I am celebrating: several decades ago, on March 24, my parents gave life and breath to me. They taught me to care for the Creator and creation. The joy I have in sharing my work with all of you comes from them. I miss my parents Hubert and Lucille Tinsley, but hopefully they live on in my efforts to bring a sampling of the vibrant life around me to each of you.

Today at the First Nest I took this photo and captured the two chicks on a video as they worked to strengthen wings and bodies for their coming first flight. The chicks bounced everywhere!  Video is here https://youtu.be/tCCROQ4ksYw

There was a fish floating on the water.
The great blue heron made a dash for it.
The bald eagle made a dash too.
The great blue heron decided retreat was the better objective.
Neither bird was happy and neither got the fish.
But doc sure enjoyed the fracas!

Bald eagles and their growing chicks thrive on cold windy weather.
On the other hand, doc got kinda sorta wind-blown and chilled today –
but that’s ok because the winds blew the limbs aside and gave me a better view of the nest.
Coffee is on the left, hollering something to H.C. whose back is turned toward us.
 
H&G Nest
In the wild winds I only managed to get one chick in view – don’t know if it is Granola or Raisin.
Notice that it is starting to replace its grey fluff with dark feathers around its face.

Each year when the ospreys return to Jordan Lake, territory disputes occur.
The east side of the First Nest Cove belongs, more or less, to the ospreys.
The west side of the cove, more or less, belongs to the bald eagles.
The osprey female initiated this encounter when Petruchio crossed the “line”.
Ultimately Petruchio pushed the osprey back east of the line and for the moment quiet reigned.
I gotta admit I admired the spunk of the much smaller osprey!

Godiva is just in front of the nest.
The 1 year old bald eagle to the far upper right made the mistake of flying too close to the nest.
I sure wish I was equipped to be able to show all of you better photos of this nest.
There are only a couple of viewing points that will not disturb the nest –
they are more than 1000 feet across the cove from the nest.

Hershey is bringing in a fish for his chicks.