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[shep]

May 8
All she's doing is yelling at him - constantly.
Yet he's staying with her.

Anyone think he's a 3 or 4 year old who never bred before?

[Lani]

Shep, He probably hasn't 

[shep]

He is beautiful.
Shd we call him Romeo ...  or maybe Spot cuz he has a spot above his beak.

[shep]

May 10, 2025
6.36 am MATING - may have been successful - hard to tell.
They arrived together.

Yesterday both Iris & Romeo were on nest, but she's gone a lot - off cam.

Romeo Takes Out Louis
May 5, 2025
https://youtu.be/3WhfMccQ8Bw

[shep]

HONEYMOONING ??
May 11, 2025
iRIS isnt on nest much - maybe she and Romeo are honey mooning.
He really is beautiful.

She was on perch yelling abut 4 am!
When Romeo arrived they took off

Afternoon Fish Delivery From Romeo
May 8, 2025
https://youtu.be/7AnsSZB2Aj4

[shep]

May 13, 2025  RAIN
Where is Iris?  Nest empty.
Did Romeo take her to his nest?

9 am  Sure, I just post Iris is GONE and she returns!
She didnt stay long

11.30 she's back - on perch - and - MATING on the perch!

[Lani]

Hellgate Osprey Iris has been away from her nest and area for two days. I was worried she abandoned her nest.
What a wonderful blessing to see her on her perch. After a few minutes she went fishing and enjoyed her catch
on the owl pole.... Iris is home and all is well 

[shep]

Thanks Lani
I have a feeling no more eggs this year.

11.30 she's back - on perch - and - MATING on the perch!


SO MANY CAM I WATCH - ...
failed nest
link dies
odd troubles
unhatched eggs - more n normal

[Lani]

NG arrives on nest this morning. 


Iris caught a whale and mating attempt.  LOL!
https://x.com/i/status/1922756617373663703

Iris caught a whale yesterday! 

[shep]

May 17, 2025
6 am both Iris and Romeo in nest.

I havent seen either for a couple days.

[Lani]

Posted May 8th by Dr. Eric Greene on Montana Osprey Cam FB

Hi everyone,
Sorry for the radio silence - I have been travelling and busy.  At the start of the season, we cautioned you to buckle your seatbelts for the Hellgate Soap Opera!  And our cautionary warning was warranted - there has certainly been a lot going on.
Finnegan did not return, and alas, we suspect that he might have died over the winter.   :'(  He could have gone somewhere else, but with such a successful breeding season last year, if he was still alive he would have most likely returned to the Hellgate nest.
Louis visited Iris and mated repeatedly with her, and she laid three eggs (April 29,  May 1 and May 4).  Iris' behavior is very interesting:  without a dedicated mate, she has not been super attentive to her eggs.  We suspect that from previous experience, she knows that without a partner bringing her food and helping to share incubation with her, the eggs won't survive.  So she has been flying off leaving them unguarded. 
The astounding thing to us is that the half life of an untended osprey egg is measured in seconds or minutes!!  Almost as soon as Iris leaves an egg untended, a raven swoops in and flies off with the egg.  This demonstrates the need for the eggs and small chicks to be tended 24/7, and without a bonded pair bringing up young is not possible. 
But a few days ago, NEW GUY 2 showed up, and Iris seems to be pairing with him!  He has been bringing in fish and driving off Louis.  This is exactly what happened last year, and so Iris may lay some more eggs.  Stay tuned . . . .
I have posted a timeline that summarizes events from the 2024 breeding season (on the bottom half), and the 2025 events so far.
More later!
Think pure thoughts, Erick Greene and the Montana Osprey Team

[Lani]

Posted May 14 Dr. Erick Greene on Montana Osprey Cam FB

Hi everyone,
Iris has not been spending a lot of time on her nest the past couple of days.  We are not sure what is going on, and not sure if she is going to lay any more eggs.  In the past, after she has mated but while she is forming eggs, she often spends time away from the nest.  She was probably feeding hard to grow the eggs and store up energy. 
She may be doing this in preparation for laying another egg?  Or she may be calling it quits?  Not sure - stay tuned.
Best, Erick Greene and the Montana Osprey Team

[Lani]

Posted May 15th Montana Osprey Cam FB

Hi everyone,
Many of you are asking great question! 
Since Iris and New Guy 2 seemed to pair up - sort of - will Iris lay another egg?  Is Iris fertile? Does mating stimulate fertility? How long after they stop mating does Iris stop being fertile? If mating /not mating affect fertility, then what does? Is there a set time length during which they are fertile?
Drum roll please - here is the absolutely, authoritative, definitive answer.  We have no idea!  We don't know how old age affects fertility in ospreys.  Iris' reproductive physiology may have shut down after her third egg was eaten by a raven.  Also, New Guy 2 is not exactly a mating machine, and so this may not stimulate Iris to lay more eggs.
Iris has been spending a lot of time away from her nest, and this may indicate that she has closed up her reproductive shop for the season.  I suspect that we will know for sure within the next week.
Best, The Montana Osprey Team

NG on the Left, Iris chatting on the right 

[shep]

I wish they'd call him Romeo - newguy is boring.
He is stunning!