The pictures on the last page were taken on Wednesday, April 5, 2000. Today, Monday, April 10, the mother is gone! The nest is abandoned. One of the eggs is open, (arrows) half in the lower left of the picture, the other half still in the nest.

There's still quite a bit of down around the eggs, and some clinging to the piling (lower right) so it hasn't been long since she left.

There is no sign of her or the father.

Friday was a cold, blustery day, we even had some snow. But she was there. Sitting. Friday night the winds were extremely high, but she had to have been there through the night or there wouldn't be so much down.

What made her leave?