Ozzie And Harriet: A Closure Part I

While following the lives of a famous pair of Bald Eagles named Ozzie and Harriet through a seasonal Southwest Florida Eagle Cam (SWFEC) and local news stories, I finally decided to attempt to see these majestic birds in person.

Day 1: 22 September 2015

The Bald Eagle (Harriet) above (image 1) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

At a not too distant time, across the Caloosahatchee River to the west in Cape Coral, there were a pair of Bald Eagles named George and Gracie. These eagles were thought to be a mating pair going back as early as 1990. George died of severe kidney failure while in the care of the Sanibel Island Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) in June 2006. Gracie continued on with a new mate that was appropriately named George II.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 2) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 3) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 4) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

I arrived at the SWFEC site a couple of mornings after Ozzie's last sighting at his nest in North Fort Myers. The eagle's nest is on the property of Dick Pritchett. There was a good crowd on hand, all with eyes glued on the nest which sits in a wide open field offering great views of the eagles and other bird species. It was good to see local wildlife photographer Donna McMurrer on hand.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 5) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 6) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Blue Jay above (image 7) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

Donna had earlier been at the right place at the right time to capture an image of a pair of Florida Panthers which is the most remarkable I have seen. Donna can be found equally as excited observing panthers or Bald Eagles at the Pritchett site at the start of the 2016 eagle nesting season. I have yet to see any panthers myself with even much more common bobcat and coyote rarely seen.

The Blue Jay above (image 8) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Mottled Duck above (image 9) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The European Starling above (image 10) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

Some devoting years to observing Ozzie and Harriet that I've had the good fortune to meet during my first few days visiting the SWFEC nest include Dee Kelly, Jeffery Jansen, and David Mintz. There is a comradery among them as they share great stories during observation down times.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 11) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker above (image 12) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker above (image 13) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The current Bayshore Road SWFEC nest was built by Ozzie and Harriet in 2006. These eagles are believed to have occupied another nest a short distance to the south that was first identified in 1990. It is thought that Ozzie and Harriet may have taken over the Donald Road nest from another pair of eagles in the 1997-1998 nesting season. The nest was inactive that year. Jeff is one of the fortunate ones to be following the eagles in this immediate area so far back in time.

The Bald Eagle (Harriet) above (image 14) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Bald Eagle (Harriet) above (image 15) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Bald Eagle (Harriet) above (image 16) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The bond between Ozzie and Harriet was very strong. However, toward the latter part of the 2015 nesting season tragedy struck. In mid March 2015 Ozzie was brought to CROW with a broken left clavicle and broken left coracoid bone after being found in the vicinity of railroad tracks in North Fort Myers. He was thought to be injured through impact with a car or train while hunting for prey.

The Bald Eagle (Harriet) above (image 17) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Bald Eagle (Harriet) above (image 18) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Bald Eagle (Harriet) above (image 19) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The initial report that Ozzie's recuperation would take weeks turned into months. During Ozzie's recovery at CROW, Harriet accepted another eagle which was named M15 (male 2015). M15 was also named FV (frequent visitor), and more amusingly named Pretty Boy. After the 2014-2015 breeding season was over, Ozzie was released on the Pritchett property near the nest site on 17 June 2015.

The Bald Eagle (Harriet) above (image 20) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

Day 2: 23 September 2015

The Loggerhead Shrike above (image 21) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Cooper's Hawk above (image 22) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

On September 19th and 20th Ozzie was observed in the immediate vicinity of the SWFEC nest site, returning after a six month absence. Although it was reported that Ozzie was with Harriet in the nest tree on the morning of 20 September, he would apparently be driven from the area by both Harriet and Pretty Boy. Ozzie would not return to the nest again.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 23) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove with European Starling above (image 24) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove with European Starling above (image 25) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

On 27 September Ozzie was found injured by Heather Halle, and then brought to CROW by Dee Kelly and CROW volunteer Joni O'Neil Henderson. CROW reported that Ozzie had lacerations from barbed wire, a broken toe in each foot, and other severe wounds consistent with a fight with another eagle. Ozzie's worst affliction was a bacterial blood infection possibly from one of the cuts. Ozzie additionally re-injured a talon.

The horse above (image 26) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 27) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove with Red-bellied Woodpecker above (image 28) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

On 22 September I was fortunate to see Pretty Boy that had bonded with Harriet. This was the first and last time I would see the eagle. Pretty Boy was observed by others on the 23rd, but has not been seen since as of the time of this article's publication. The images presented in this blog post all represent my observations at the SWFEC site.

Day 3: 24 September 2015

The Great Blue Heron above (image 29) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Cattle Egret above (image 30) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 31) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

In addition to my great interest in observing the Bald Eagles and their behavior, I am attempting to document all the other species of bird that live at or pass through the nest area. With Ozzie's earlier return to his nest on 20 September, the scene has been significantly disrupted offering the unexpected each day. Most notably has been the disappearance of Pretty Boy.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 32) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Bald Eagle (unknown) above (image 33) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

The Bald Eagle (unknown) above (image 34) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

Ozzie passed away at CROW on 29 September 2015 due to complications from his injuries. It has been reported that Ozzie's remains will be used in an American Indian religious ceremony. There will be observations and reports from the nest site at this blog in the future documenting Harriet and her environment which she has great control over.

The Eurasian Collared-Dove above (image 35) was photographed at the Pritchett Eagle Cam Site in September 2015.

Please also see Ozzie And Harriet: A Closure Pt. II
Please also see Ozzie And Harriet: A Closure Pt. III

A New Ding Darling Worth The Wildlife Drive: Pt. II

There was a very favorable low tide at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on my early February followup visit to the southwest Florida venue.

The Little Blue Heron above (image 1) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

If you have the slightest interest in the observation of avian wildlife in a near pristine environment, Ding Darling happens to be one of those places to find it.

The Willet above (image 2) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Willet above (image 3) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Snowy Egret above (image 4) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Little Blue Heron with Willet above (image 5) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Ring-billed Gull harassing Willet above (image 6) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Laughing Gull with Willet above (image 7) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

While late in the season to observe waterfowl, the refuge still offered entertainment of shore and wading birds that I never tire of. A Belted Kingfisher was active on both visits, but was too distant to photograph.

The Willet with Laughing Gull above (image 8) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Willet with Laughing Gull above (image 9) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Willet with Laughing Gull above (image 10) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Willet with Laughing Gull above (image 11) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Laughing Gull harassing Willet above (image 12) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Laughing Gull harassing Willet above (image 13) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

I intentionally chose not to study American White Pelican extensively as I wanted to see more of Wildlife Drive thinking I might not visit again soon, thus continuing on my way more hurriedly.

The Laughing Gull harassing Willet above (image 14) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Laughing Gull harassing Willet above (image 15) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Willet above (image 16) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Willet harassed by Ring-billed Gull above (image 17) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Laughing Gull above (image 18) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Ring-billed Gull above (image 19) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

A sweet spot of my travel along Ding Darling's Wildlife Drive on this visit was just before Water Control Structure 6. The tide was low and allowed a great congregation of shorebirds feeding on shrimp in the mud.

The Ring-billed Gull above (image 20) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Ring-billed Gull above (image 21) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Ring-billed Gull above (image 22) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Laughing Gull harassing Willet above (image 23) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Little Blue Heron above (image 24) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Brown Pelican above (image 25) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

It was particularly interesting to observe the determination of Willets which were very successful in capturing their prey. In almost all cases the Willet's quarry was stolen by Laughing Gull or Ring-billed Gull, with even an effort made by Snowy Egret especially gifted in harassing White Ibis.

The Brown Pelican above (image 26) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Brown Pelican above (image 27) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Brown Pelican above (image 28) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Brown Pelican above (image 29) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Little Blue Heron above (image 30) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Laughing Gull above (image 31) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Snowy Egret itself was of course not allowed a reprieve from the attention of the gulls which appeared the most aggressive. The Ring-billed Gull was observed to be the most gifted in its harassment including that of the Laughing Gull.

The Willet above (image 32) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Wood Stork above (image 33) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Bald Eagle with prey above (image 34) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Bald Eagle with prey above (image 35) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The immature Little Blue Heron above (image 36) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Laughing Gull above (image 37) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

A Bald Eagle made a flyby from the north to south with an unidentified fish in its talons. Ozzie, another local Bald Eagle in the news, will be in rehabilitation with CROW for the next six weeks with an unexplained broken clavicle.

The Laughing Gull above (image 38) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Snowy Egret above (image 39) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Tricolored Heron above (image 40) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Snowy Egret harassing Willet above (image 41) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

The Laughing Gull above (image 42) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

Stay tuned for the rest of the story while recommended visits to Ding Darling for the remainder of 2015 are noted in the comments in Part I of this article.

The Ring-billed Gull harassing Laughing Gull above (image 43) was photographed at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in February 2015.

Please also see A New Ding Darling Worth The Wildlife Drive: Pt. I
Please also see A New Ding Darling Worth The Wildlife Drive: Pt. III