The Ospreys of Robb Field

March 31 to May 5, 2009

Robert Harrington Photography

Osprey nest at Robb Field: Mother sits on light next to nest while father is barely visible on pole in background. Two juveniles are hunkered down out of sight in the nest.

Ospreys have occupied this nest atop a light stanchion at Robb Field in San Diego for a number of years, since 2006 by my observation, but with some years skipped. A pair, suspected but unproven to be the same, occupied a nest on the top of a mast of a sailboat across the flood channel in some years when the nest at the field went unused.
Two young were raised successfully in 2009. There is a clear division of effort with the female generally guarding the nest while the male hunts and brings back fish for the family. His usual routine, repeated probably three times a day, is to take a fish to a nearby light pole and consume a third or so of his catch and bring what's left to the nest where the female feeds the young and herself. The young seem to be patient, waiting quietly when the other is being fed. They aren't so patient when the male is feeding, however, when there is a lot of "bleeping" from the nest.
My photos (click below to enlarge) cover from March 31 to May 5, 2009 (more to be added). As of May 5, neither of the young have flown other than practice flights a few feet over the nest as far as I know.

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One juvenile's first venture from nest

© Robert Harrington 2009