You're so right about seeing the large crops on these family members. It means everything doesn't it? The fishing this year seems to be incredible. The Clark Fork River must be in really good shape right now. It seems like everything pulled out of there is huge! It is also a very special thing given Iris' past with food insecurity and losing chicks to starvation. Absolutely heartbreaking when I perused the older videos. I can't watch them for long and some not at all due to the suffering. Our beautiful, strong and resilient Iris has overcome so much and I continue to be in awe of her! Thank you once again for both the video along with an awesome interpretation. You offer viewers some amazing insight into the lives of ospreys! 🥰❤
Wow Lisa - YVW! And TYVM for your kind/thoughtful affirmations! Means a lot! ❣ ~Yes that truly is another wonderful facet in this season chock-full of endless surprises/blessings/beauty = all those fish that keep rt on coming! ~~I just took a moment to look up the health of the Clark Fork River in Missoula, MT in 2024 and there are conflicting reports. Some say do not eat the fish caught from there, other places say it's fine. Some say it's still full of contaminants, others say it's much better. I do know The Montana Osprey Project as part of their banding (no longer banding chicks from this nest, but they do in other nests in the area) they also take blood samples and monitor the osprey for chemical contaminants. ~~~If Iris is any proof of what eating fish from that river does to osprey - well then! LOOK at her continuing to live on for SO very long! This continues to give me great hope that obviously the osprey seem to be thriving, despite the possible dangers from the river contaminants. And yes! it's lovely that clearly, there are thriving fish populations in that river. ~~~~Re the past - it was endlessly heart-wrenching/horrific/absolutely heart-breaking in times past at this nest re starvation. Sometimes it was bec the river was too muddy from flooding, sometimes it was simply WAY too much water due HUGE snows, that melted, caused the river to rise and made fishing for osprey incredibly difficult. Finally, it was also due Iris suffering a part-time mate. Extremely hard for any raptor to raise their young completely by themselves. It has been done, I have seen it at other nests, but heck yes, it's incredibly hard to do it ALL = protect, incubate, feed, etc.. ~~~~~I had to stop watching for a time bec my heart just could take no more. Then, as some time went on, to see her continue to be basically alone, w/a part-time mate who came and went, (he had a wife at another nearby nest) was heart-breaking as well. Other males would try to woo her, so to speak and she wouldn't have it. So many of we humans who adore her kept yearning for her to PLEASE accept one of these new males! Hurry up! Lol. But we can't blame Iris bec as far as she knew, she HAD a mate and she was being loyal. ~~~~~~I have NO idea what made her finally accept this new guy this season. Maybe she flew by Louis up the river and saw he w/his wife at their nest. 🤣🤣🤣😯😲😳😂😉Who knows why she FINALLY accepted a brand new male but I say AMEN!!! ❤❤❤❤
@@sofie322 Ikr? Who knew if she would EVER accept ANY new male suitor for one, and two, whether she would ever raise offspring again! ~It all makes this season a very special one indeed! She has certainly deserved all the blessings this year bestowed her.🥰
Tysm again @DLionheart for the video and your comments! I am so excited that Iris is still around!🥰 She doesn’t stay at the nest that long anymore.😔 God bless! 🙏🏽🙌🏻
