44 THE HOME-LIFE OF 
visible fishing; apparently not many on fish stakes. 
Surprising that Ospreys still fish so much by natural method, 
when one would expect them to be spoiled by ease of 
extracting food from net enclosures. 
6.45. Osprey visitor appears; male comes and drives 
him off with great rush of wings. Visitor insists on circling 
about ; male pursues him with loud screeches. 
7.0. One young bird, about two-thirds grown, rose in 
nest, ruffled feathers, and moved about. As this was 
the first glimpse I had yet had of contents of nest, I put 
up glasses for better look. Instantly mother whistled, 
and youngster squatted out of sight. 
7.30. Female becoming used to me ; no longer complains 
when I move about under oak tree. 
7.40. Erected umbrella blind under oak tree, and walked 
out with it over my head. This was too much for Mrs. 
Osprey, and she flew—first time to-day. When next I 
saw her she was circling round with a stick in her talons 
(holding it head foremost). I set up blind about 
thirty feet from Osprey tree. She alighted on nest so 
soon after I got into blind and was fixing things, that I 
did not actually see her carry stick to nest ; but she must 
have done so. Nor did I see her arranging it in nest— 
just standing there. 
8.0 She is very suspicious of blind, and complains 
whenever I move in it. 
8.30. I happened to look up (from my breakfast !) and 
saw male standing on his favourite perch. Took photo ; 
started to change plates (very slight noise)—he was gone. 
Looked again; he was back! Not a sound from him 
meantime. While I was getting better focus, he flew again 
so precipitately that he scared off wife also. He disappeared 
but she was back within two minutes, and alighted on perch. 
9.5. Male arrived (without fish), alighted on nest and 
bent over youngster. Mother hopped down from perch, 
and all three were in the nest together. Mother spread 
wings and said, “ Ker, ker, ker” (low), and shuffled about 
