Weekend Waterview: Boating, Osprey Nests and Dog Days of Summer

Happy Sunday!

Here’s a weekend waterview from Lake Norman.

It’s the Dog Days of Summer!

We refer to the uncomfortably hot, sultry days of summer as the ‘Dog Days’ of Summer.

The origin of that phrase has its roots in astronomy.

The ‘Dog Days’ are the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius,

the Dog Star, typically between July 3rd and August 11th.

Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Majoris—the “Greater Dog”—which is where Sirius

gets its canine nickname, as well as its official name, Alpha Canis Majoris.

The name “Sirius” stems from Ancient Greek seírios, meaning “scorching.”

Greek and Roman astrology associated the Dog Days with heat, drought,

sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck.

No bad luck ( knock wood ;) or mad dogs, just uncomfortable ones,

as Lola and Sophie say it’s hot in their fur coats, even with the breeze

generated by a little speed on the pontoon!

🐾 🐾

We enjoyed an early morning boat ride this week,

admiring the homes from the water. . .

This blue water view offers an illusion of ‘cool’,

as the water temperature of the lake registers

a warm 88 degrees F.

‘Roll Tide’ for all you Alabama fans . . .

Kick off to football season is in 34 days! 🏈

We always enjoy checking out the Osprey nests by boat.

Osprey return to the same nest each year around the beginning of March,

after wintering in Central and South America.

The female lays 2 to 4 eggs with incubation lasting for 4 to 5 weeks.

The female does most of the incubation but

is relieved by the male when she leaves the nest to feed.

The young remain in the nest for about 8 weeks after hatching.

Osprey build their nests on man made structures . . .channel markers, power poles, nest platforms

designed especially for nesting, dock roofs and occasionally a boat.

Fun fact: In flight, Ospreys’ wings form a distinct ‘M’ shape.

Ospreys were pushed to edge of extinction in the 1960s due to exposure to DDT and PCBs,

as the chemicals built up in fish they fed on and made their egg shells

so thin, they would be crushed by nesting Osprey.

Ban on chemicals in the 70s, along with Osprey conservation efforts,

have helped them to make a comeback.

Almost 100 Osprey nesting platforms have been installed on Lake Norman

over the past 10 years with grant funding

from Duke Energy and the Catawba Wateree Habitat Nest Program,

by volunteers from North Carolina Wildlife Federation

and Lake Norman Wildlife Conservationists.

The 30-foot poles with platforms are adjacent to shorelines,

free of people and safe for navigation by boaters.

The high poles are attractive to the birds and offer eggs and chicks

protection from black snakes and raccoons.

We spied this nest on a gazebo roof on the lake . . .

Kudos to the Ospreys for collecting trash on the lake and lining their nest with a plastic bag . :)

It would appear that Lake Norman with its 50-square miles

and 520 miles of shoreline could use more nesting platforms . . .

We boated around the corner and spied this Osprey nest on a chimney. . .

The Ospreys have great taste. . .

they chose a beautiful home with lots of curb appeal. :)

I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the home owners and their roof. . .

{ Insert *wince* here }

Osprey nests can weigh up to 200 lbs. . .it’s gonna take some heft, fearlessness,

and scrubbing to clean that roof in September

when the Osprey migrate south.

Osprey are protected under the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act,

which includes nests containing either eggs or flightless chicks.

They’ll have to put some type of deterrent on the chimney

to prevent the Osprey from building another nest next March.

Lola and Sophie hope you’re surviving the ‘Dog Days’ of summer. . .

Stay cool!

🐾 🐾

Happy Weekend. ♥

Thank you for your visit!