Harriet & M15's New Beginnings Welcome E7 & E8: July 2015

Saturday, July 11, 2015

A Nestoration/Bonding Day

This morning I find both Harriet and PB in the nest tree. Harriet as usual on the outer branch left and PB was up higher to Harriet's right. 5:41 am They both vocalize as if talking to each other. Daylight is breaking and Both are preening. Another vocal by Harriet and she turns around and has her back to me then turns around facing me..lol Jeff has arrived by this time. Harriet goes to the porch branch and PB drops down into the nest. They do some arateing of the nest and checking to see what is needed for the day. Barb has also made it by now. Harriet jumps up to the veranda ,PB still in the nest. Harriet then moves up to the attic branch. PB is the first off the nest and is heading to the edge of the pond by the short tree looking around for some nesting material or maybe a stick. Jeff tells this is where he went the other day to get a rail/stick for the nest. Harriet is still on the attic branch. It takes PB a few mins but finds what he is looking for and flies back to the nest. PB lands in the nest and Harriet is watching PB the whole time. PB then takes off for the west pasture treeline this time and breaks off a branch . Good job ! Well Ok it's not a big branch, it's more like a skinny thing.lol He seems to like the vinney/ skinny sticks. We have to remember .. this is PB's first time in nest building. This is all by instinct and a watch and learn as we go. This is also another form of "Bonding" between Harriet and PB. Not only this but the vocals together, preening together , sitting by each other are all a part of forming a bond. Trusting each other and PB showing Harriet he can be a good mate/nest builder.... The mating , if there is any , will come later IF Ozzie doesn't return. I know this is something that none of us want to think about but there is always that possibility. Harriet doesn't know what we think we know and that is Ozzie is home. We'll know in about another month, month in a half if Ozzie comes back.
So PB lands in the nest and Harriet still watching him. PB places the stick where he wants it. Now Harriet has decided it's her turn to add something to the nest. She's still on the attic branch, move out further and finds her a branch with pine on it . This was fascinating to watch her get that from where she was at. Up she goes, snaps it off, lands back down on the branch and still has it in her talons. WOW ! I now wished I was on the driveway side for the photo's. They wouldn't have all the branches and pine in the way ,but at least you can see what I saw . Harriet get's herself turned around , still holding on to the stick with her beak. She is now moving the stick to her right talon and working her way down the branch to drop down into the nest. This whole time PB is watching her . Harriet drops down into the nest and PB ducks ..LOL OK I have got to get some photo's in here for you all.

Harriet finds a spot for her stick and it looks like she she breaking off some of the pine and dropping it in the nest. PB busies himself at the back of the nest while Harriet is doing her thing..LOL Smart guy. Harriet then moves past PB to the back of the nest.What I mean by the back of the nest is.. from my vantage point it looks that way but it's by the spike branch. That's what I really mean .Haha You will see the look PB seems to give Harriet as she goes by. PB goes up to the attic branch and Harriet moves the skinny stick PB brought in .

PB leaves the attic branch and flies to the dead tree close to us. This tree still has vines on it and we have watched E6 ,E4 ,Hope and Honor all play with them. PB likes vines so he proceeds to take some off. Oh my word what funny thing to watch. PB pulls and tries to fly with the vine but the vine isn't going any where and he ends up hanging upside down for a brief moment. OMG I'm laughing, Jeff , Barb and Lyn are cracking up too. Poor guy. PB lets go and fly out and around and comes back to try it again. I'm dieing here now watching him trying it again.

PB finally gives up and heads back to the nest tree empty taloned. PB goes to the attic branch and Harriet is still in the nest. I went to my truck for a min and one of them took off to the west pasture treeline. I was told it was PB. There was more stick getting. PB then goes to the porch branch then heads back to the ground by the pond. Harriet is looking towards the front pine. Ok now which one do I watch ..LOL Harriet takes off to the front pine and PB is still on the ground some where. I can't see him because all the weeds have grown. Harriet returns from the front pine and heads to the right pond tree. PB still has come up from where ever he is . Finally up from the weeds comes PB with a nice bit of moss . He circles around and heads for the west treeline and drops the moss ..I guess he saw a branch he liked better for here he comes with a nice looking stick. Harriet is watching him from the pond tree the whole time. PB places his stick . Now it's Harriet's turn but she heads for the Church tree. Harriet finds her a branch and as she is leaving the tree, it almost looked like she was tumbling but she wasn't .It's just the way she came down and out of the tree. Back to the nest with her stick to place. Are you worn out yet from keeping up? I am from just telling you and there's more to come. They are not done yet ..LOL

By this time I have lost count of who brought in the most. Jeff told me PB was way a head . They both take a break then off goes Harriet to the west pasture treeline. She lands in a tree that has a lot of moss hanging from it. I'm thinking ok she'll bring in the moss since PB dropped his. Nope . Harriet brings in pine again. We all know she loves her pine . PB drops down into the nest after Harriet returns ,then Harriet goes to the veranda. PB goes back up to the attic branch and Harriet joins him. PB doesn't even move. I guess he is getting use to Harriet sitting by him now. Trust .All about trust and a form of bonding/ getting to know each other. Harriet does some preening and PB is just looking around. At 8:15 am Harriet leaves the nest tree and is heading across the road to the pond. PB stays for a bit . 8:42 am PB leaves heading SSE past the pond area.

PB leaving 8:42 am

Harriet leaving 8:15 am

So we had a very busy morning with nestorations and Harriet and PB doing more bonding/getting to you know . As each day passes the more comfortable/trusting they get with each other. If and I only say If Ozzie chooses not to come back , I believe PB/FV will make a very good mate for Harriet. We still have time and I hope Ozzie gets his little fanny home soon. Be safe Ozzie ,Harriet and PB. Ozzie I'll see you when you're ready to come home and please make is soon .

Friday, July 3, 2015

What started off as Oh gee I can't find them kind of morning turned into a bit of a interesting morning. I arrive at the nest a bit earlier than usual to hopefully get some better Harriet and moon photo's and there is a truck already there that I don't recognize. I get out of my truck get the camera and look in the nest tree for Harriet.Hmm not there. This means they could be in the front pines or the west pasture. What to do ,what to do. McDonald's didn't open for 15 more mins so I sit and wait. 5:00 am I head over to McDonald's go to the restroom then get something to eat and made the decision to some thing I really don't like doing and that's go thru the closed gates at the Pritchett's driveway. I felt much safer there than at the church.
I get out of my truck and set up . I start looking for Harriet in all the tree's in the nest area.Still can't find her. Ok now the hard part , the west tree line. Nope still can't find her. It's getting lighter out others have arrived and the Gal that was in the truck walked over. Finally Harriet vocalized . Yep in the tree line but where ?? I still can't find her so I just wait. She'll be leaving soon I figured. Sure enough at 6:39 am .. up out of what seems to be their favorite tree to stay in, out goes PB then not to long after, Harriet goes. But today was a bit different. There was road kill to the right of the driveway which we didn't find out until latter from one of the Ladies in the office.Down PB/FV went for it. Scattered all the Crows that were there trying to get breakfast and dodging cars. I was taking photo's of PB during all this time and not sure where Harriet was but she must have circled around out over the road. Keeping fixed on PB/FV as he headed back to a tree to eat his breakfast, I then get a glimpse of Harriet coming in fast to the tree PB/FV just went in to with group of Crows that were chasing them both. Harriet lets out a vocal and all I can tell you is that I think PB/FV lost his meal to Harriet...LOL All I can see is what looks like Harriet's butt while she is eating and PB/FV peeking thru some pine needles watching her. I just giggle to myself.
Jeff arrives and I tell him where they are and we stand there talking and waiting for them to leave the tree. With a high pitched vocal from Harriet we see PB on the ground and Harriet going after him. Oh boy !!! I think PB stole back the food that Harriet took from him and Harriet was coming to get . She went after him with her talons out and got him in the chest with one foot and the other on the food. I'm just in amazement here watching this all unfold. Just fascinating !! Harriet wins the food back and PB all not that happy about it. He walks around Harriet a couple of times and Harriet lets him know he won't be getting what's left back this time. PB looks like " Wow I can't believe you took that from me" PB walks around Harriet again and I'm thinking he better not mess with her again. Next time she might really get him good. Harriet keeps an eye on him. After all , we know PB is the one talon grab and run master ..LOL
Harriet finishes off the food and walks past PB like "What do you think of me now ..snap " LOL She is so beautiful and confident as she walks past. He just looks at her. They are standing by each other now and Harriet does a PS which I know she'll be flying soon,so I get ready. Sure enough she heads back to the tree they were in this morning. PB/FV heads for the pine close to the driveway. Pb sits there looking around,then doing some preening. Great photo opp for me. Vicki walks down to the road and out in it to get the road kill and throws it in the pasture. Now the whole time she is doing this ,PB is watching her . Jeff and I are just laughing . PB wanted to see where his food was going. Harriet is still in the tree as far as we know. PB/FV leaves the pine and heads right over us and goes towards the NE with a bunch of crow's following. He ends up turning around and heads for the nest tree. I start putting up my stuff then I see PB is back in the pine again by the front gates. I take a few more photo's and then load up and head home.
I left PB in the pine , Harriet in the treeline and still haven't seen Ozzie.
Be safe Ozzie and I'll see you when you are ready to come home.