[MDOsprey] Hostile Osprey in Talbot County

Leslie Roslund (Lroslund@bluecrab.org)
Sat, 10 Jul 1999 13:57:48 -0400 

Norm: Here is a report about some MD birds.  My apologies for the story
length.
	This year an osprey platform that we put up in 1997 is getting its first
use.  A pair of Osprey started building quite late; laid eggs around the
13th of May; hatched the 21st of June (two young); lost one of the two
between 1st and 6th of July; and now seem to be doing normal raising and
feeding of the survivor.
	My reason for posting is that this pair has had to deal with hostile
behavior of another Osprey pair from early on, and the marauders continue
to harass.  Birding friends in this area express surprise over this hostile
activity - so I am posting to invite others to share some of their hostile
Osprey stories.
	One day, during the "setting" period, both of our Osprey were on the nest
when an attacking Osprey dove down and hit our male - seemed to sink talons
into the back, and drove ours into the water below the platform - and had
his body submerged, though not head or all of wings.  Our female quickly
left the platform in a dive that hit the back of the marauder, freeing the
mate, and then the hostile flew upstream, with the male in pursuit.
	Later, during the setting period, another hostile dive toward the nest was
seen, with our female responding by lifting from the nest and exposing
talons toward the offender.  Offender left without further battle.
	Now, with feeding of junior going on, an attacking female has dived toward
the nest two days in succession, near our noon-time and when a fish was
being eaten on the nest (our female eating, and sharing with junior).  The
first visit was a dive within three feet, followed by departure.  The
second day's visit was a dive that either hit or nearly hit our male, who
still had the 1/2 eaten fish in his talon.  The attacker was a large
female.  Her mate was in the air, quite abit higher above the nest.  Our
male left the nest in pursuit of the attacker, and eventually came back
without his piece of fish in talon.  Whether he lost it, dropped it, or ate
it is unknown to us.  At least the feeding time of ours was disrupted.
	Real drama in the World of Nature!  Has this hostile interaction of Osprey
been seen by others?  The nearest other Osprey nests are two that are
nearly a half mile downstream on Leeds Creek.  Ours is very close to the
headwaters of the creek.  Perhaps this new behavior reflecting stresses of
the fairly dense population of Osprey in this area?

Les Roslund
Lroslund@bluecrab.org	
Easton, MD