She Found Me!

  On our early afternoon trek to the pier, Mark and I heard a lone osprey calling in the distance.  The bird was to our west but sounded nearby.  I pondered why the bird was yelling so much but soon forgot about it as we started fishing.  It was not long before the heat of the day got to me and I headed back to the Little Bayou House.  Mark took the opportunity to hop in the skiff and head out to one of his favorite fishing spots. 

  As I stepped off the pier and under the cooling shade of the old oak trees, I heard the osprey's lonely call again.  Hmmm....ok, so it was time to find that bird.  Easing my way through the palmetto clumps, I scanned the treetops.  No bird.  Thinking my friend had taken flight, I zigzagged my way through the palmettos back to the board path that leads to the house.  Stepping foot on the path brought another round of osprey screams but this time the bird was much closer.  So....I plunked myself down to wait for the bird.  Sure enough, a moment later, the fluttering of wings told me it was near.  Just above my head on a pine branch, the bird sort of clattered a bit.  It was a weird sound that I had never heard before.  I called to the bird and, once again, a funny almost clicking sound returned.  My view of the bird let me see that this was a juvenile female.  (Females have a "necklace" of dark feathers on their chest.)  I called again and the bird answered by clicking.  Finally, she spied me!  There we sat just communicating....her clicking and me talking...neither understanding the other yet feeling comfort knowing the other was trying.  

  Our "conversation" lasted about a half hour. During that time, I figured out what was bothering the bird.  This juvenile had been booted from the nest now that she was fully capable of surviving on her own.  It was now time for her to make her own way in the world.  We (humans) are the odd ones in this parenting game.  We raise our children and always hope that they will remain nearby.  We crave their company.  At one time, it used to be that families remained families with everyone visiting often or living nearby.  Most other critters literally abandon their young as soon as they are able to survive without help.  The parents never look back and actually do not recognize their own young after a matter of weeks.  Just yesterday, Mark and I found three baby raccoons that had been booted from the nest.  Mama Coon led them to the marsh then scurried away as her little ones played.  It was heartbreaking to hear their cries just as it was hearing the young osprey's. 

  The osprey will do ok once she figures out that she is on her own and that Mama and Papa are not coming back to her.  She will catch fish, grow then, next year, find a mate to start the cycle of life all over again.  She will not, however, go home to visit her folks.  They will be long forgotten.  Sad....