Annie

@heferca @HellgateOsprey Oh my, yes, easy pickings for an eagle 😳 BE populations have boomed in a lot of areas as you know, even some of the Channel Islands nests are having stiff competition for certain territories and lots of intrusions.

@snowleopard4me @HellgateOsprey I'm thinking maybe more eagles , I lived in central BC little town close to Thompson River and never saw a BE my property for 10 yrs till 2014 . They took an interest in my ducks and I had them that whole time.

@HellgateOsprey Iris vocal on nest 3:18 pm ,Cam op finds NG2 on DT eating nice fish, he went into alert mode took off. Iris upset flew off/on/off nest ,Cam op panned Osprey flew L-R by OP 3:23:46 pm next O being chased by BE as in scaps. O in blue ,BE in red . May 11

@heferca @HellgateOsprey The eagles seem to be more of a problem this year, not sure if it's his inexperience or more eagles in the area. I would think they would be on eggs too

@snowleopard4me @HellgateOsprey Sadly I agree

@sidgustafson @HellgateOsprey NG2 had a fish that the eagles wanted and either forced him to drop or he lost it

@HellgateOsprey Play

15:23, 5/11 We posted these earlier and took them down. We wanted to be sure it was NG 2 being chased. We posted a still image showing that it is an osprey being chased. #HellgateOsprey

@HellgateOsprey At 15:22:48-49 can see white on the bird being chased

@HellgateOsprey While Iris did an eagle alert from the nest, at 15:22:46 it looked like NG2 flew downriver past OP with fish, was then seen being chased upriver and then down, by a bald eagle, he returned to nest w/o fish 15:29

15:22, 5/11 NG2 had a nice-sized fish over on Iris's tree. He dove off the tree. #HellgateOsprey

@HellgateOsprey Between the eagles and the river NG2 is definitely being challenged

15:46, 5/11 After a lot of "discussion", NG2 does that special little nudge to take over nest duty. Iris takes the opportunity for some alone time on the owl pole #HellgateOsprey

@JeanGardiner2 @HellgateOsprey He definitely pulls on her feathers 😅

@HellgateOsprey Looks more like a bite and nudge now...lol

@PL4247 @HellgateOsprey Hope you're right! 😉

@HellgateOsprey I'm going to take a big leap and predict she is done with two eggs. Hope I'm wrong!

5/10 Iris's 1st egg arrived 5/4 at 16:20 MDT. The 2nd egg arrived on 5/7 at 18:17. 3 days, 1 hour, and 57 minutes separated them. Iris's 3rd egg just may be coming soon. Do your calculations & reply to this tweet with your guess when Iris will lay her third egg. #HellgateOsprey

@heferca @HellgateOsprey Yes!

@snowleopard4me @HellgateOsprey I agree , hoping the water level drops before hatching

@HellgateOsprey Iris back , fish fueled her energy to chirp for more lol 12:02 pm May 11

@heferca @HellgateOsprey Not looking eggie so far 🤔

@HellgateOsprey Iris took quick trip off her nest 7:46 am May 10

@heferca @HellgateOsprey Looked like she was looking for NG2 before taking off. Gone less than a minute

@VRValicento @HellgateOsprey Maybe fishing further away if the river is challenging

@HellgateOsprey Uh oh. What happened to NG2?

19:46, 5/10 Iris makes a hard decision to leave the eggs for a brief time. #HellgateOsprey

@HellgateOsprey You could tell she really debated. Left 19:47:40, returned 19:48:32

@pleghop @HellgateOsprey When the Clark Fork is difficult fishing they often go to Rattlesnake Creek.

@HellgateOsprey I was curious if there was something going on yesterday. He's done better today so either he figured it out or he found a shallow pool some where.

5/10 The snowpack for this area reached 100% by the end of March. Warm weather brings snowmelt. The river has risen from 3.72 ft. on May 3rd to 5.45 ft. today. The fishing is more challenging for NG2 right now. #HellgateOsprey

@PL4247 @heferca @HellgateOsprey Yes, unfortunately almost all those huge sticks Iris brought in before NG2 returned went into the stick graveyard below the nest. I wish they would make and sell the pens again 😉

@heferca @HellgateOsprey Wish they would start building up the other side a bit.

@HellgateOsprey NG2 returned with a fence post lol 9:55am May 10

@JeanGardiner2 @HellgateOsprey Yes, but actually we saw a lot more of Iris last year than we did during the 5 years she had no mate or suitor aside from Louis who wasn't around once Starr laid eggs, except to try to steal Iris' fish. The yr w/ Finn was a fantastic change 😊

@HellgateOsprey One of the best things about Iris laying eggs is that she stays on camera the whole season. She spent a lot of time off camera last year.

12:31, 5/10 NG2 returns, and "The Changing of the Incubator" takes place. #HellgateOsprey

@JeanGardiner2 @HellgateOsprey He's determined 😅

@HellgateOsprey LOL ..NG is pretty forceful in his nudging off

09:37, 5/10 Iris returned from a long break and resumed nest duty....only for NG2 to nudge her off ... he wasn't ready to give up the nest. Eventually Iris nudges him off and he brings in a stick. He is dedicated! #HellgateOsprey

@HellgateOsprey Wowee, awesome wing shots!

11:07, 5/10 Iris returns from lunch and is ready to take over egg sitting. NG2 complies readily, and he is off! Those wing captures... 😮 #HellgateOsprey