Osprey!

So, I had a trip out to see an osprey nest locally. That little bird shaped thing at the top of the tree is one of the parents; below is the nest.

They are so huge and make the smallest little keening cry.

It turns out that the female is 21. Last year, she had no eggs and this year, just the one chick. Apparently it is getting toward the time when she will not manage to make the migration back from Senegal.

The males return first and start nest-building. This year, another female showed up and started acting all coquettish, but the male was not interested: the birds are monogamous, and he was waiting for this experienced female to arrive.

These birds of prey are so interesting. Harris's Hawks hunt as family packs! The females stand on a cactus and the males go to the other side of some jack rabbits and land and run along the ground to herd them toward the females who catch them!!!