Blog #450 Any Day Now

 Lilly flapping her wings, courtesy of Cindy Sedlacek.

It is hard to miss the Salt Point fledglings now: Lilly, Silly, and Milly—are six weeks old and impressive looking with their adult-feathered bodies. Their upper body feathers have been well-oiled using preening oil (uropygial oil) to give them a waterproof covering, just in time for summer storms. Ursula sits in the nest when she can, trying to shield them from the extremes of weather, but her protection isn’t as effective and essential as it once was. The fledglings regulate their temperatures and are insulated with their protective feathers, trapping air within the soft layer on their chests and underneath the flight

feathers. This year, a handful of weeds are growing in the nest offering additional shade. Often the Ospreys rid their nests of these volunteer plants that seem to have an adaptive value as long as they don’t take up too much room. Temperatures have been scorching this week with afternoons punctuated

by heavy thunderstorms and down pours. The smokey air form Canada still tints the sky, but the rains help to clear the air. Ursula shields the young from the hottest sun, but takes cooling baths in Salmon Creek whenever needed. Although Ursula doggie-shakes before going to the nest, the chicks must also benefit from being close to her when she is wet.

Avoiding the hottest hours, the chicks practice their winging, working up to the biggest event of their lives—flying. With wings madly pumping the air, the chicks hop into the air perfecting needed coordination for flight. Flapping their 5.5-foot wings tends to be contagious. When one chick flaps the others join in, making it nearly impossible to stand in the nest without getting bonked on the head. This can be a dangerous time for the chicks as they can easily be pushed out of the nest unintentionally by an outstretched wing. Chicks that fall out of the nest prior to fledging often succumb to predators as their parents cannot help them return to the safety of the nest. Through the years, I have, with the help of NYSEG workers and their bucket trucks, returned a number of chicks to their nests unharmed. Thankfully,

this brood of Ospreys gets along well and do not peck one another. The chicks are well fed and feathered with all three being nearly equal in size.


(L-R) Silly, Milly, and Lilly panting in the heat.

(L-R) Lilly and Milly looking as Silly defecates out of the nest.


(L-R) Milly, Lilly, and Silly panting in the nest to keep cool, courtesy of Cindy Sedlacek.


Ursula feeding her chicks even though they can feed themselves, courtesy of Cindy Sedlacek.


(L-R) Milly, Lilly, and Silly, staring at another Osprey flying past their nest.

This has been a fairly peaceful summer; intruders (also known as floaters) have visited Salt Point steadily since May but have caused no trouble. Other unwelcome visitors, a pair of immature bald eagles and a full-adult kept a close eye on the Salt Point nest in June but has not visited since. The parents mantle the young, protecting them with their wings, calling out alarms as the shadow of these predators pass overhead. The full-grown chicks now brashly give alarm calls at whatever large dark bird—turkey vultures included—is in their territory. The young are still vulnerable to eagle attacks, but accidental falls from the nest are more probable.

Eyes to the sky!

Candace

Candace E. Cornell

Friends of Salt Point, Lansing, NY

Cayuga Lake Osprey Network

cec222@gmail.com

Guest Photographer:

Cynthia Sedlacek, musician and Director of Data Administration and Reporting at Cornell University, is a surprising artistic talent. Cynthia’s affection and admiration for raptors are evident in her exciting photographs primarily of Ospreys nesting around Cayuga Lake and the red-tailed hawks of the Cornell Campus. Her photographs of local Ospreys are incomparable as she captures their essence, their jizz, and their inner bird. From the hard-to-see nestlings to the fast-flying adults, Cindy goes beyond the pale to catch all aspects of Osprey life in the Cayuga Basin. “My camera allows me to capture their beauty in many ways that the human eye can’t see,” she says, “like their spectacular wing positions and detailed feather patterns.” Cindy and her husband Karel are also avid nest monitors for the Cayuga Lake Osprey Network and video stream footage of the campus hawks.

EYES TO THE SKY!

WATCH!

Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam

READ!

On Osprey Time: Ospreys of the Finger Lakes

VISIT!

Cayuga Lake Osprey Trail

HELP PROTECT OSPREYS:

  • Eggs will be hatching soon. Stay 300 feet away from nesting sites during the breeding season. If the Osprey vocalizes, you are too close! Back off Immediately.
  • Carry binoculars to view wildlife from afar.
  • Help keep local waters clean, healthy, and safe.
  • Recycle used fishing lines, twine, and nets, which can kill Osprey.
  • Join the Cayuga Osprey Network and volunteer to help monitor Osprey nests: cec222@gmail.com.




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