Mid-morning on Saturday, Mama Sandy was sitting on the egg(s) her eyes closed. I assumed she had her breakfast soon after sunrise, and was now taking a nap in the sunshine. While she was sleeping, I was observing several smaller birds busy looking for food in the grass near the nest. A beautiful Mourning Dove tried to decide whether or not to trust me.
And a Northern Mockingbird decided that a fat worm was worth the risk of staying close by.
Then I saw several tiny birds, Pine Warblers I thought, playing around in a cypress tree. They were moving very fast and almost impossible to spot high up in a tree.
That’s when I sensed that something was up at the osprey nest. Papa Stanley was on incoming.
And he didn’t come empty-handed. He had been fishing and brought a whole fish to Sandy. A small mid-morning surprise, which Sandy gratefully accepted.
The fish changed hands. Stanley inspected the egg(s) and started his incubation shift. Sandy flew up on the perch to enjoy her meal.
That was a smooth shift change, less than a minute. Not one word was said, both knew exactly how this was done. They are such a good match for each other, Sandy and Stanley.
I left them and took a walk around the marsh. It was fairly quiet. I am sure most residents were either at their nests in the middle of the marsh where nobody could see them or on the small ‘bird island’ in the bay. However, I spotted the ‘yoga bird’ again. She was in a secretive pose, hidden behind her wing for a while, but then I saw it was the Tri-colored Heron.
And, as usual, the Little Blue Heron was present too. He was looking for food in the shallow part of the marsh.
At the beach-end of the marsh I spotted a visitor. First I thought it was an American Bittern, but concluded it might have been a juvenile Green Heron. They tend to be very ‘streaky’ on their chest.
There were several Ibis around and a few Night Herons were sleeping in the bushes.
Walking back towards the osprey nest, I saw the Mayor fly in. He settled next to the water management installation, but kept off of it. I think he knows how to read.
I saw Sandy had eaten her fish, but was still on her break. Just then, almost exactly 30 minutes from the time she received the fish, she flew back to the nest to relieve Stanley.
The second shift change was as efficient as the first one. One up, side by side, one down. Done.
Sandy was back incubating and Stanley flew away. Walking home by the bay side, I discovered he had parked himself on the wind device at the Sailing Center. Ready for the next fishing trip.
I also spotted a remarkable 12-person row-boat on the bay. First I thought there were several boats next to each other, but realized it was all one boat. A strange-looking ‘installation’. I have never seen anything like this before, have you?
Last night Dylan wanted to go to the dog park and we passed by the osprey nest coming home in the dusk. From far I saw Stanley returning to the nest. He sat down on the perch, perhaps ready for a short night shift. It was cloudy and almost dark, but I shot one picture towards the osprey nest from the foot path we followed. As the night fell, papa was sitting right there with mama.
We all wish you a wonderful week. Stay positive.
TINY LESSONS BLOG 
You are right: Sandy and Stanley are a good match for each other.
Yes they are! I would dare to say “excellent match” 🙂
I’m glad to know all is well in the marsh. A good match and a good night. 🙂 Thanks Helen.
All seems to be well in the marsh – the nesting season has started 🙂 Thanks for visiting us, Brad.
My pleasure!
Stanley is a good provider! Wonderful captures this week Helen, in beautiful weather. 🍀🌿😎
Yes, Stanley is an excellent provider, and I was glad to see he brought the whole fish to Sandy. It was too small to share 🙂 Thank you Karen.
Sandy and Stanley are the perfect pair. 🙂
Yes, they are. I hope that they get more than one chick this year 🙂
I love all the gorgeous photos of your feathered friends! I love the last two also!
Thanks Cindy! I somehow like the last picture too…dusk can be beautiful and a bit mysterious.
Thanks Tiny for another lovely post, and so encouraging to see the commitment of those two, to the incubation task. Love thevarious Heron shots. Herons we don’t see here, but with all the classic Heron features. Thankfully weather is cooling for us finally, and rain coming as we approach autumn, and you approach Spring. Have a wonderful week my friend.
It is great to see how the ospreys share in all the duties during the nesting season. Once they have nestlings, Stanley will go fishing non-stop, I once counted 6-7 trips per day depending on the size of the catch. Can’t wait to see the little one(s)! Happy your weather is finally cooling for you guys. Have a wonderful week, you too!
Thanks Tiny, it is such a delight to observe the life of your Ospreys, it bring you much enjoyment my friend, as it does us when you share it.
Awesome captures! They do make quite the team.
Thanks Nancy! They work as a seamless team, we humans could learn a thing or two from them 🙂
Such a good commentary, never mind the professional shots. Great blog!
Thank you Sha’Tara! Happy you visited us at the marsh.
As always, you have great shots Tiny! All your birds seem to be looking healthy and comfortable, Weather temperatures will be raising and bird’s hormones will be in vogue. Time for love! Thanks for the nice post. 🙂
It is wonderful to be able to observe the birds’ love season, isn’t it 🙂 I am sure you will have many couples nesting in your backyard too. Thank you my friend!
Great interpretation of the theme.
Thank you kindly, Valentina.
I especially liked the Osprey photos. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your visit, Gabe. This is the 4th nesting season I am following this Osprey couple. They have become like ‘family’ 🙂
I’m jealous. Occasionally, a few pigeons will stop by our ledge for a brief visit. But otherwise, I’ll content myself with living vicariously through your blog.
Happy to provide news from the bird world 🙂
Very nice photography!
Thank you kindly!
Lovely to see how happily they have adjusted to their new nesting space. That was a good match too.
Yes, it was a good match too…I was quite worried for the first few days and weeks, but now they really seem to enjoy their new home. The perch is in frequent use 🙂
Their wingspan, awesome. Love how you’ve captured it.
Thank you David. They are quite majestic birds and it is a privilege to be able to follow their ‘family life’ up close.
My week has started well enjoying your look round the salt marsh.
Thank you Susan. I am happy you enjoyed your visit with our friends at the marsh.
A very good match indeed – beautiful captures of your salt marsh!
Dare I say an “excellent match” ? 🙂 Thanks, Joanne.
It must be wonderful for you to witness Sandy and Stanley going about their domestic business in such harmony, Helen. Somehow, it seems all the more touching for it being a wordless communing. 🙂
You are right, it is even more touching when nothing needs to be said. They “talk” sometimes and I have learned the meaning of a few calls, but there are more sophisticated communications that I wish I understood 🙂
They certainly are a good match, Helen. I’m so glad that Dylan wanted to go for a walk. Wonderful photos again. 🙂 xx
Dylan always wants to go for long walks 😀 and sometimes I will take along my smaller camera just in case I see something interesting…like that evening when we saw Stanley fly back to the nest when it was almost dark. Thank you, Sylvia! XX
The photos are stunning, Helen! You sure do have a knack for capturing great shots. I have to say Stanley and Sandy are EFFICIENT!! Love that you can capture all their work! Hope all is good and that you are related from your whirlwind travel. ♡
I am happy you enjoy following our osprey couple, my friend ❤ Their family life is fascinating. Most of the time everything is very smooth, but like for us humans, they have their moments when communications get loud 🙂 I am rested and already planning for another quick trip next month as a new project just dropped on my table. Much love ~
I really do love following their story…and you articulate it through words and photos so perfectly!! I’m happy you are rested and ready for your next project 😉 I LOVE new projects ♡♡
Thank you, Lorrie. Just looked out to the nest with my binoculars … Mama Sandy was having lunch on the perch and Papa Stanley was sitting on the eggs. So sweet 🙂
I love that he works hard for his family 😉
Very efficient indeed — both the ospreys and the well-chosen photos! Always so fun to visit and see how well they are coming along. 🙂 As for the boat, I once saw a 24-person boat (made by Staempfli and quite an impressive sight).
How wonderful, Helen, to be able to be a part of, not only Stanley and Sandy’s lives, but also to be privy, through your lens and words, to so many wonderful and diverse creatures whose lives would be foreign to me otherwise. It really is a joy!
And no, I haven’t seen such a boat. That is certainly very strange. It reminds me of the two hulled catamaran; only this vessel seems to have three components…. Very, very odd, indeed… 🙂
xoxoxo
Thank you for being here and your kind comment, Carolyn. Everyone at the salt marsh seems to be doing fine despite the fact that I have not walked there since last time…hurt my toe a little bit so just taking Mr. D. on short walks has been enough. That boat was massive and one of the kind – a real oddball 🙂 XXOO
Ouch! Amazing how such a little part of us can bring us to a halt. Hopefully you and Mr. D. will be back on track soon. 😉
Sending warm wishes your way…
Guess you’ll be using your zoom lens for now! 🙂
xoxoxo
It was pure pleasure strolling around the salt marsh with you, Helen. As always your photos are so wonderful, so clear and crisp. And what a joy to see the new nest platform dream is fully realized. Smiled at your scholarly mayor, and loved seeing the silhouetted platform in the last photo. Have never seen a boat cluster like that either. Many thanks.
Thank you for your stroll and kind comment, Jet. I am so happy the new nest platform is serving them well. It has been very windy the last few days and it has been great to know they have a sturdy nest. That “cluster boat” was indeed an odd creation.
Lovely pictures of the residents as usual but that boat was a real eye catcher. It must be quite a job to get it to turn round.
Thank you Tom. That boat was a very strange creation, both long and wide – with ‘wing men’. I didn’t see them turn, but I bet you’re right.
Great pics.
Thanks Donna!
stay positive? is there anything else?
I love your photography Tiny, you always do such a great job
Thank you, dear Eddie. You are right about staying positive, but it is not quite so easily done at times.
So cool to follow their story – and they are indeed a good match. I agree with Eddie. Lovely photos.
Thank you, Otto. Their story is indeed interesting. In the past few days it has been very windy and the Osprey couple has enjoyed the relative safety of their new nest.
Amazing bird photos
Thank you!
Stanley and Sandy are a great pair and great parents. Sweet Tiny all of these photos are amazing and breath-taking. I so enjoy all of your photos and wish I could capture such fabulous shots. Hugs
Thank you for your visit and encouraging comment, dear Mags! In the last few days it has been very windy here, and I have been happy that the Osprey couple now has a safe nest. They have just been sitting tight on the egg(s) 🙂 Many hugs to you, Chancy and Pooh!
I love your story telling with some amazing photos Helen! That night shot with the osprey nest is beautiful.
Thanks Val! That night shot was a wild gamble, I thought nothing would come out of it as it was so dark already, but I was pleasantly surprised by the ‘mood’ it conveyed 🙂
I’m not sure what the boats are, but it looks like fun. 🙂
It is truly amazing to watch the Ospreys do a shift-change. I am always in awe of the male’s gentleness as he shifts to cover the eggs with his body to incubate. Great photos of Sandy & Stanley and the salt marsh clan, Helen! 🙂
Stanley is so responsible, glad to see Sandy had a chance to enjoy fish and take a break. 🙂 Beautiful photos, Helen!
Thank you, dear Amy. Stanley usually gives a good break for Sandy, But as I saw on my first walk for a long time at the marsh this weekend, he doesn’t always quite live up to Sandy’s expectations 🙂
I sense that Sandy is very patient. 💖
She is very patient! Thank you Amy, and sorry for the late response. I am just now ‘getting back into the groove’ 🙂
These are just glorious photos and I’ve had such a wonderful time looking slowly through them…the birds seem so trusting I wonder are you on first name terms?! 😀 What a loving harmony between Sandy and Stanley and again fantastic photo sequence of their changeover duties. Thank you so much for sharing, Tiny!
Thank you Annika. I am happy you enjoy the ongoing story of the Osprey family. Soon they should have a little one, or two, to feed and to take care of. Yes, I am on first name basis with many of the ‘permanent residents’ at the marsh. It’s funny, but research shows that many birds can remember and recognize human faces 🙂
I dont know they taken places for storks
The stork will soon bring a baby or two to the Osprey family 🙂