Of course when I get to the nest they are not in the tree nor any of the other ones that I can get photo's of. So I wait to hear them. Sure enough Harriet vocalizes and M15 right along with her. Aha haa they are in the front pine. Sounds of possible mating, not sure because I can't see them. They are closer to the driveway side. Done with what they were doing , Harriet flies to the nest and does some aerating and M15 flies to the dead tree closer to us. He's looking around and breaks off some of the vine that is growing on the tree. M15 flies out and around very close to us then up to the attic branch with his piece of vine. Not sure but it looked like he dropped it in the nest. M15 then drops down with Harriet. M15 is behind Harriet and I can't see him. Maybe he was laying down in the nest checking things out. M15 then hops up to the attic branch ,Harriet stays in the nest. Both just looking around checking out their territory then Harriet takes off for the west pasture treeline. She goes from one tree to the next and I lost her in the trees somewhere. I stand and wait for her to come out from where she is and sure enough here she comes with some pine and a long strand of moss. Again M15 drops down to help the little woman out and again I can't see him behind Harriet..LOL
Now it's M15 turn to get something for the nest. Out he flies ,past the front pines and up he goes to get a branch on the fly. He missed that one but got another on his way past one of the other pines.
Good job M15 ! Back to the nest with his branch. The branch is placed then up to the attic Harriet goes then M15 follows a few mins after. We have mating again this time they are behind the pine needles and again I'm in the wrong spot.
Well "if " and I say "if " they mated in the front pine we have a second mating already this morning. Remember ,I couldn't see them, I can only hear them.
M15 leaves the attic branch and it looks like he tries to get a branch from the front pine and missed but keeps heading across the road to the tall pine. he leaves there and goes and finds himself a nice big branch to bring back to the nest.Harriet is vocalizing . I guess she likes the size of the branch he is bringing in .
Well M15 sure is becoming a good nest builder. I always had faith in him. It's just not an instinct to them but a show me how to do thing. With Harriet's yrs of helping Ozzie sure has helped M15 out. Could you imagine if they were both brand new at this? It would take them awhile I would think. Both learning together. M15 flies up and pulls the long stick up over the side of the nest then lets go of it and drops down into the nest at the same time so he doesn't lose the branch over the side. Amazing to watch this. He then grabs it with his beak and is pulling it into place. Not satisfied with the stop he put it in ,he then pulls and moves it to another spot.
While doing this I see he is moving that V branch that him and Harriet tried to work with from yesterday. Donna told me all about it. So that branch is moving and looks like it might fall so he moves the other rail to a different spot. Now they are set ..for now any way. Satisfied with a job well done ,M15 goes up to the attic branch with Harriet. Well Harriet all of a sudden decides to show her dominant side and kicks M15 ,wings a flapping and almost got on top of him. My,My,My I saw this once with Ozzie and Harriet . She sure does let them know who is boss....LOL
Poor M15 as soon as Harriet was done he took off for the front pine. I'm not sure if he was sitting there checking him self out or looking for something to take back to the nest. M15 finally leaves the pine and is heading across the road way past Publix pond SE. Harriet stayed on the attic branch watching him leave. After some preening and just sitting Harriet also leaves around 8:39 am heading in the SE direction.
Harriet in front M15 behind her. What a good looking couple. |