CHESAPEAKE BAY, MD~2018 - 2020

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

Calico Tom has arrived from migration!! :7val:

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

So, both Calico Tom and Audrey are now back from their migration, however Audrey has not been seen since Friday I think. There is a Visiting Lady that apparently remains in the mix that arrived to their area prior to them returning. Hoping all this works out well!

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

I did see Audrey sleeping overnight here. She has a certain unmistakable, soft, beauty!! Two osprey intruders appeared at the nest prior to Audrey and Calico Tom's arrival this season. They were named Visiting Lady and The Tramp. This female has been very adamant that this nest is hers since arriving Videos of the following at site.

Happy Hump Day, Chesapeake Osprey Friends!

From Poppy the mod:

Happy Hump Day, Chesapeake Osprey Friends!

On Day 4 after her arrival, Audrey stepped up and reclaimed HER platform. I guess what she witnessed around 9 am was the final straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. The visiting Lady and the Tramp mated!!! Some serious altercations between the two females followed. At the end, Audrey was victorious and stayed on the platform for the first time during the night. What a soothing sight! I am pretty sure that Tom will step up too, delivering the first marked sticks. He needs a well-deserved rest and adjustment after the long migration, too. COM prepared the sticks; they are ready to be picked up. Which color will we see first???

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

Calico Tom has not been seen since March 22 per mod and I think the COM family. The Visiting Lady has not been seen since Audrey reclaimed her platform. Audrey is bringing in her own fish to eat and she is the one bringing sticks to the platform for the nest, although it is VERY sparse as yet.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

Calico Tom showed up to the nest this morning! Whether that was definitely him returning on the 22nd and he has been out of sight resting or if this morning was his actual return from migration I am unsure from the comments on chat. But he is home now!! :dancingegg:

Ferenz · **Posted:** Tue Apr 07, 2020 11:02 am

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

Mrs. COM's blog with plenty of photos:

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

Power cut to cam here on purpose:

Poppy Mod Poppy • 4 hours ago • edited
Update: COM cut the power due to high water, high winds and rain. High tide is at noon local time so he would not expect power to be available until this evening maybe. Mother Nature prevails.

Beth · **Posted:** Fri Apr 17, 2020 1:39 pm

1st egg!!

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

Ferenz · **Posted:** Sun Apr 19, 2020 9:58 am

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

Second egg expected here today. Mrs. COM'S latest blog, although it mainly covers from last August through February for her "catch up":

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

For Calico Tom and Audrey!! :7val:

Chesapeake_Conservancy_Member • 3 minutes ago

Congratulations to Tom & Audrey on their second egg of the season! Audrey laid her second egg at 2:54pm on April 20! Audrey has typically laid 3 or 4 eggs in a season so we're expecting one or two more eggs soon!

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

A third egg was laid by Audrey earlier. In the video and pics, one of the eggs appears to have a depressed area near the end of it, but time will tell. The mod had said all 3 eggs look fine in the video they had done at the time, but this is the video that shows the depressed-looking area. The depressed area is at a heavily colored portion of the egg and once we start seeing it after it's turned and in different positions, we should be able to tell if indeed it is cracked or if the lighting and colors are playing tricks on our eyes. It looks as if it's a depressed area. :15heartbeat:

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

From Mod report on yesterdays events concerning incubation of the eggs here:

"Recap: It has been another tough day… After shared incubation with Tom in the morning, Audrey left the clutch at 1 pm and didn’t show up ever since. Tom took his turn for a short while and, at last, stayed on the metal bar that connects the two poles during the night."

So the eggs here went for a very extended amount of time without any incubation. I read that Audrey returned at 11:49 EDT this morning and resumed incubation. We'll have to wait and see how this plays out for the eggs, but glad that Audrey is okay!!

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

It is difficult to discern info here as the daily update includes the info from Tuesday following Audrey's last abandonment of the eggs that happened at the beginning of the week and lasted 23 hours with Calico Tom coming in for only a short incubation during that period. The cam was on highlights yesterday d/t COM cutting the power to prevent damage during the storm. From memory I think Audrey had left the nest prior to that. Now the cams have been back this morning for 3-4 hours and no incubation. Audrey did stop by for a short visit. Unfortunately, one of the eggs is heavily damaged and a crow was seen in the area by the COM family. We probably will not know for sure the events of the previous 2 days till there is a blog from Mrs. COM, although her viewing would have been limited. But it is looking as if the eggs have been without incubation for VERY long periods twice this week and this nest could be abandoned.

Message from Chesapeake Conservancy:

Chesapeake_Conservancy_Member • a few seconds ago
We have unfortunate news from the Osprey nest. Sadly, one of the three eggs was cracked open and is non-viable. While we can't say for sure why the egg broke, it is believed that a combination of poor weather and predation by a crow were factors.

We're sorry to report on this sad news. We hope Tom & Audrey return to the nest and protect the remaining two eggs but only time will tell. Thank you for your viewership, support, and sympathy during this tough time.

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

I think they came back approximately 10 hours ago and have resumed incubation. We'll have to wait and see if this can possibly work out ...

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

Even though there are not chicks, this may be my favorite blog of all time by COM! There are photos and a video for the 1st time. We hear COM talking. You really get a sense of what Calico Tom and Audrey went through with the weather conditions that caused the lack of fish and Audrey leaving the nest and incubation for her survival in April. Also, info on the crows ... 2-way mics and and a horn as deterrents!! Yes the COF can verbally communicate with crows on the nest when necessary from the comfort of their home! And when the cams and mic are off during some storms they have a well-placed horn to grab on the back porch if necessary! :teehee:

We may or may not have hatches this year, but the lives of this osprey pair are such a privilege to observe! There are photos of Tom not letting go and having to do the breaststroke for 200 yards to get his catch to shore as he was unable to get it out of the water and fly! Excerpt:

"After trying to fly out of the water and realizing he couldn’t, Tom swam about two hundred yards to shore, dragging the fish the entire way. In all the years we have been observing ospreys and their behavior, this was one of the most incredible sights we have ever seen. Look at the size of that fish! Tom rested on the rip rap a very long time before he recovered enough strength to start ripping apart his catch."

Com's Blog:

SWINWK · **Joined:** Wed Jan 02, 2013 10:41 am **Posts:** 9254

Due to bad weather, Audrey left the nest again, but returned at some point today. Mod report:

"The bad weather conditions are back at the secret location with long-lasting heavy rain and wind. After sitting on her eggs since noon non-stop, Audrey left the nest around 9 pm last night and hasn’t returned yet. Around 3:10 am, Tom finally took over incubation! Well done!!!"

Ferenz · **Posted:** Fri May 08, 2020 7:51 am

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