Phew! What a busy week it’s been. Haven’t been able to visit the salt marsh until today. But there is breaking news! Mama Osprey seems to be sitting on the first egg now. At least it looks like that to me. And if I’m correct, there could be a little hatchling in 5-6 weeks.
As you can see from the picture taken from my terrace today, the nest is in great shape. It is much higher now than it was just three weeks ago and has lots of soft materials (dry sea algae, dry palm flowers) and colorful “toys” for the babies.
When I arrived to the nest Mama Sandy had just finished eating lunch. Papa Stanley took what was left of the fish and flew to finish it off in his “man cave”. Mama settled in the middle of the nest, only her head visible, so I jogged over to Papa Osprey’s hangout.
But soon his eating was interrupted by alarm calls from Mama Sandy. There was another osprey flying towards the salt marsh from the bay side. He took the rest of the fish and hurried back to the nest immediately. That’s love right there.
He checked that Mama was okay and immediately took off for a patrol flight, several rounds over the salt marsh.
When the danger was over Stanley returned to his Valentine in the nest…to make more little ospreys.
An Anhinga serenaded them in a tree towards the bay side. Every day is a Valentine’s Day in the salt marsh. Love is in the air.
Happy Heart Day to all of you from all of us in the salt marsh! ❤ Tiny
TINY LESSONS BLOG 
Perfection! Just love this~
Thanks Cindy! It was lovely to see them again today.
and Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your super-models of the salt marsh! 🙂
Thanks! The same to you and family, Joanne!
Hope you have a marvelous weekend my friend. Yay, for the Osprey family!
Have a wonderful weekend too, my friend! And I hope I’m right in thinking that there’s an egg 🙂
I bet you are right! 🙂
I LOVE this!
Thank you Julie! They are such a lovable family, aren’t they?
That’s great news – look forward to the happy event in a few weeks!
I’m hoping for that too! Last year they had only one offspring, a girl, who grew up very quickly and learned to fly around mid May.
What a beautiful love story and so perfect for Valentines Day! You must be having so much fun observing these beauties…can’t wait to see those babies!
Their story is quite fascinating in many ways. They live simply with so much intuition, and family is everything for them. I hope they’ll have more than one baby this year…
Exciting news, Tiny. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Happy Valentine’s Day to you too! It will be on the cool side…
Love birds.
They are! So dramatic and cute at the same time.
Exciting time for the Osprey family! Happy Valentine’s Day 🙂 ❤
Yes it is! they are such a nice family, hopefully little mouths to feed mid-late next month 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day to you too, Takami!!
I so look forward to these walks…
Happy to hear that David, you’re always welcome to come along.
Oh…..this sounds exciting.
It is an exciting time…just peeked out of my window and Mama is still sitting in the middle of the nest so I hope something’s up.
Fingers crossed and all that.
dear tiny, great imageges as usual! i’m so thrilled and snoopy about the egg… ❤
Thanks Sirpa! Right now Mama Osprey is sitting right in the middle of the nest (I can see her from my window…like a little brown-white prick), and that’s a good sign 🙂 Hyvaa Ystavanpaivaa!
ystävät ja unelmat ovat avaimia onnelliseen huomiseen 🙂
kaunis ja totta!
More happy drama from the salt marsh! *Hearts* galore.
Yes, there’s always some little drama involved when they need to protect the nest. These guys are so cute, and so devoted to each other…a life long bond.
LOVE these posts on the Osprey family!!! Love IS in the air, my friend! Hoping your Valentine’s Day is a great one!!! (((HUGS))) Amy
Thanks Amy! I’m happy you like our little couple. They are so committed to each other and…once there…to their little ones. I saw them tirelessly taking care of their one ‘kid’ last year until she was independent. So interesting to observe their lives. I had a pleasantly quiet day. I hope yours was wonderful and relaxing! Many hugs!
We humans can learn much from Nature, IF we even stop to observe, that is. The dedication these Ospreys have to each other is a Lesson all of us can learn. 🙂
Absolutely! I had to laugh this evening at sunset time when I went onto the terrace with my camera…both of them sat in the nest and soon looked right into the camera! I can only see them as tiny spots by naked eye.
Really good news, Tiny. Great photos of these lovebirds. I loved seeing the anhinga serenading them. Too cute! 🙂
Happy you enjoyed their Valentine’s greetings! The anhinga was cute…despite the fact that its singing voice leaves more to desire 🙂
I’m so touched by this special post “be my valentine”. Thank you, Tiny! Happy Valentine’s Day. ❤
Happy you enjoyed these feathered Valentines, Amy. I hope your day was beautiful!
aww, sweet — I hope all goes well with the egg!
What an awesome post! Your photos are amazing! Thank you for sharing the wonderful story of the osprey with us! Nature is so incredible!
Thanks for visiting the salt marsh where all my feathered friends live! I’ve been following this osprey couple (and some of the other regular “residents”) for just over a year now, and they are so adorable. Nature is truly incredible, as you say.
That’s what I’m hoping for too. Last year these guys had one ‘kid’, and they took such a good care of her.
Wonderful. I always when visiting Your site, admire Your gorgeous photos.
Thank you Matti, and happy to “see” you. I hope your weekend is going great!
Thanks for my Sunday morning chuckle! So fun to read the shenanigans going on in the salt marsh!
I always get my chuckles too when I visit the salt marsh. Always something going on there 🙂
Love is in the air this weekend 🙂
Thank you for sharing from the salt marsh!
Happy you came along, Val! Apart from the ospreys, many of the herons now have long plumes…a sign of love season too 🙂
I loved this Valentine post. Sandy and Stanley are good examples of true Valentines. 🙂 Fantastic pictures sweet Tiny. I am just in awe at the pictures you get at the salt marsh. Hugs
The osprey couple truly makes an example of caring, protecting and loving relationship…and they are so fun to watch! Happy you enjoyed their Valentine’s story, Mags. Many hugs!
Tiny, hope your Valentine Day was a lovely one. 🙂
Fantastic shots, Tiny!
Thank you, Mary Michelle!