Two to Tango May 27

This picture posted last week was VERY puzzling. There was a slightly dark area behind the leaves to the left of the obvious eaglet.

Taa Dah!!.......
Also saw a scarlet tanager today....

May 20 Ospreys at Patuxent

Our osprey saga continues at the Park. Our original cam nest female and the 3 chicks were missing from the nest on Monday, May 12. There had been terrible storms that weekend, but the female never returned. Predation is suspected. Later that week another female visited the nest and after some hostility, Our Boy allowed her to stay. Here's the new girl on the nest. If things settle down, we may be able to transplant a foster chick when they get a little older.

It's a bird! Our Boy is making an approach.
He touched down for a few seconds and took off again.
From a distance, it looked like there was an adult with chick at another nest.
It was a female laying low. Hopefully she is on chicks.

Little Critters May 21, 2008

Here's our original goose family last week at the "farmhouse" office.

Had a slight scare yesterday when we saw only TWO. But, these are the NEW kids on the pond!
Recess for 8....
First sighting of baby groundhog performing gardening duties...
Soon Mom appeared. They have a den under the porch decking ramp.

May 20 Eaglet at Patuxent River Park

Here's what our nest has been looking like lately!

On Tuesday, May 20, the terrible weather helped clear the view. After major flapping, here's what could be seen! Hooray! An all brown bird.
Looks like one eaglet.........

At home, there have been visits to the suet by Dad and chubby Daughter hairy woodpeckers.

Rose-breasted Grosbeaks

This bird was at my house on May 3, 2008.

The following were seen at Patuxent River Park. This one was there on Saturday, May 10.
On Monday, May 12, he was still there with a lady friend! Think they'll stay?
These two males were seen last spring on April 28, 2007. The seed feeder was still close to the window---had not been replaced by the hummingbird feeders yet. In flight, there are rose patches under the male's wings.

Baby Ospreys and Eagle Nest

On Tuesday, May 6, two of the three eggs had hatched. They are hard to see, but look for tiny pinkish bobbles! (You'll have to trust me.)

The one chick stretched up in front of the female. It's the dark shadow in front of her. By Saturday, the third egg had hatched but camera was down. On Monday, May 12, the nest was observed for long periods without an adult. We don't know if the storms disturbed the female and if the chicks have survived. We saw the male standing at the side of the nest but he never sat on the chicks.
The only good view of the eagle nest on May 12 is disappointing due to leaves. From another spot with binoculars, the top of the nest can be spotted when the wind blows branches away. Some definite flapping was seen from an ALL BROWN bird! At least one eaglet!

Fauna and Flora

One of the "fluffy" ducklings at the Park.

The newest "fluffy" goslings at the Chelsea office.

Beautiful redbuds seen April 30 near the Pennsylvania/Maryland state line.
















One of our tulips pretending to be a poppy!

April 22 Eagle Pictures

Two ospreys were chasing this eagle who has a fish.

The eagle nest was hard to see in the afternoon due to more new leaves, but the male was perched nearby.....
All of a sudden, he took off and landed in another tree.

While watching the eagle, little peeps could be heard. Two tiny ducklings came zipping by on the current of the creek below. They might be wood ducks, as we have a few nest boxes in the area.

Talon

Here is Talon and a Naturalist from Clearwater Nature Center in Clinton, MD. They were visiting the annual Jug Bay 10K event at Patuxent River Park, held every November.