"NEW BEGINNINGS"

Osprey (8 Photos)

it's Spring in Calgary and the ospreys have returned. (It is snowng today!). Having been binge watching on Nature programmes, it has come to mind that we are truly blessed in Calgary to view close-up Ospreys, from nest building, re-affirmation of their pairing, fishing and of course, the arrival of this year's offspring

Ospreys' flight prowess not only in their fishing skills but the ability to break off large branches, bring them back to the nest & land successfully is an amazing aerodynamic skill (Photos 1, 2, 3).

As it was particularly quiet the morning the photos were taken, while the male was gone from the nest, I could hear a very soft chirp from the female who was in the nest. I have head several different chirps from the ospreys over the years, from the territorial & warning chirps to other ospreys, to the little ones chirping to their parents and Mum's "Where is our fish" call to the male out hunting.This was different and shorty thereafter, she flew out of the nest and landed (thank you) on a single branch at the top of the tree. Shortly thereafter, the male flew back and landed extremely gently on the back of the female. (Photos 4, 5, 6, 7)

Initiated by the female and lasting only seconds, there may have been a lot of wing flapping and posturing by the male, but even to the placement of his talons, this was not a rough affirmation of their bonding and only one of several.  And then the male departed (Photo 8), off for more branches for their nest.

PHOTO #1

PHOTO #2

PHOTO #3

PHOTO #4

PHOTO #5

PHOTO #6

PHOTO #7

PHOTO #8