My mornings start off every early. I always check Facebook before I leave for the nest to catch up on things that happen while I'm sleeping.  This was one morning I did not enjoy the news I was reading. We lost another one of our dear Nest Family and a great Photographer. Nora Lang passed away at home. She was not ill. Just one of those freak accidents... I so enjoyed our conversations especially when she would tell me about her trips to Alaska. The excitement in her voice as she told you a story, the beautiful photo's she took and her great sense of humor. She could keep you laughing. We All will miss you very much Nora. Tell Jim Hi from all of us down here. You and Jim keep your Angel wings around Ozzie and bring him home to Harriet.

When I got to the nest there was so much going on in my head. The disbelief of Nora being gone and Ozzie still not around. I get my camera set up to take my first photo of the day. I find Harriet in the nest tree. No PB or Ozzie as I go one by one check the other tree's. Hmm PB must be in the west pasture again this morning. I sit down in my chair and begin to tell Harriet about Nora. She is quiet. Like she is just letting me talk away. I tell Harriet how now we have two Angels out there looking for Ozzie and keeping him safe until he comes home. She's still quiet.  I finish talking to Harriet and eat my breakfast sandwich. The tears begin to flow ......
 I am so thankful that no one walked up with me sitting there talking to Harriet or when I was crying. I'm sure they would have thought I lost my marbles.


It's getting a bit lighter out now and still no vocals from Harriet and PB hasn't made it to the nest yet. 6:40 am Here comes PB from the west pasture with a stick gift. Awww he did good by bring in a stick this morning. PB lands in the nest , places his stick then heads up to the attic branch. Still no vocals from Harriet. By now Harriet has turned around looking NNW . A Hawk lands in the right pond tree. A Juvie from what Donna M told me. Now we hear  another one and it lands in the right pond tree also. This one is an adult. Harriet is now vocal. Just letting them know she is there.
While watching one of the Hawks getting chased off by a squirrel, Jeff lets me know PB left the nest tree heading SW around 6:50 am . Harriet is still in the nest tree looking NNW. She does some preening, a PS and drops down to the lower outer branch . Harriet does some more preening and this is a good photo opp for me and Donna. She is still looking to the NNW when done with her preening. Harriet turns around facing the other way so I figure she is ready to leave.No she just preenings her backside and wings.Done with that now maybe she is ready to leave. Nope she goes up into the small branches with pine. Aw maybe some pine for the nest this morning.  Wrong again...LOL She heads for a tree in the west pasture treeline.
As we are sitting there watching Harriet , 2 Muscovy Ducks fly into the nest area. One lands in the cam 2  tree. The other went to one of the front pine trees. The one in cam 2 tree flies to the nest tree and lands on the side of the nest , knocking a few rails down before it got it's self up into the nest. OMG !!!! All three of us a just waiting for Harriet to come swooping in after the duck. The Duck finally gets up right and in the nest. He/she is checking out the nest a picking at whatever is in there. Jeff tells me to keep getting pics of the duck, Donna is watching and ready for pics of Harriet to come out of her tree and Jeff is watching for Harriet too.  I'm thinking OMG , OMG we're going to have duck feathers all over the place when Harriet see's this.....I see Harriet ,I look back the duck is gone. It takes Harrit 2 mins from the time the duck lands on the nest tree for her to come out of her tree in the west pasture.I move my camera back on Harriet and she is coming fast right at us and past us heading for the duck which by now is back behind the church some where shitting and getting. Harriet didn't get the duck form what we could see but one is never sure. Oh how exciting that all was. We were laughing and glad the duck got away.

I started taking some photo's of a Pileated Woodpecker and here comes Harriet from the NNE heading to the same tree she was in a min ago before chasing off the duck. It looks like she either brought in something with her or maybe a stick she found after landing. I couldn't get a real good shot of it. She moves into and behind some palm fronds. I'm guessing around 8 or so Harriet left the west pasture heading SSW. Some how we missed her leaving because before Donna left to go home she checked the tree we last saw her in and she wasn't there.  I left around 9:00 am. Still no sighting of Ozzie. Be safe Ozzie, Harriet and PB . Ozzie , I'll see you when you're ready to come home.
Nora, we miss you !