20 May 2007 - Osprey hatch at Hoover - Tuttle

E-mail from Dick Tuttle & photos by Frank Germann:

Hello Everyone,

The Ospreys at Hoover Reservoir in Delaware County have nestlings. The predicted hatch date was Thursday 17 May and I believe it was on target. Hatching can take place over a three to four day period for an entire clutch of 3 - 4 eggs.

I visited the boardwalk viewing area Friday evening after sunset and witnessed a nest exchange WITHOUT EGG ROLLING BY EITHER PARENT.

Saturday 19 May 2007.

I visited the site from 0958 until 1033 and used my telescope at 82x. During this time, the female was on the nest, sitting high, stood once with two sustained head dips into the cup, but when she sat back down, there was no tail wiggle.

At 1026, the male delivered a long piece of tree bark. The female stood to inspect the bark as the male looked into the cup in two directions before settling without a tail wiggle. He sat high in the nest -- and this nest is deep.

I became chilled during my visit because of the cold wind. The boardwalk is more stable now than earlier in the season when it moved easily. While on their nest, both parents seem annoyed by the feeding Tree and Barn Swallows that buzz around them. Also, it was pleasant to hear Prothonotary Warblers sing in the wooded wetlands in the area.

Sunday 20 May. I visited for a very enlightening ten minutes, 1937 - 1947. During this time, I encouraged five people to look through my scope and I had time to see the female stand, dip her head twice into the cup. Both times, she revealed food in her beak when her head rose. I believe she was feeding young and not herself. She sat back down in the same position without a tail wiggle and her tail was in line with her back. NESTLINGS ARE IN THE NEST.

Further confirmation will take place as excrement is seen squirting from the cup and heads bob above the rim in a week or so. Let's hope for a large count.

Alum Creek No. Four's hatch due-date is next -- May 22.

Raptor on, Dick Tuttle