The Old Osprey

The Osprey, sometimes called a sea hawk or fish eagle; nest at Seahorse Key every year. They mate for life which can be from seven to ten years and in some cases 20 to 25 years. And if their old nest still exists when it’s time to mate in the spring; they will touch it up with new limbs and other nesting material and use it again. If it has been destroyed by a storm they will build a new nest before mating.

An Osprey

This particular year Chuck watched an old Osprey whose old mate had died at sometime during the past year, and she was with her new mate; he was a young bird that didn’t know much about nest building. 

They are sexually mature for mating at three to four years old. But if there is not enough suitable nesting sites; mating can be postponed up to seven years.

He gathers the materials and she fits it together to her liking. She was very picky about everything that he brought to her. Her selection of a nest site was not the best selection either; she chose an old dead mangrove in the marsh near the channel leading in to the dock at Seahorse.

He would fly away and proudly bring back sticks for her, she would scream at him and fling it away with her beak. He eventually brought enough that she was satisfied with to get the base layer set up. This was repeated over and over again, until it was complete, and she refused to mate until the nest was built to her satisfaction.

Every day when Chuck came home, he would tell me about what transpired each day with the nest building of the picky old bird and her inexperienced young mate. After at least a week of this nest building, with all her screaming at him, and flinging away whatever he brought to her he had managed to finally get the job done.

They mated and afterwards she laid her eggs. They take turns setting on the eggs; one or the other is on the nest at all times with the eggs or hatchlings until they are old enough and have been trained well enough to leave the nest.

At some point after the nest was finished and the eggs had been laid, but not yet hatched; we had an afternoon squall that destroyed the nest completely. The old dead mangrove fell over in the strong winds and all was lost except the old bird and her young mate.

And the process began all over again to select another site and build a new nest. Her site selection was a better choice this time, a sturdy Oak tree near the edge of the beach. The new nest site was still close enough that Chuck could see the on goings of building process of the new one from time to time.

And eventually the nest was finished and they had mated again and she laid a second batch of eggs and she raised and trained three new ospreys this time. Many years they only have two offspring each year.

They like a flat surface such as a big open crotch of a tree, but they will build on most any flat surface. I have seen many nests built on the cross braces of power lines. They like to be near the water where there is a food source of fish close by.

Their primary diet is fish, but they will eat other things such as rodents, reptiles and whatever other smaller things they can catch if fish are not plentiful. They are found almost worldwide, in the 1950’s and 60’s their population had declined somewhat due to pesticides, but this has since changed.

An Osprey Nest on a Platform

Sometime after this nesting disaster it was decided to build man-made nesting platforms around the marsh areas of Seahorse for the Ospreys. This has been a very successful project. There is never an empty platform at Seahorse Key!

Changes

In times of inner turmoil which produces great changes in our lives, we often return to old familiar places. Such is the situation I’ve found myself in lately. This morning I found myself walking on the beach in the old neighborhood that I’ve walked on many times over a period of many years.

Seeking solace for my troubled soul and solitude that I might hear again that still small voice within my spirit giving clear direction for my footsteps.

As I walked and cried out to God ~ sweet memories drifted through my mind of many other times He had walked this beach with me. And the many changes in my life already because of our times together on this beach.

I was reminded that it was on this very beach, I learned that He is the God of my finances. He is my provider ~ the source and supply of all my needs!

We had not long been moved to Cedar Key. Chuck had been working on the “Dipper” for R.B. Davis. He had just recently rebuilt the diesel engine, and he now had her on the beach to scrape the barnacles off her bottom and paint her. When she was ready Chuck would use her for turtling for awhile, it was legal to harvest turtle then.

Chuck had been taught the art of turtling by one of the best, Genie Andrews.

His dream, all those years he spent in the US Navy serving his country; was to someday return to Cedar Key and spend his time on the water fishing and turtling.

We had been working for quite awhile scraping barnacles, which is back-breaking work. When we took our break I decided to go for a walk on the beach instead of sitting down to rest.

I had been praying about our finances, there was always more month left at the end of the money, you know where I’m coming from, and you borrow from Peter to pay Paul and vice-versa. Ever been there?

As I was walking along I was looking down, I almost stepped on a dollar bill. I walked a few more feet and picked up another one, a few more feet and picked up a ten spot, not far ahead another dollar. Altogether I found $13.00 on the beach.

The money had been there for quite some time; the beach grass was growing over it, but it was still visible. Others had walked on this part of the beach, I could see their footprints, but they had not found the money, I had and wondered why?

I had been praying ~ trusting God to help us solve our money problems. But like many of us at times when we pray, wondering does He really hear our prayers, and does He really answer? Yes He does, answer to both questions.

I believe He chose this way to answer my prayers and to show me that He is my source. I know $13.00 doesn't sound like much very money today, but it wasn't the amount that was important anyway! This was in 1969 and it was a lot, Chuck’s Navy retirement as a twenty year Chief was $231.00 a month and his paycheck was $70.00 a week.

That $13.00 stretched a great distance, and spoke volumes to my spirit that the Lord is my source. Yes, He expects us to work, by the sweat of our brow we earn our livelihood, and yes He blesses our health to work.

But sometimes we get so full of ourselves we forget to look up and thank Him for being our source and the supply for all of our needs.

It was from this same beach that I was baptized in water into His death burial and resurrection ~ after I was born-again of the Spirit of God, another major change in my life.

This beach is such a special place ~ it was here I walked the first time when Chuck brought me to the Island when I was twenty years old and we were beginning our lives together.

It is no wonder I found myself walking on such familiar ground. As I looked around me I could see that even this old beach has had, and is going through some major changes and in time I wonder if in the future we’ll even be able to still walk here and commune with God. Or will it become a private beach as so many others already have in Florida?

We live in a constantly changing world and we mortals are in a constant state of change on a daily basis. Some for the better and some for the worse, amidst all these thoughts of changes I was reminded by my Father, the Lord never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever!