The Empty Nest….Not Quite

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osprey, pen and ink, nature, wildlife, drawing, portrait

Osprey

Osprey portrait in pen and ink.

The osprey family has been quite busy lately.  The young birds have been practicing for their first flight.

Osprey, fledgling, nature, wildlife, photography

The young osprey in training.

The parents had been flying around the tower trying to entice the fledglings to take wing.

Osprey, fledgling, nature, wildlife, photography

This is how it’s done kids.

Then the heat came.  We had seven straight days over 108 and it peaked at 116.  It was way too hot in the nest tower!

Osprey, fledgling, nature, wildlife, photography

Trying to assume a cool position in the tower.

This was the incentive to motivate the young osprey to fly.  After the first day of extreme heat, they fled the tower.

Osprey, fledgling, nature, wildlife, photography, nest

The osprey nest was finally empty.

Down along the river in the shady oak trees is where they took refuge.

Osprey, fledgling, nature, wildlife, photography

This is much better than roasting in that steel tower.

When the heat settled down, back to the tower they went. After, being in the tree I thought they might not return to the tower.  As it turns out they weren’t entirely ready to give up the nest.

Osprey, fledgling, nature, wildlife, photography

The nest tower is still home.

They still want to roost there at night, and they know this is where they get fed.  They are like teenagers that still depend on mom and dad.

Osprey, fledgling, nature, wildlife, photography

When it’s time to eat, they tell their parents in no uncertain terms.

The parents seem to debate each other whose turn it is to take care of the noisy offspring.  They rarely go into the nest anymore unless they are dropping off a fresh fish meal.

Osprey, fledgling, nature, wildlife, photography

I fed them last time!

76 thoughts on “The Empty Nest….Not Quite”

  6. Excellent pen and ink work, Tim. I love especially the eye and detail work on the wing. Thank you for the update, have been wondering if they left the nest. They’ll be out building their own nests in a few years, meanwhile getting into trouble at every turn (however birds do that!). Awesome shots, thanks

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    • Thank you Scott. I was trying out a new set of pens and was pretty happy with them. The birds are still hanging out at the nest. They haven’t learned how to fish on their own just yet.

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  13. I missed seeing the osprey. I used to live in Florida where they were commonly seen around the high ways. Absolutely great drawing Tim! !

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  19. What beautiful artwork! This Osprey family has been so fun to follow with you. I wouldn’t want to leave a handsome looking nest like the one they have either, especially if mom and dad keep coming back with food. Teenagers! 🙂

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  24. I love this photo diary, Tim – it’s just excellent photography, & love what you write. That ‘cool position’ he’s trying to assume – animals make me laugh!! 🙂

    Really stunning stuff.

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  25. Wonderful, wonderful drawing! Thank you so much for sharing this story I would have never seen, here. I get to watch the young robins return to nest in my pine tree where their nest is too small for them any longer. They are practicing flying and it has become rather noisy in my backyard, daily.

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  28. What a lovely family? Ospreys are so rare in the UK, but one pair breeds in the smallest county of Rutland and their progress is followed avidly by nature-lovers hereabouts. You are very lucky to have them so close. A magnificent bird and you have captured them and their lives wonderfully. 🙂

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