In honor of Greenbelt's most recent (now retired) presidents, the two feather balls being raised by Annie and Squam will go by the names of Ed (Becker) and Kate (Bowditch). Ed and Kate are now 20 days old or so, and appear to be thriving. The photo included with this post shows the chicks in the shade under Annie, as Squam watches from the perch.
Annie has had her work cut out for her with more than just multiple daily meals. She has also had to shield them from blistering heat and sun, as well as shelter them for strong winds and rains. But she is mom extraordinaire, and Squam just delivers the fish day after day after day. They look to be headed for another successful nesting season! When Ed and Kate reach about 40 days old, they'll get some bling — ID bands they'll wear for the rest of their lives
Across the region, many active nests are now being reported with chicks — a thrilling development for everyone, but especially for our intrepid nest monitors, who get to witness the success of the pairs they’ve been tracking. I'm sure it’s deeply gratifying for them.
So far, this dedicated group of 30+ volunteers has submitted over 150 online reports — an incredible achievement. Based on current trends, my best estimate is that we’ll see an increase of 3 to 5 pairs in 2025, up from the 90 pairs observed in 2024.