret location, and begins nest building the same day.

Another great photo of Audrey snagging a COM stick from the backyard

Audrey in her stick tree where she breaks off sticks in flight and takes them to the nest.

Close-up of Audrey in the stick tree with some visible broken branches

3/23/2015:  By this time, Audrey has been busy building her nest solo, and it looks really good for so early in the season.  A visitor to the nest arrives.  This visitor is solid brownish/black like Tom.  Tom, is it you?

Audrey and the dark stranger during better days when osprey life seemed status quo

For a few days, we do not see the dark male return to the nest very often.  This is not the normal behavior for our returning Tom, who could usually be found either in or near the nest .  He does, however, manage to be there for the Baltimore, Maryland Channel 13 interview and taping that took place on 3/25 at the secret location.  Joel Dunn, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Conservancy, was interviewed by Alex DeMetrick, a reporter from Channel 13 and the interview was broadcast later that day and the next day.  Tom, is it you?

Joel Dunn and Alex DeMetrick conducting an interview at the secret location

Audrey and the dark stranger make an appearance for the camera

3/27/2015:  A screen shot posted on Facebook shows Audrey and the solid color male “rolling in the hay”.

3/29/2015:  A screen shot posted on Facebook shows Audrey and the solid color male “in delicato”.

Audrey and the dark stranger during one of their last interludes. Can’t a couple get a little privacy around here?

3/30/2015:  A screen shot posted on Facebook shows Audrey and the solid color male on the nest smoking a cigarette (only kidding, but you catch my drift).

3/31/2015:  A screen shot posted on Facebook shows Audrey and the solid color male. Tom, is it you?

And then…………….

4/1/2015:  A different male is seen in the nest.  Photos posted on Facebook show an obviously different feather color, with the male looking very mottled.  Audrey and the mottled male mate frequently over the course of the day, but she does not seem pleased.  She bites at the mottled male, which is a behavior we have not seen before from Audrey.  Based on Facebook and blog comments, there is much consternation about the identity of this male.

4/2/2015:  The mottled male continues to copulate with Audrey, and she continues to thank him for his lovemaking by biting and pecking at him.  Something is amiss!  Osprey experts need to be called in for a consult.  The Crazy Osprey Family contacts Dr. Spitzer and Dr. Bierregaard.

On April 3, we received responses from Dr. Spitzer and Dr. Bierregaard.  Here is a portion of Dr. Spitzer’s response:  

“The ospreys are back, bearing spring on their long graceful wings. In fact many have been back for awhile, and have endured some very chilly weather.  They are fresh from the tropics, and as a human I do not relate well to the sudden end of their warm “separate vacations” (a human frame of reference).  Why come back so early? Charles Darwin found the key 150 years ago, when he began to explain “evolution” by “natural selection”.  This is about passing on osprey genes.  You must reclaim your nest and your mate as soon as possible, to avoid contention for both.  My sources tell me “Tom” showed up late; and now he has been usurped by a New Male whom I will call “The Calico Cat”.  Calico displays a remarkable patchwork molt of new dark and old bleached body feathers.  The bleaching comes from Bay summer sun, plus those long tropical interludes; and perhaps from constant immersion in water.  We have contacted experts on avian molt (there are such specialists!) for their learned opinions about Calico’s very unusual mottled appearance.  (Most ospreys by contrast appear dressed in deep rich brown for a formal masquerade ball, including mask.)  We’ll let you know what they say. As to osprey ethics–that is a human cultural perspective.  These are NOT little people in feathers.  The fittest creature is the one whose genes fly into the future (by natural selection), and Calico is the Osprey of the Hour.  Although he does look a bit Punk. Remember:  Ospreys have also evolved sequential nestling starvation (brood size reduction) when there is not enough food.  BUT–they do not overpopulate, outstrip their resources, and die in famines.”

Dr. Bierregaard also gave us some very useful input.  When asked how long it would take for feathers to take on a mottled appearance, he told us at least a year.  We told him what was going on at the nest, and this was his response:  

“Ah, the spring Osprey soap operas! Yes, that was a different male—the feathers don’t fade quickly, so you’re right—this is a new guy. When one bird in a pair doesn’t survive the migration cycle, the drama can get very intense as pretenders to the throne vie to fill the vacancy. We had a nest in NH a couple of years ago where the regular male didn’t come home. The old female did and suffered through the fight with 3 males trying to claim the nest. They were all copulating with her and spending so much time fighting that they didn’t feed her or do much of anything in the way of nest building. So the platform was pretty much a sheet of plywood with a few sticks on it. The female kept laying eggs, but the males would kick the eggs out of the nest (they weren’t sure whose eggs they were). That year was a washout. But the next year, all was well. Apparently during the first year the contending males sorted it out, or 2 of them didn’t make it through the next migration cycle, or something. In any case, for the last 2 years the old female and new male have been successfully cranking out young. In fact, we’re planning on tagging the new male at that nest this spring.”

Based on what I have observed for the past few days and input from our resident osprey experts, I believe we have a different male now occupying the nest.  As Audrey has now had osprey sex with the dark stranger and the current mottled partner, the title of this blog seems quite appropriate.  But in our little osprey world, the male will always be Tom, and our female will always be Audrey.  That’s how it has been since 1995 when our first ospreys came to stay, and that tradition will carry on here at the secret location.

Last season, Audrey’s three eggs were laid on 4/15, 4/18 and 4/21/2014.  The eggs hatched on 5/24 and 5/27/2015.  The nest is looking good, and ready for some egg action.  Audrey has been bringing in soft nesting materials to line the nest, most of which has been clumps of grass clippings.  COM’s spring sticks, gaily festooned with yellow construction tape for the Easter and Passover holidays, can been be seen in the nest.  Keep an eye out for the next color sensation!

Thanks to everyone for all of your input about our current dilemma.  Until next time, we remain-

Crazy Osprey Man, Mrs. Crazy Osprey Man and Osprey Girl

Remember to join us on April 16 from 4-6 p.m. at Pusser’s Caribbbean Grille Restaurant, Annapolis, Maryland for the third annual Welcome Back Osprey party.  Members of the Osprey Club are invited to hear Dr. Rob Bierregaard speak about his osprey tagging studies.  The Chesapeake Conservancy folks and The Crazy Osprey family will also be there to meet you.  You may join the Osprey Club and sign up for the party at the Conservancy’s website or Facebook page.

If you are enjoying the osprey camera and blog, please consider a donation to the Chesapeake Conservancy so they are able to continue supporting programs such as this one.  Go to http://www.chesapeakeconservancy.org today.  Thanks very much!