Ospreys in Danger by Pamela McDowell

Author:Pamela McDowell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUV002040, JUV029010, JUV002370
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2014-04-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

The osprey chicks were hungry. Their squawks echoed all the way down the hall from Cricket’s bedroom.

Shilo grabbed a fish from Cricket’s backpack and held it over the box. The chicks stopped squawking immediately. When Shilo dropped the fish into the box, the chicks pecked at it once or twice, then squawked again.

“Why aren’t they eating it?” Shilo asked.

Cricket frowned. “Maybe they can’t,” she said. “Maybe the mother osprey drops the food into their mouths, just like robins do.”

“So we need to cut it up.”

Cricket ran downstairs. When she returned with a knife and tongs, she cut the fish into tiny pieces. Shilo held a chunk over the chicks, but they didn’t open their beaks. One chick reached out and grabbed the piece of fish, swallowing it whole.

Tyler walked into Cricket’s bedroom. “Do they like it?”

“They love it! I hope we have enough,” Shilo said.

“But what if they start to think you’re their mom?” Tyler asked. “If they get used to people, they won’t want to go back to their nest.”

Shilo stepped back so the chicks couldn’t see her. “Maybe we could hide behind something when we feed them,” she suggested.

“I have an idea,” Tyler said, dashing to his room. He returned with a giant poster board that he propped up on the dresser.

The cardboard completely blocked the chicks from view. Within minutes, they were silent.

“You can thank me later,” Tyler said as he headed out the door.

The girls waited for a few minutes, listening. “Do you think they’re okay?” Shilo asked.

They peeked around the cardboard. The three ospreys were piled in a corner with their heads resting on each other. Their eyes—and beaks—were closed.

“Finally!” Cricket whispered. “I was beginning to think they never slept.”

The girls tiptoed toward the door. Suddenly, the overhead light snapped on. The radio on Cricket’s desk burst to life.

“Ahh!” Cricket dove for the radio and smacked the Snooze button. Shilo swiped at the light switch.

“Cricket! Tyler! The power’s back on!” Mrs. McKay called from the bottom of the stairs.

“What are you girls doing? I smell something fishy here. Like, really fishy,” she said, covering her nose.

“Shh, Mom. The ospreys are sleeping,” Cricket whispered.

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