Blog #321 Keeping Up with Ophelia and Orpheus

 Ophelia adjusting her eggs. 

Unless you watch an Osprey Cam, it may seems like the 36–42 day incubation is a  boring, do-nothing period where the birds sit barely visible in their nests, keeping their  eggs warm. With or without a nest camera, these five weeks in April and May can drag  on. We’ve got another week or so before the eggs hatch. 

What has the Salt Point nest camera revealed during the last month? One hopes for a  lot of nothing. The eggs are incubated at precisely 99º, being rolled and repositioned every few minutes so the embryos develop evenly. Otherwise, it is a lot of waiting. The  nest action was not without event, however. Cam footage showed a potentially home wrecking second female sitting in the nest with the pair. Orpheus tried to play it cool and  ignore the intruding female, and Ophelia did all she could to tolerate her. That was extraordinary; it documented only rarely in large concentrated colonies with more  females than males. The Salt Point triangle did not last long, but the intruding female  continues to fly by the nest regularly pestering Orpheus and Ophelia. 

Ophelia and Orpheus guard the eggs as an unwelcomed intruder flies by. 

Life at the nest revolves around the eggs during these five weeks. Females incubate the  eggs during the night. During the day, young females tend to do most of the incubation.  Many males develop a desire to share in incubation as they age, although some males  never do. Orpheus was not a big help in the beginning of their relationship in 2013, but  has since developed a deep desire to share in the duty. At times he gets a little too  exuberant. As we saw last year, the pair will have pushing matches to see who gets incubation privilege. It’s the only visible point of contention between the birds. 

An American crow has become a bothersome new intruder at the nest. Crows typically  stop by the empty nest during the beginning of the season to steal nesting materials. That is, unless they get an opportunity to steal a few of the Osprey eggs. This persistent  crow periodically lands on the nest box perch, eliciting intense defensive responses  from the Ospreys. 

Orpheus seems to be undergoing a second wave of testosterone-elicited behavior,  repeating courtship rituals typically observed only in the early spring. When the pair first  arrives at their nest after migration, such displays coax their gonads into breeding condition. The birds can mate hundreds of times during their 2–3 week courtship before reproduction becomes productive. Only genetic materials from copulations performed just before egg laying contribute to fertilizing the egg. For some reason, Orpheus has  been performing ritualistic sky dances with sticks and fish, showy performances  normally intended to attract females and rekindle relationships. However, these moves

The pesky crow was chased off perch. 

are entirely too late in the season. He’s already got the girl. A few days ago, he went  over the top, performing three noisy sky dances in a row for Ophelia. Perhaps the most  

Orpheus ripping off pieces of fish and feeding it tenderly to Ophelia.

endearing courtship ritual has been Orpheus feeding Ophelia in the same gentle  manner they feed their offspring. Orpheus rips off pieces of live fish and gently places it  in Ophelia’s mouth. What is inspiring these public displays of affection is unknown, but it  is curious indeed. 

Eyes to the sky! 

Candace  

Candace E. Cornell  

Friends of Salt Point  

Cayuga Osprey Network 

Lansing, NY  

cec222@gmail.com 

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP PROTECT  OSPREYS: 

• AVOID GETTING TOO CLOSE TO NESTING SITES DURING THE BREEDING SEASON. IF AN ANIMAL  VOCALIZES WHEN YOU'RE NEAR, YOU ARE TOO CLOSE! BACK OFF IMMEDIATELY. 

• CARRY BINOCULARS TO VIEW WILDLIFE FROM AFAR. 

• RESTORE, CLEAN, AND PRESERVE LAKESHORE AND WETLAND HABITAT. 

• HELP KEEP LOCAL WATERS CLEAN, HEALTHY, AND SAFE. 

• RECYCLE USED FISHING LINE, WHICH CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OSPREY.  

• JOIN THE CAYUGA OSPREY NETWORK AND VOLUNTEER TO HELP MONITOR OSPREY NESTS. WRITE TO: CEC222@GMAIL.COM. 

EYES ON OSPREYS

WATCH! 

Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam 2021 

READ! 

On Osprey Time—A Blog on the Ospreys of Salt Point 

VISIT! 

Cayuga Lake Osprey Trail

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