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{\an8}♪♪♪
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GIAMATTI:
All along the New England coast,
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{\an1}ospreys are icons of summer.
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{\an1}They are specialists...
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{\an1}known as the finest fisherman
among all birds of prey.
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{\an1}They signal the change
from long, dark winters
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{\an1}to long, sunny days.
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{\an1}But ospreys are not here
on vacation.
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{\an1}They've come to take up
their greatest challenge...
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{\an1}to compete with each other
in tight places...
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{\an1}to fend off thieves...
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and predators...
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{\an1}and to raise tiny,
helpless chicks...
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{\an1}into daring aerial acrobats.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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For an osprey,
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{\an1}summer is no day at the beach.
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{\an1}It's an annual call to battle...
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{\an1}and the toughest test
of everything they are.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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[ Birds calling ]
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{\an1}GIAMATTI: What inspires a bird
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to leave his home
in the tropics,
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{\an1}where the weather is warm
and the fishing is easy?
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Much of the answer
remains a mystery,
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{\an1}but it comes from a need
deep within him.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an7}The hero of our story
is an osprey...
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A bird of prey...
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{\an1}and he's on his way north...
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{\an1}answering that inner call.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}From somewhere along the coast
of South America,
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{\an1}he's set his course
for one specific shoreline,
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{\an1}some 4,000 miles away.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Our osprey, it turns out,
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{\an1}is a New Englander at heart...
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{\an1}and he's heading home.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Weighing just three pounds,
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{\an1}he travels light and fast...
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and all alone.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}He flies up the East Coast
of the United States...
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{\an1}heading straight into
his toughest time of the year.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Four weeks into his journey,
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{\an1}he leaves New York City behind
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{\an1}and turns northeast along
the shore of Long Island Sound.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Spread out below him is
an osprey's moveable feast...
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{\an1}a watery maze left by glaciers
many eons ago.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}This is the delta of
the Connecticut River.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Dredged and farmed
for centuries,
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{\an1}it's now hemmed in on both sides
by houses and humans.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Yet it remains a wild place...
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{\an1}still governed by the tides
and the seasons...
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{\an1}and it's here that
the osprey was born.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}It's late March...
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and he's back
in his home waters...
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{\an1}where he first tasted fish...
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{\an1}where he first learned to fly.
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{\an1}His focus turns immediately
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{\an1}to the most important piece
of real estate in the marsh.
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{\an1}It's an old piling standing
just off an abandoned island.
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{\an1}This was his true destination
all along.
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{\an1}It's just a ramshackle
pile of sticks,
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{\an1}but this is his nest,
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{\an1}and he's come home early
to reclaim it.
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{\an1}After a long winter,
it's a wonder it's still here.
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{\an1}Yet before he can even
start on repairs,
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{\an1}there's a crisis...
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Eagles!
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This is trouble.
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{\an1}Bald eagles are bigger,
stronger than our osprey...
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{\an1}they're known to attack
osprey nests,
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{\an1}taking eggs, even chicks.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}They may also be looking to
build a nest of their own...
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In his marsh!
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}The eagles appear to be
a young couple,
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{\an1}and not very experienced...
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{\an1}and the male takes the bait.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}The osprey is battle tested...
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{\an1}and launches his attack
from above.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Though he's much smaller,
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{\an1}he's more agile in the air.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Even an eagle respects the power
of an osprey's lethal talons.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}For the young eagles,
it's easier...
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{\an1}and safer... to simply move on.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}And so begins another
New England summer...
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{\an1}a season of one challenge
after another...
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{\an1}and the best way to start
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{\an1}is with a good breakfast.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Fish are his only prey...
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{\an1}and fishing is what
an osprey does best.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}His long, narrow wings,
up to six feet across,
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{\an1}enable him to actually hover...
Like a giant kingfisher...
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{\an1}while his keen, bright yellow
eyes penetrate the waters below.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}But it's the dive...
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Wings drawn in,
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{\an1}eyes lined up behind
wide-open talons...
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{\an1}that brings all his strengths
together in one pure motion.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}No other raptor can
totally submerge like this.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}His feet and talons
are custom made
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{\an1}for grasping a slippery fish.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Even his dense, oily feathers
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{\an1}are specially designed
to shed water...
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{\an1}with a mid-flight,
shaggy-dog shake.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}Our osprey is not the only one
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{\an1}concerned about his home
in the marsh.
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{\an1}Year-round residents rely on
this patch of wild country, too.
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A woodchuck is
out of his burrow,
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{\an1}planning his next move.
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{\an1}Woodchucks hibernate
through the winter.
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{\an1}The mound he has created sits at
the entrance of his winter den.
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Now, he's ready
to shift up-country
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{\an1}to a summer burrow
he also maintains.
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{\an1}Out in the tall grass,
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{\an1}a fox takes notice.
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{\an1}She's a capable predator
of woodchucks,
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{\an1}but at the moment,
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{\an1}she's more interested
in his plans to leave.
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{\an1}A woodchuck burrow is
a masterwork of home security
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and protection
from the elements.
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{\an1}The fox is getting ready
to have a family.
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{\an1}She needs this den and is quick
to claim it for herself.
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[ Birds calling ]
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{\an1}It's morning in the marsh,
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and one by one,
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{\an1}ospreys are arriving
from far-flung places.
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{\an1}Many have spent the winter along
rivers in the vast Amazon Basin.
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{\an1}Now, they converge in the delta
of the Connecticut River,
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{\an1}more than 150 ospreys
in just 15 square miles.
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{\an1}Osprey nest platforms
dot the marsh.
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{\an1}They're additional nest sites
built to help the birds
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{\an1}recover from the toxic
devastations of DDT.
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{\an1}For the savvy resident gulls,
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{\an1}all these summer raptors
are rivals...
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{\an1}and potential marks.
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The largest,
the Great Black-backed gull,
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{\an1}has been king of the beach
all winter.
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{\an1}He's used to getting his way.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}He sees an osprey with a fish...
And he wants it.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}But now, it's beak
against talon...
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}...and the better weapon wins.
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{\an1}Our male has been waiting
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{\an1}for one special osprey
to come home to the marsh.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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{\an1}And right on time, she arrives.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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She's the partner
he's counting on
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{\an1}to make the summer a success.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
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This will be
their 10th season together.
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{\an1}But their long fidelity is not
exactly to each other;
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{\an1}it's the nest they return to
each year...
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{\an1}the nest they build
and defend together.
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{\an1}But first, they must
get reacquainted.
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00:13:02,133 --> 00:13:04,533
{\an1}Nothing is taken for granted.
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00:13:10,733 --> 00:13:14,566
{\an1}He greets her with
the perfect gift...
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{\an1}an impressive stick
for the nest.
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00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:25,200
{\an8}♪♪♪
191
00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:34,400
{\an8}♪♪♪
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00:13:35,566 --> 00:13:39,766
{\an1}Next, he offers her
a fresh fish.
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00:13:39,800 --> 00:13:42,200
{\an1}He's both a builder
and a provider.
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{\an8}♪♪♪
195
00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:52,900
{\an8}♪♪♪
196
00:13:52,933 --> 00:13:56,400
{\an1}Soon, they are working
on the nest together,
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00:13:56,433 --> 00:13:58,266
stick by stick.
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00:13:58,300 --> 00:14:06,300
{\an8}♪♪♪
199
00:14:06,866 --> 00:14:14,866
{\an8}♪♪♪
200
00:14:15,333 --> 00:14:23,333
{\an8}♪♪♪
201
00:14:23,833 --> 00:14:28,266
{\an1}As the structure grows stronger,
so does their bond.
202
00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:32,533
{\an8}♪♪♪
203
00:14:32,566 --> 00:14:35,300
{\an1}They take their courtship
to the air,
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00:14:35,333 --> 00:14:38,233
flying in unison.
205
00:14:38,266 --> 00:14:43,400
{\an8}♪♪♪
206
00:14:43,433 --> 00:14:45,633
{\an1}They have become a team again,
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00:14:45,666 --> 00:14:47,733
a perfect pair.
208
00:14:47,766 --> 00:14:51,933
{\an8}♪♪♪
209
00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:03,933
{\an1}Tiny tree swallows are courting
and building nests, too.
210
00:15:03,966 --> 00:15:07,466
{\an1}They prefer natural cavities
in standing dead trees.
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00:15:09,800 --> 00:15:12,733
{\an1}But such nest sites
are hard to find.
212
00:15:15,333 --> 00:15:17,000
{\an1}So there's considerable
excitement
213
00:15:17,033 --> 00:15:20,233
over this prime,
old woodpecker hole.
214
00:15:26,533 --> 00:15:30,666
{\an1}Hopeful house hunters
are eager to see inside.
215
00:15:32,866 --> 00:15:35,666
But, of course,
it's already occupied.
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00:15:35,700 --> 00:15:38,500
{\an1}The best places always are.
217
00:15:44,533 --> 00:15:48,833
{\an1}The ospreys are having
a housing crisis of their own.
218
00:15:48,866 --> 00:15:51,400
{\an1}They want to nest up high,
219
00:15:51,433 --> 00:15:54,233
{\an1}but even with all the platforms,
220
00:15:54,266 --> 00:15:55,433
{\an1}there are not enough sites
221
00:15:55,466 --> 00:15:58,500
{\an1}for the birds that have
come to breed.
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00:15:58,533 --> 00:16:02,666
{\an1}Young, less experienced ones
lose out.
223
00:16:02,700 --> 00:16:06,500
{\an1}Their only way to get
a good nest site
224
00:16:06,533 --> 00:16:08,566
is to steal one.
225
00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:15,300
{\an8}♪♪♪
226
00:16:15,333 --> 00:16:22,033
{\an8}♪♪♪
227
00:16:22,066 --> 00:16:24,333
A young osprey
with ramped up hormones
228
00:16:24,366 --> 00:16:27,500
{\an1}launches a direct attack
on our pair.
229
00:16:27,533 --> 00:16:30,433
{\an8}♪♪♪
230
00:16:30,466 --> 00:16:33,800
{\an1}It's a rash move with
little chance of success.
231
00:16:33,833 --> 00:16:35,900
{\an1}The pair is strong,
232
00:16:35,933 --> 00:16:38,733
{\an1}and they know their jobs.
233
00:16:38,766 --> 00:16:42,766
{\an1}He heads up to provide air cover
over the nest.
234
00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:47,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
235
00:16:47,833 --> 00:16:52,866
{\an8}♪♪♪
236
00:16:52,900 --> 00:16:56,533
She hunkers down
to protect their property.
237
00:16:56,566 --> 00:17:03,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
238
00:17:03,733 --> 00:17:05,866
{\an1}Young birds keep coming,
239
00:17:05,900 --> 00:17:09,300
{\an1}but they can find no opening
in the pair's defenses.
240
00:17:09,333 --> 00:17:17,333
{\an8}♪♪♪
241
00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:19,666
{\an1}Young challengers aren't likely
242
00:17:19,700 --> 00:17:22,366
{\an1}to overwhelm ospreys
in their prime.
243
00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:30,400
{\an8}♪♪♪
244
00:17:32,166 --> 00:17:35,700
{\an1}They're reduced to nesting
attempts out on the marsh flats.
245
00:17:37,633 --> 00:17:42,233
{\an1}A nest out here is open to
predators from every direction.
246
00:17:42,266 --> 00:17:46,700
{\an1}It's always in danger
of flooding.
247
00:17:46,733 --> 00:17:51,033
{\an8}♪♪♪
248
00:17:51,066 --> 00:17:54,766
{\an1}Yet they decide any nest is
better than no nest at all.
249
00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:58,300
{\an8}♪♪♪
250
00:17:58,333 --> 00:18:02,066
So they build...
251
00:18:02,100 --> 00:18:05,300
and mate...
252
00:18:05,333 --> 00:18:07,500
{\an1}and take their chances.
253
00:18:12,366 --> 00:18:14,000
{\an1}Back at the island nest,
254
00:18:14,033 --> 00:18:17,900
{\an1}the structure is now
fit for service.
255
00:18:17,933 --> 00:18:20,833
{\an8}♪♪♪
256
00:18:20,866 --> 00:18:25,666
{\an1}The male launches into
his most impressive display.
257
00:18:25,700 --> 00:18:27,933
{\an8}♪♪♪
258
00:18:27,966 --> 00:18:30,400
{\an1}Climbing hundreds of feet
in the air,
259
00:18:30,433 --> 00:18:33,033
{\an1}and carrying a fish
for maximum effect,
260
00:18:33,066 --> 00:18:35,033
{\an1}he starts the show.
261
00:18:35,066 --> 00:18:41,766
{\an8}♪♪♪
262
00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:44,700
{\an1}He performs dramatic loops
in the air...
263
00:18:44,733 --> 00:18:47,666
{\an1}where every other osprey
can see him.
264
00:18:47,700 --> 00:18:51,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
265
00:18:51,733 --> 00:18:54,166
{\an1}It's called a "sky-dance."
266
00:18:54,200 --> 00:18:58,266
{\an1}Accompanied by a distinctive,
high-pitched call,
267
00:18:58,300 --> 00:19:02,100
{\an1}it's a show of stamina,
of bravado.
268
00:19:02,133 --> 00:19:07,033
{\an8}♪♪♪
269
00:19:07,066 --> 00:19:10,366
{\an1}Far below, his mate calls back.
270
00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:12,400
{\an8}♪♪♪
271
00:19:12,433 --> 00:19:17,233
{\an1}Perhaps it's an encouragement...
272
00:19:17,266 --> 00:19:20,400
{\an1}for when he returns, they mate.
273
00:19:24,366 --> 00:19:26,466
{\an1}He turns his talons inward
274
00:19:26,500 --> 00:19:30,800
{\an1}before carefully resting them
on her back.
275
00:19:30,833 --> 00:19:33,700
{\an1}His touch is remarkably tender.
276
00:19:43,466 --> 00:19:46,800
{\an1}They will mate many times
over the next two weeks.
277
00:19:47,966 --> 00:19:51,200
{\an1}Then she will lay a clutch
of beautiful brown eggs
278
00:19:51,233 --> 00:19:54,400
{\an1}into the soft center
of the nest.
279
00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:09,866
{\an1}The marsh has seen many changes
in its long, ice-age history.
280
00:20:09,900 --> 00:20:12,833
{\an1}Yet washed by tides
and nourished by the river,
281
00:20:12,866 --> 00:20:14,866
{\an1}it remains so fertile,
282
00:20:14,900 --> 00:20:18,533
{\an1}it still feeds multitudes
when they need it most.
283
00:20:21,833 --> 00:20:23,200
It's early May,
284
00:20:23,233 --> 00:20:26,300
{\an1}and a flock of dunlin
has arrived.
285
00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:32,633
{\an1}They are joined by sandpipers
and plovers...
286
00:20:32,666 --> 00:20:35,500
{\an1}whimbrels and yellowlegs...
287
00:20:35,533 --> 00:20:39,000
{\an1}all finding rich pickings
in the mudflats.
288
00:20:45,500 --> 00:20:47,600
{\an1}Hundreds of thousands
of shorebirds
289
00:20:47,633 --> 00:20:50,166
are stopping at
essential marshes like this
290
00:20:50,200 --> 00:20:52,933
{\an1}on their way north.
291
00:20:55,066 --> 00:20:57,933
{\an1}They're going to the high Arctic
to breed...
292
00:20:57,966 --> 00:21:01,700
{\an1}if they can stock up on
enough fuel to survive the trip.
293
00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:06,066
{\an1}[ Thunder rumbles ]
294
00:21:40,366 --> 00:21:44,233
{\an1}At the nest, a raucous set of
house sparrows has moved in
295
00:21:44,266 --> 00:21:47,066
{\an1}and is busy making
nests of their own
296
00:21:47,100 --> 00:21:50,800
{\an1}inside the ospreys'
great pile of sticks.
297
00:21:56,466 --> 00:21:58,666
{\an1}The quiet single-family home
298
00:21:58,700 --> 00:22:01,500
has turned into
a lively little village.
299
00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:14,266
Magnanimously,
the ospreys don't seem to mind.
300
00:22:27,166 --> 00:22:31,500
{\an1}The female has been sitting
for 37 straight days.
301
00:22:35,733 --> 00:22:39,700
{\an1}Every day, the male has
faithfully brought her fish.
302
00:22:39,733 --> 00:22:43,700
{\an1}This time, she rises...
303
00:22:43,733 --> 00:22:47,000
{\an1}to reveal, at last, his reward.
304
00:22:47,033 --> 00:22:55,033
{\an8}♪♪♪
305
00:22:56,466 --> 00:23:01,066
{\an7}This is what their partnership
has been all about.
306
00:23:01,100 --> 00:23:06,400
{\an8}♪♪♪
307
00:23:06,433 --> 00:23:11,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
308
00:23:11,733 --> 00:23:15,000
{\an8}We cannot read
their inscrutable faces,
309
00:23:15,033 --> 00:23:17,400
{\an8}but we can see
how careful they are
310
00:23:17,433 --> 00:23:21,166
{\an7}to protect their tiny chick
from their talons.
311
00:23:21,200 --> 00:23:27,366
{\an8}♪♪♪
312
00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:29,733
{\an1}Within moments, a ritual begins
313
00:23:29,766 --> 00:23:33,733
{\an1}that will play out every day
for the next two months.
314
00:23:33,766 --> 00:23:36,300
{\an1}Dad brings in a fresh fish,
315
00:23:36,333 --> 00:23:38,833
{\an1}Mom tears tender pieces of it
316
00:23:38,866 --> 00:23:41,933
{\an1}and delicately feeds
the hungry new mouth.
317
00:23:41,966 --> 00:23:48,200
{\an8}♪♪♪
318
00:23:48,233 --> 00:23:52,666
{\an1}But soon, everyone's exhausted
by the whole thing.
319
00:23:52,700 --> 00:24:00,266
{\an8}♪♪♪
320
00:24:00,300 --> 00:24:07,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
321
00:24:07,833 --> 00:24:15,400
{\an8}♪♪♪
322
00:24:24,066 --> 00:24:26,500
The eggs are laid
three days apart
323
00:24:26,533 --> 00:24:29,100
{\an1}and hatch in the same order.
324
00:24:29,133 --> 00:24:34,366
{\an1}Now, a second little chick
is also eager to be fed.
325
00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:43,366
{\an1}Good parenting will help her
catch up with her big sister.
326
00:24:49,200 --> 00:24:52,666
One egg remains.
327
00:24:55,666 --> 00:24:59,266
{\an1}But the two active chicks
need constant care.
328
00:25:02,933 --> 00:25:06,900
{\an1}As the female broods the chicks
under her warm feathers,
329
00:25:06,933 --> 00:25:10,733
the last egg
sits out in the cold.
330
00:25:17,333 --> 00:25:25,333
{\an8}♪♪♪
331
00:25:26,166 --> 00:25:29,900
{\an1}Finally, with his two older
siblings fed and quiet,
332
00:25:29,933 --> 00:25:34,600
{\an1}the third baby osprey
breaks out of his shell...
333
00:25:34,633 --> 00:25:36,833
{\an1}and joins the family.
334
00:25:36,866 --> 00:25:41,966
{\an8}♪♪♪
335
00:25:42,000 --> 00:25:47,166
{\an8}♪♪♪
336
00:25:48,866 --> 00:25:52,366
{\an1}He's so weak and tiny
compared to his two big sisters,
337
00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:54,866
{\an1}he can't seem to get
any attention.
338
00:25:56,500 --> 00:25:58,666
{\an1}He can't even manage to get up.
339
00:26:09,466 --> 00:26:11,566
{\an1}He struggles and struggles...
340
00:26:13,700 --> 00:26:16,300
{\an1}...while his sisters
eat and eat...
341
00:26:18,366 --> 00:26:22,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
342
00:26:22,833 --> 00:26:24,566
{\an1}...and then finally,
343
00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:26,366
{\an1}that little mouth in the back,
344
00:26:26,400 --> 00:26:28,600
{\an1}the one that needs it the most,
345
00:26:28,633 --> 00:26:31,233
{\an1}gets its first taste of fish.
346
00:26:31,266 --> 00:26:36,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
347
00:26:36,733 --> 00:26:39,533
{\an1}His sisters aren't pleased
about sharing.
348
00:26:39,566 --> 00:26:42,666
{\an1}But his mother seems to know
what she's doing.
349
00:26:51,366 --> 00:26:55,833
Day by day,
all three chicks are growing,
350
00:26:55,866 --> 00:26:59,233
even though
he remains the smallest.
351
00:27:11,833 --> 00:27:14,633
[ Bell clanging ]
352
00:27:16,733 --> 00:27:18,366
{\an8}♪♪♪
353
00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:21,300
At the fox den,
it's an important night.
354
00:27:21,333 --> 00:27:25,666
{\an1}Dad sets off to hunt,
and under the cover of darkness,
355
00:27:25,700 --> 00:27:28,933
the tiny kits,
now about five weeks old,
356
00:27:28,966 --> 00:27:32,533
{\an1}take their first foray
outside the den.
357
00:27:32,566 --> 00:27:34,666
{\an8}♪♪♪
358
00:27:34,700 --> 00:27:38,100
{\an1}Six roly-poly little foxes
tumble out,
359
00:27:38,133 --> 00:27:41,766
{\an1}followed by their surely
exhausted mother.
360
00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:49,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
361
00:27:51,366 --> 00:27:53,833
{\an1}Both parents hunt now,
362
00:27:53,866 --> 00:27:56,966
{\an1}bringing meal after meal
home to the den.
363
00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:04,900
{\an8}♪♪♪
364
00:28:04,933 --> 00:28:08,500
Some nights,
it's a mouthful of voles,
365
00:28:08,533 --> 00:28:12,333
on another
it's an enormous rabbit!
366
00:28:12,366 --> 00:28:16,933
{\an8}♪♪♪
367
00:28:16,966 --> 00:28:21,366
{\an1}Including themselves,
they have eight foxes to feed.
368
00:28:29,633 --> 00:28:32,666
[ Birds calling ]
369
00:28:43,833 --> 00:28:47,033
The marsh is now
bursting with new life.
370
00:28:50,933 --> 00:28:54,500
{\an1}Part land, part river,
part salty sea,
371
00:28:54,533 --> 00:28:59,433
{\an1}it provides such a rich
livelihood to so many families,
372
00:28:59,466 --> 00:29:03,233
{\an1}it's among the most prolific
nurseries in nature.
373
00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:11,200
{\an1}In their coveted tree hole,
374
00:29:11,233 --> 00:29:13,633
{\an1}the tree swallow parents
are coming and going
375
00:29:13,666 --> 00:29:16,966
with insects
for their brood of five.
376
00:29:20,166 --> 00:29:22,833
{\an1}Two white-tailed does
bring their fawns
377
00:29:22,866 --> 00:29:25,900
out of the forest
to the edge of the shore.
378
00:29:28,066 --> 00:29:29,733
{\an1}Behind them in the trees,
379
00:29:29,766 --> 00:29:32,966
{\an1}a red-shouldered hawk
feeds her little chicks.
380
00:29:39,833 --> 00:29:43,666
{\an1}The fox kits are playing
in the perfect afternoon.
381
00:29:43,700 --> 00:29:46,400
{\an1}Yet they've already discovered
382
00:29:46,433 --> 00:29:49,366
{\an1}that not every day
will turn out well.
383
00:29:49,400 --> 00:29:52,866
{\an1}One is severely injured...
384
00:29:52,900 --> 00:29:55,333
{\an1}and instead of six,
385
00:29:55,366 --> 00:29:58,500
{\an1}there are now only five.
386
00:29:58,533 --> 00:30:01,400
{\an8}♪♪♪
387
00:30:01,433 --> 00:30:04,966
{\an1}Their salt marsh is as rough
and wild a place to grow up
388
00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:07,833
{\an1}as any wilderness.
389
00:30:14,033 --> 00:30:16,533
{\an1}The year is swinging
into summer...
390
00:30:16,566 --> 00:30:19,433
The High Season
on Long Island Sound.
391
00:30:23,300 --> 00:30:24,966
{\an1}The fishing grounds
of the osprey
392
00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:28,500
{\an1}have become a playground
for beachgoers and boaters...
393
00:30:28,533 --> 00:30:32,000
{\an1}all enjoying a bright afternoon.
394
00:30:35,533 --> 00:30:38,833
When it's hot,
everyone heads for the water.
395
00:30:41,033 --> 00:30:43,533
{\an1}Even a deer enjoys a swim...
396
00:30:43,566 --> 00:30:47,466
{\an1}and paddles out for a summer
retreat on the osprey's island.
397
00:30:51,366 --> 00:30:53,800
{\an1}Our pair has new neighbors.
398
00:30:53,833 --> 00:30:57,233
{\an1}A dead tree some 30 yards
behind the pilings
399
00:30:57,266 --> 00:31:00,400
{\an1}is now hosting the beginnings
of a new nest.
400
00:31:00,433 --> 00:31:03,366
{\an1}They must be young builders.
401
00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:05,800
{\an1}It's late in the season
to start such a thing...
402
00:31:05,833 --> 00:31:08,966
And our pair
takes no notice of them.
403
00:31:15,366 --> 00:31:17,533
{\an1}In their nest, the three chicks
404
00:31:17,566 --> 00:31:21,966
{\an1}have been eating, sleeping,
and growing stronger.
405
00:31:28,066 --> 00:31:32,566
{\an1}Their mom is still
painstakingly feeding each one,
406
00:31:32,600 --> 00:31:35,333
{\an1}but the little male
is still much smaller
407
00:31:35,366 --> 00:31:37,600
{\an1}than his two big sisters.
408
00:31:37,633 --> 00:31:41,533
{\an1}But he's been gaining
a lot of attitude
409
00:31:41,566 --> 00:31:44,200
{\an1}along with a little weight.
410
00:31:46,900 --> 00:31:49,800
{\an1}He doesn't win many tussles
with his bigger siblings,
411
00:31:49,833 --> 00:31:52,333
{\an1}but he's putting up a fight.
412
00:32:01,700 --> 00:32:05,066
{\an1}Their mother, who has been
devotedly keeping them warm,
413
00:32:05,100 --> 00:32:08,466
{\an1}now has to worry about
keeping them cool.
414
00:32:08,500 --> 00:32:11,700
{\an1}But they are on their way to
solving that for themselves.
415
00:32:11,733 --> 00:32:14,666
{\an1}Their feathers are coming in...
416
00:32:14,700 --> 00:32:19,066
{\an1}one of nature's best inventions
for moderating temperature.
417
00:32:19,100 --> 00:32:22,633
And their looks
are changing too,
418
00:32:22,666 --> 00:32:26,566
{\an1}suddenly taking on
the daunting aspect of raptors.
419
00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:28,800
{\an1}They're well on their way
to becoming
420
00:32:28,833 --> 00:32:31,200
the fierce birds
they're meant to be.
421
00:32:35,900 --> 00:32:40,200
{\an1}Yet they still patiently take
one offered bite at a time,
422
00:32:40,233 --> 00:32:42,233
more like three
well-behaved children
423
00:32:42,266 --> 00:32:44,966
{\an1}than mighty predators
in training.
424
00:32:48,900 --> 00:32:52,700
As they grow,
their demand for fish does too.
425
00:32:52,733 --> 00:32:55,966
[ Calling ]
426
00:32:56,000 --> 00:33:00,300
{\an1}The female is constantly asking
the male for more food...
427
00:33:00,333 --> 00:33:02,900
{\an1}but he already knows his job.
428
00:33:02,933 --> 00:33:07,433
{\an8}♪♪♪
429
00:33:07,466 --> 00:33:09,666
{\an1}He's out fishing, of course.
430
00:33:09,700 --> 00:33:14,066
{\an1}This is what he came 4,000 miles
to do.
431
00:33:14,100 --> 00:33:21,233
{\an8}♪♪♪
432
00:33:21,266 --> 00:33:24,000
{\an1}He needs to see a fish
to catch it,
433
00:33:24,033 --> 00:33:26,333
{\an1}and he has 15 hours of daylight
434
00:33:26,366 --> 00:33:28,533
{\an1}here at the height
of the season.
435
00:33:28,566 --> 00:33:32,966
That's a big help
with a family of five to feed.
436
00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,200
{\an8}♪♪♪
437
00:33:36,233 --> 00:33:38,866
{\an1}He also provides quite a menu;
438
00:33:38,900 --> 00:33:41,700
{\an1}he serves up a fluke,
439
00:33:41,733 --> 00:33:44,800
{\an1}then a winter flounder,
440
00:33:44,833 --> 00:33:47,133
a porgy,
441
00:33:47,166 --> 00:33:49,200
and a menhaden.
442
00:33:49,233 --> 00:33:53,366
{\an8}♪♪♪
443
00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:55,500
{\an1}The chicks consume them all...
444
00:33:55,533 --> 00:33:58,866
{\an1}learning the taste of
each different fish...
445
00:33:58,900 --> 00:34:04,600
{\an1}while their dad takes a moment
to power wash his talons.
446
00:34:04,633 --> 00:34:10,500
{\an8}♪♪♪
447
00:34:21,500 --> 00:34:23,033
{\an1}Three weeks after hatching,
448
00:34:23,066 --> 00:34:25,900
all three chicks
are growing fast.
449
00:34:27,766 --> 00:34:30,533
The little male
is still the smallest.
450
00:34:30,566 --> 00:34:33,000
{\an1}He's in that "awkward" stage.
451
00:34:33,033 --> 00:34:36,333
{\an1}Like his "osprey suit"
is too big for him.
452
00:34:37,700 --> 00:34:39,000
But the fact is,
453
00:34:39,033 --> 00:34:42,766
{\an1}he will always be smaller
than his sisters.
454
00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:44,766
{\an1}As in all birds of prey,
455
00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:48,966
{\an1}females will be up to 30% bigger
than the males.
456
00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,433
{\an1}Perhaps that extra size
helps them get through
457
00:34:52,466 --> 00:34:54,633
{\an1}the demanding weeks
of sharing their food
458
00:34:54,666 --> 00:34:58,833
{\an1}with three extra mouths.
459
00:34:58,866 --> 00:35:01,100
[ Calling ]
460
00:35:01,133 --> 00:35:03,066
Their mother
continues to call...
461
00:35:03,100 --> 00:35:06,233
{\an1}and the stress on her
is starting to show.
462
00:35:06,266 --> 00:35:08,900
{\an1}She looks thin... and hungry.
463
00:35:11,300 --> 00:35:13,766
{\an1}And despite the bounty
of fish in the sound,
464
00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:16,400
{\an1}his job is getting harder, too.
465
00:35:18,300 --> 00:35:21,233
{\an1}The population of the marsh
has boomed.
466
00:35:21,266 --> 00:35:24,533
{\an1}Seagulls and cormorants
have taken over
467
00:35:24,566 --> 00:35:27,566
{\an1}rocky offshore islands
to raise chicks, too.
468
00:35:27,600 --> 00:35:32,100
{\an1}The demand for fish
has really ramped up.
469
00:35:33,266 --> 00:35:38,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
470
00:35:38,833 --> 00:35:44,366
{\an8}♪♪♪
471
00:35:44,400 --> 00:35:46,700
{\an1}It takes an extraordinary effort
472
00:35:46,733 --> 00:35:50,566
{\an1}for a three-pound bird to lift
a fish out of the water.
473
00:35:52,200 --> 00:35:55,966
{\an1}But the bigger challenge now
is holding on to it.
474
00:35:56,000 --> 00:36:01,166
{\an8}♪♪♪
475
00:36:01,200 --> 00:36:06,266
{\an8}♪♪♪
476
00:36:06,300 --> 00:36:10,666
{\an1}Osprey against osprey is
a test of strength in the air.
477
00:36:10,700 --> 00:36:18,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
478
00:36:19,533 --> 00:36:22,400
{\an1}The bird carrying the fish
is handicapped.
479
00:36:22,433 --> 00:36:24,400
{\an8}♪♪♪
480
00:36:24,433 --> 00:36:28,233
{\an1}It takes powerful wings indeed
to stay out in front...
481
00:36:28,266 --> 00:36:32,366
{\an1}especially when the fish itself
is still putting up a fight!
482
00:36:35,500 --> 00:36:39,266
{\an1}And ospreys aren't the only
pirates in these waters.
483
00:36:39,300 --> 00:36:41,333
{\an8}♪♪♪
484
00:36:41,366 --> 00:36:45,133
{\an1}Double-crested cormorants
usually dive for their fish.
485
00:36:45,166 --> 00:36:47,466
{\an8}♪♪♪
486
00:36:47,500 --> 00:36:52,933
{\an1}Now, one has the nerve to pursue
our male straight into the sky.
487
00:36:52,966 --> 00:37:00,966
{\an8}♪♪♪
488
00:37:02,866 --> 00:37:10,866
{\an8}♪♪♪
489
00:37:12,666 --> 00:37:14,566
{\an1}It's a big mistake.
490
00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:18,466
{\an8}♪♪♪
491
00:37:18,500 --> 00:37:21,400
{\an1}Upon delivering the catch
to the nest,
492
00:37:21,433 --> 00:37:24,033
the male turns...
493
00:37:24,066 --> 00:37:28,166
{\an1}to deliver a message
to the cormorant colony.
494
00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:33,366
{\an8}♪♪♪
495
00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:36,966
{\an1}He begins with a fly-by...
496
00:37:37,000 --> 00:37:39,933
{\an1}then, he picks a target.
497
00:37:39,966 --> 00:37:47,966
{\an8}♪♪♪
498
00:37:48,433 --> 00:37:51,200
{\an1}The colony is suddenly
wide awake.
499
00:37:51,233 --> 00:37:53,066
{\an1}Everyone is instantly aware
500
00:37:53,100 --> 00:37:55,900
of the talons
descending from above.
501
00:37:55,933 --> 00:38:00,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
502
00:38:00,733 --> 00:38:05,600
{\an1}But now, he's just
trolling them...
503
00:38:05,633 --> 00:38:07,200
{\an1}just making a point.
504
00:38:07,233 --> 00:38:13,266
{\an8}♪♪♪
505
00:38:13,300 --> 00:38:19,366
{\an8}♪♪♪
506
00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:22,533
{\an1}He's the top gun here.
507
00:38:22,566 --> 00:38:25,366
{\an1}He's the bird of prey.
508
00:38:33,700 --> 00:38:36,633
{\an1}As the last of the day
fades in the sky,
509
00:38:36,666 --> 00:38:40,266
{\an1}night steals into the marsh.
510
00:38:43,366 --> 00:38:45,200
{\an1}Out in the salt meadows,
511
00:38:45,233 --> 00:38:49,533
{\an1}an osprey sits atop
an impressive stack of sticks.
512
00:38:49,566 --> 00:38:55,233
{\an1}But nearby, another female
has barely any nest at all.
513
00:38:55,266 --> 00:38:58,233
{\an1}She must be part of
a very young pair
514
00:38:58,266 --> 00:39:01,333
{\an1}that hasn't learned
how to build.
515
00:39:01,366 --> 00:39:05,000
{\an1}Suddenly, she's disturbed.
516
00:39:05,033 --> 00:39:08,033
{\an8}♪♪♪
517
00:39:08,066 --> 00:39:09,733
It's a coyote.
518
00:39:09,766 --> 00:39:13,000
{\an8}♪♪♪
519
00:39:13,033 --> 00:39:18,900
{\an1}Casually, she takes the only egg
the young osprey managed to lay.
520
00:39:18,933 --> 00:39:22,100
{\an8}♪♪♪
521
00:39:22,133 --> 00:39:25,700
{\an1}The giant stick nest
fares no better.
522
00:39:25,733 --> 00:39:31,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
523
00:39:31,833 --> 00:39:36,266
{\an1}Raccoons make a tidy meal
of every egg they find.
524
00:39:36,300 --> 00:39:42,633
{\an8}♪♪♪
525
00:39:42,666 --> 00:39:44,500
{\an1}In merely a moment,
526
00:39:44,533 --> 00:39:48,266
{\an1}this nesting season is over.
527
00:39:48,300 --> 00:39:56,300
{\an8}♪♪♪
528
00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:59,133
{\an1}The osprey returns...
529
00:39:59,166 --> 00:40:03,400
{\an1}and searches for her eggs...
530
00:40:03,433 --> 00:40:06,833
{\an1}but all she can do
is pick up the pieces.
531
00:40:06,866 --> 00:40:09,166
{\an8}♪♪♪
532
00:40:09,200 --> 00:40:12,866
{\an1}There will be no chicks
in her nest this year.
533
00:40:12,900 --> 00:40:17,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
534
00:40:17,733 --> 00:40:19,600
{\an1}In fact, there'll be no chicks
535
00:40:19,633 --> 00:40:21,966
in any of
the osprey ground nests
536
00:40:22,000 --> 00:40:24,000
{\an1}anywhere in the marsh.
537
00:40:24,033 --> 00:40:29,200
{\an1}One by one, they will all
be raided and ruined.
538
00:40:29,233 --> 00:40:34,466
{\an1}It's one of the hardest lessons
an osprey must learn.
539
00:40:34,500 --> 00:40:39,166
{\an8}♪♪♪
540
00:40:52,733 --> 00:40:56,666
{\an1}There's a new, restless energy
at the island osprey nest.
541
00:40:59,100 --> 00:41:02,033
The chicks have
full-sized talons now,
542
00:41:02,066 --> 00:41:04,700
{\an1}but they still don't know
how to use them.
543
00:41:08,166 --> 00:41:11,000
{\an1}They're almost the size
of their parents,
544
00:41:11,033 --> 00:41:14,333
{\an1}but their juvenile feathers,
trimmed in creamy white,
545
00:41:14,366 --> 00:41:18,600
{\an1}and their bright orange eyes
mark them as mere teenagers.
546
00:41:18,633 --> 00:41:20,633
[ Calling ]
547
00:41:20,666 --> 00:41:22,566
{\an1}They're always hungry...
548
00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:25,400
{\an1}and quick to cry about it.
549
00:41:29,966 --> 00:41:33,833
{\an1}Dad obliges with a fish
and departs.
550
00:41:36,833 --> 00:41:40,600
{\an1}Now, no parent feeds them.
551
00:41:40,633 --> 00:41:42,933
[ Calling ]
552
00:41:42,966 --> 00:41:45,600
{\an1}Their mother simply stands by.
553
00:41:45,633 --> 00:41:50,933
{\an1}She's fed each one every morsel
they have ever eaten...
554
00:41:50,966 --> 00:41:53,266
Until now.
555
00:41:55,833 --> 00:41:59,466
{\an1}They no longer need
her constant care in the nest.
556
00:41:59,500 --> 00:42:03,033
{\an8}♪♪♪
557
00:42:03,066 --> 00:42:06,866
{\an1}It's the beginning of the end
of an osprey family.
558
00:42:06,900 --> 00:42:10,066
{\an8}♪♪♪
559
00:42:10,100 --> 00:42:13,200
{\an1}Their mother is the first
to leave.
560
00:42:13,233 --> 00:42:16,866
{\an1}She's given all she has...
561
00:42:16,900 --> 00:42:19,633
{\an1}and having fulfilled her mission
for this summer,
562
00:42:19,666 --> 00:42:25,033
{\an1}she slowly heads south
to rest and recuperate.
563
00:42:25,066 --> 00:42:29,766
{\an8}♪♪♪
564
00:42:33,266 --> 00:42:36,600
{\an1}But their father continues
to bring food to the chicks
565
00:42:36,633 --> 00:42:39,166
{\an1}for several more weeks.
566
00:42:41,766 --> 00:42:45,133
{\an1}The young male is quick
to claim the latest fish.
567
00:42:49,033 --> 00:42:52,500
{\an1}As he grows more aggressive,
arguments break out.
568
00:43:00,866 --> 00:43:03,933
The sisters,
once so far ahead of him,
569
00:43:03,966 --> 00:43:07,066
{\an1}now wait for him to finish.
570
00:43:07,100 --> 00:43:12,166
{\an1}[ Thunder rumbles ]
571
00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:15,466
{\an1}The nest is feeling
smaller and smaller...
572
00:43:18,166 --> 00:43:21,066
and he's eager
for a wider world.
573
00:43:33,533 --> 00:43:37,366
{\an1}Even a torrential downpour
doesn't dampen his mood.
574
00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:40,066
{\an1}It's exhilarating!
575
00:43:40,100 --> 00:43:45,166
{\an8}♪♪♪
576
00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:50,233
{\an8}♪♪♪
577
00:43:50,266 --> 00:43:53,933
{\an1}He achieves a brief
but thrilling lift-off...
578
00:43:53,966 --> 00:43:57,700
{\an1}his very first moment
out of the nest.
579
00:43:57,733 --> 00:44:04,566
{\an8}♪♪♪
580
00:44:04,600 --> 00:44:11,366
{\an8}♪♪♪
581
00:44:11,400 --> 00:44:13,166
{\an1}In the coming days,
582
00:44:13,200 --> 00:44:16,133
{\an1}the young male takes to
floating above the nest,
583
00:44:16,166 --> 00:44:18,633
{\an1}getting a feel for the wind.
584
00:44:18,666 --> 00:44:22,633
{\an8}♪♪♪
585
00:44:22,666 --> 00:44:24,733
{\an1}He was the last to hatch.
586
00:44:24,766 --> 00:44:28,133
{\an1}Now, he's the first to fledge...
587
00:44:28,166 --> 00:44:31,366
{\an8}♪♪♪
588
00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:34,033
{\an1}...and his sisters
seem impressed.
589
00:44:34,066 --> 00:44:42,066
{\an8}♪♪♪
590
00:44:43,266 --> 00:44:46,133
{\an1}He graduates to short trips...
591
00:44:46,166 --> 00:44:49,333
{\an8}♪♪♪
592
00:44:49,366 --> 00:44:52,366
{\an1}...mastering take-offs
593
00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:54,700
and landings...
594
00:44:54,733 --> 00:44:56,733
almost.
595
00:44:56,766 --> 00:44:59,366
{\an8}♪♪♪
596
00:44:59,400 --> 00:45:03,733
{\an1}Inspired, his sisters begin
to stretch their wings.
597
00:45:03,766 --> 00:45:10,500
{\an8}♪♪♪
598
00:45:10,533 --> 00:45:15,400
{\an1}Soon, all three siblings
are soaring over the marsh.
599
00:45:15,433 --> 00:45:23,433
{\an8}♪♪♪
600
00:45:23,766 --> 00:45:26,900
{\an1}But the nest is still
a source of security.
601
00:45:26,933 --> 00:45:30,600
{\an1}They often come home
and settle in for the night.
602
00:45:30,633 --> 00:45:37,566
{\an8}♪♪♪
603
00:45:38,800 --> 00:45:40,666
It's mid-August.
604
00:45:40,700 --> 00:45:43,366
{\an1}Another osprey summer
on the Connecticut coast
605
00:45:43,400 --> 00:45:45,700
{\an1}is coming to a close.
606
00:45:58,500 --> 00:46:01,900
{\an1}The male of the island nest
brings one last fish
607
00:46:01,933 --> 00:46:05,633
to the fledglings
he has nourished all summer.
608
00:46:13,833 --> 00:46:15,966
{\an1}They may not know it yet,
609
00:46:16,000 --> 00:46:19,733
{\an1}but their childhood is over.
610
00:46:19,766 --> 00:46:22,633
{\an8}♪♪♪
611
00:46:22,666 --> 00:46:24,833
{\an1}Their father's work is done.
612
00:46:24,866 --> 00:46:27,700
{\an1}He's defended his nest
against all comers
613
00:46:27,733 --> 00:46:30,800
{\an1}and fed his family for months.
614
00:46:30,833 --> 00:46:34,033
{\an1}He's been fierce and devoted.
615
00:46:34,066 --> 00:46:37,933
He is everything
an osprey needs to be.
616
00:46:37,966 --> 00:46:40,066
{\an8}♪♪♪
617
00:46:40,100 --> 00:46:44,333
{\an1}Now, the long days of fishing
in the north are over.
618
00:46:44,366 --> 00:46:47,533
{\an8}♪♪♪
619
00:46:47,566 --> 00:46:50,566
Ospreys fly
from summer to summer,
620
00:46:50,600 --> 00:46:55,533
{\an1}and it's his turn to head for
the sunlight of South America.
621
00:46:55,566 --> 00:47:02,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
622
00:47:10,900 --> 00:47:15,500
{\an1}The young male is still reveling
in his newfound joy of flying.
623
00:47:15,533 --> 00:47:17,166
{\an8}♪♪♪
624
00:47:17,200 --> 00:47:20,133
{\an1}He seeks out other fledglings
for mock battles.
625
00:47:20,166 --> 00:47:28,166
{\an8}♪♪♪
626
00:47:29,400 --> 00:47:31,466
It's both play...
627
00:47:31,500 --> 00:47:33,066
and practice.
628
00:47:33,100 --> 00:47:41,100
{\an8}♪♪♪
629
00:47:41,566 --> 00:47:43,566
{\an1}He'll need to be good at it.
630
00:47:43,600 --> 00:47:46,833
{\an1}He'll need the skill and courage
of his father.
631
00:47:46,866 --> 00:47:52,766
{\an8}♪♪♪
632
00:47:52,800 --> 00:47:56,700
{\an1}And all those fish
he probably took for granted
633
00:47:56,733 --> 00:47:59,766
{\an1}he'll now have to catch
for himself.
634
00:47:59,800 --> 00:48:06,133
{\an8}♪♪♪
635
00:48:06,166 --> 00:48:09,133
{\an1}Dad made it look so easy.
636
00:48:09,166 --> 00:48:17,166
{\an8}♪♪♪
637
00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:25,433
{\an1}A rainy day doesn't help at all.
638
00:48:35,233 --> 00:48:40,200
{\an1}Not even his father could catch
a fish he couldn't see.
639
00:48:40,233 --> 00:48:42,400
{\an8}♪♪♪
640
00:48:42,433 --> 00:48:45,833
{\an1}But no one teaches an osprey
how to fish.
641
00:48:45,866 --> 00:48:53,066
{\an8}♪♪♪
642
00:48:53,100 --> 00:49:00,366
{\an8}♪♪♪
643
00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:02,933
{\an1}It just comes to him...
644
00:49:02,966 --> 00:49:05,233
a gift...
645
00:49:05,266 --> 00:49:09,200
{\an1}from all the generations
of ospreys before him.
646
00:49:09,233 --> 00:49:12,933
{\an8}♪♪♪
647
00:49:15,533 --> 00:49:18,866
{\an1}It's the end of the season
on Long Island Sound.
648
00:49:18,900 --> 00:49:23,066
{\an8}♪♪♪
649
00:49:23,100 --> 00:49:27,766
{\an1}Every evening, thousands of
tree swallows fill the skies,
650
00:49:27,800 --> 00:49:32,533
{\an1}intercepting a feast of insects
on their way to warmer weather.
651
00:49:32,566 --> 00:49:40,266
{\an8}♪♪♪
652
00:49:40,300 --> 00:49:44,433
{\an1}Before long, the flock grows
to a million strong...
653
00:49:44,466 --> 00:49:47,533
{\an8}♪♪♪
654
00:49:47,566 --> 00:49:49,966
{\an1}...swirling in syncopation...
655
00:49:50,000 --> 00:49:55,500
{\an8}♪♪♪
656
00:49:55,533 --> 00:49:59,166
{\an1}...preparing for their migration
to the Gulf of Mexico.
657
00:49:59,200 --> 00:50:02,333
{\an8}♪♪♪
658
00:50:02,366 --> 00:50:06,100
{\an1}It's the last great celebration
of summer.
659
00:50:06,133 --> 00:50:11,000
{\an8}♪♪♪
660
00:50:23,166 --> 00:50:27,466
{\an1}The young ospreys linger in the
only place they have ever known.
661
00:50:31,633 --> 00:50:34,166
{\an1}But temperatures are dropping.
662
00:50:34,200 --> 00:50:37,833
Fish are heading
into deeper water.
663
00:50:37,866 --> 00:50:40,700
{\an1}The fledglings must
be on their way.
664
00:50:40,733 --> 00:50:43,333
{\an8}♪♪♪
665
00:50:43,366 --> 00:50:47,500
{\an1}Finally, our young male
takes to the sky.
666
00:50:47,533 --> 00:50:52,266
{\an8}♪♪♪
667
00:50:52,300 --> 00:50:56,433
{\an1}How he will find good wintering
grounds remains a mystery.
668
00:50:56,466 --> 00:51:00,266
{\an8}♪♪♪
669
00:51:00,300 --> 00:51:04,966
{\an1}The dangers that lie ahead
for him we can scarcely imagine.
670
00:51:05,000 --> 00:51:07,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
671
00:51:07,833 --> 00:51:09,633
{\an1}But if fate is kind,
672
00:51:09,666 --> 00:51:12,766
{\an1}in a few years he'll return...
673
00:51:12,800 --> 00:51:17,000
{\an1}to compete for a place
in the marsh of his birth.
674
00:51:17,033 --> 00:51:21,600
{\an8}♪♪♪
675
00:51:24,666 --> 00:51:28,566
{\an1}The birds of summer
have all flown.
676
00:51:28,600 --> 00:51:31,066
{\an8}♪♪♪
677
00:51:31,100 --> 00:51:32,966
{\an1}For those left behind,
678
00:51:33,000 --> 00:51:36,733
it's time to face
the coming cold.
679
00:51:36,766 --> 00:51:44,766
{\an8}♪♪♪
680
00:51:45,833 --> 00:51:49,200
{\an1}The marsh bows down to winter.
681
00:51:49,233 --> 00:51:54,933
{\an8}♪♪♪
682
00:51:54,966 --> 00:52:00,700
{\an8}♪♪♪
683
00:52:00,733 --> 00:52:04,633
{\an1}It, too, gets to rest
and replenish,
684
00:52:04,666 --> 00:52:09,633
{\an1}preparing for all the wild
travelers that will need it...
685
00:52:09,666 --> 00:52:12,200
{\an8}♪♪♪
686
00:52:12,233 --> 00:52:14,566
{\an1}...when it's spring again...
687
00:52:14,600 --> 00:52:18,000
{\an1}and the ospreys come home.
688
00:52:18,033 --> 00:52:22,800
{\an8}♪♪♪
689
00:52:25,433 --> 00:52:33,433
{\an8}♪♪♪
690
00:52:33,500 --> 00:52:41,500
{\an8}♪♪♪
691
00:52:41,533 --> 00:52:49,533
{\an8}♪♪♪
692
00:52:49,600 --> 00:52:57,600
{\an8}♪♪♪
693
00:52:57,666 --> 00:52:59,566
{\an7}To learn more about what
you've seen
694
00:52:59,600 --> 00:53:01,100
{\an8}on this "Nature" program,
695
00:53:01,133 --> 00:53:03,233
{\an8}visit pbs.org.
696
00:53:03,266 --> 00:53:11,266
{\an8}♪♪♪