Author Archives: Harriett Raptor

The third egg remains quiet, still as before, unmoved.It will not hatch.Nothing more to be said. Harriett is busy feeding baby. Her mate has provided plenty of food. This fish appears to be a striped mullet—a “jumping mullet,” as we … Continue reading →

4/30/2026……….. 6:00 PM What happened to Harriett’s firstborn was brief.I did not see it. It happened between glances. One moment—life.The next—absence. It was an eagle.The eagle—the one nesting across North River near the Harker’s Island bridge. It had to be. … Continue reading →

Something has happened. This morning, at 8:15 AM, there were two.Small. Alive. Being fed. Now, at 11:30, there is one.The third egg remains unchanged. What has happened, I do not know.My heart aches. The sky is blue.There is a cool … Continue reading →

The light is flat. The day is dark. The air is heavy, and the sky has lost its color. Rain and more rain have fallen. Letting up now, but the wind continues. It moves steadily, persistently across the surface, creating … Continue reading →

It has happened.The first egg has hatched. A newly hatched osprey. Weak, fragile, eyes barely open. It is a miracle. In a world of miracles. The chick moves. Its head lifts, then falls. Effort. Rest. Effort again. Life has begun. … Continue reading →

It has been 34 days since her first egg was laid. There is movement now—subtle, unseen, but certain. The wind shifts. The river moves. The sky changes throughout the day. Inside the shell, the miracle is unfolding. Is it time? … Continue reading →

It has been 34 days since her first egg was laid. There is movement now—subtle, unseen, but certain. The wind shifts. The river moves. The sky changes throughout the day. Inside the shell, the miracle is unfolding. Is it time? … Continue reading →

Today, about 3 o’clock, Harriett’s mate was on duty, covering the eggs, as is his custom. As usual, he planned a short shift. Then Harriett arrived. Fish in talon. Harriett—see her bracelet—is bringing him a fish. There was a moment. … Continue reading →

The days move quietly now.Time is passing—slowly, exactly as planned. Incubation continues. Thirty-five to forty days. A system eons in the making. Harriett takes in her surroundings. The wind has shifted southwest. A warm breeze ruffles her feathers and draws … Continue reading →

3/29/2026 Harriett sits quietly.  Nothing escapes her notice. She is thinking about the weather, the wind, and fish. The North River, Carteret County, N.C., flows quietly behind my house, moving with the tide. The sun is shining. The sky is … Continue reading →