Greetings from Holtwood,
On Wednesday afternoon (6/21), the first day of summer, I thought I’d better try for another picture before the first fledging takes place, which should occur within the next two weeks. Also the weather was not too hot and humid, as predicted for the rest of the week. Even at that, the "three stooges" were lined up on the upriver side of the nest, trying to stay in the shade of one of the girders of the tower. That’s what makes it such a bad picture — strong backlight and shaded subjects.
A close look will show that all three birds have their nictitating membranes closed over their eyes — they were dozing! Once in awhile the oldest, on the left, moved back and exercised her wings, but then returned to the shade to nap again. This picture had to be taken from the north side of the nest, since that is the way all three were facing. No adult eagles were seen during this visit.
Even though the eagle nest presented good news, I can’t say the same for the osprey nests. The Piney Island nest, which just last week showed two chicks, today held only one. The female parent was sitting beside it while the male parent was feeding it. I could see nothing in the York County nest, though the female was on the opposite end of its tower, so I drove over to Face Rock and scoped both nests at highest power. That nest held nothing that I could see, and again, only one chick in the Piney Island nest. I'll draw no conclusions until after the next check.
Jim Smith, Consulting Naturalist
PPL Holtwood Environmental Preserve
Holtwood, Lancaster County, Pa.