Ospreys-two confirmations-Tuttle
E-mail from: Dick Tuttle
Hello Everyone,
Two confirmations on this Easter Morning, April 8, 2007.
DELAWARE LAKE OSPREYS: Yes, I finally observed both birds on the nest after seeing only one of each gender in the past. As I drove across the bridge, the Ospreys were engaged in a “trust landing” or copulation, I could not tell. I enter the woods with my scope to try to see leg bands - I was unsuccessful. Hint for observers: Under overcast skies, think chocolate. Males are dark chocolate, females are milk chocolate. I observed the birds from 0910 - 0915.
To safely observe at this site, as you travel east on Route 229, cross the bridge and pull off and park in the wide gravel parking space. Less than 20 yards from the end of the guardrail is a foot path into the woods. Follow it to several observation spots.
For quick observations using a window mount, pull into the parking lot at the NE corner of the bridge and you can see the nest above the willows as you look under the bridge. You can launch canoes and kayaks here and the site is almost always used by bait fishermen. Point out the nest to them so they know what you are doing if they don’t know.
NOTE: the below observation on Hogback Road will be revised as per Dick Tuttle when I talk to him this Monday morning (6-9-07), Frank Germann
ALUM CREEK NESTS off of Hogback Road.
TM’s (transmitting male) nest - INCUBATION IS CONFIRMED. I am convinced that incubation is in progress on Nest No. One. Between 0955 and 1050, I observed egg rolling by the female with a tail wag, and TM delivered a headless shad which was aggressively grabbed by the female. She immediately flew to a tree to eat, whereupon TM took one minute to assume the incubation posture with a final tail wag as he adjusted his feathers around the eggs.
At 1005, an extra female buzzed the No. One female as stood defending her nest. Please, girls, no more chick-fights, now that incubation has started. Think of your species! According to the literature, the birds are bonded more to their nest sites than to each other, so even if a new male should appear, it will take time for the extra female (likely, the 2006 female at No. One that arrived too late this year) to move on. A little soap opera music, please.
WATCH ALUM CREEK NO. FOUR. I had started my observations at platform No. Four and the female stood in the nest facing west from 0945-0950, then I drove on to observe No. One. As I left the area, I returned to No. Four, and the female was in the incubation position. I may return later today after an Easter get-together to check on the status of this nest.
In 2006, all four Osprey nests in Delaware County initiated incubation within the same four days, April 18 - 21, 2006. Are this year’s birds this early or are they just sitting in their nest cups to stay warm?
Look for tail wags and nest exchanges to confirm incubation.
Also, a drake and hen Wood Duck were feeding within 25 yards of WODU cylinder No. Two, the one that Frank Germann has taken photos of with Wood Ducks.
Raptor on, Dick Tuttle
Hello Everyone,
Two confirmations on this Easter Morning, April 8, 2007.
DELAWARE LAKE OSPREYS: Yes, I finally observed both birds on the nest after seeing only one of each gender in the past. As I drove across the bridge, the Ospreys were engaged in a “trust landing” or copulation, I could not tell. I enter the woods with my scope to try to see leg bands - I was unsuccessful. Hint for observers: Under overcast skies, think chocolate. Males are dark chocolate, females are milk chocolate. I observed the birds from 0910 - 0915.
To safely observe at this site, as you travel east on Route 229, cross the bridge and pull off and park in the wide gravel parking space. Less than 20 yards from the end of the guardrail is a foot path into the woods. Follow it to several observation spots.
For quick observations using a window mount, pull into the parking lot at the NE corner of the bridge and you can see the nest above the willows as you look under the bridge. You can launch canoes and kayaks here and the site is almost always used by bait fishermen. Point out the nest to them so they know what you are doing if they don’t know.
NOTE: the below observation on Hogback Road will be revised as per Dick Tuttle when I talk to him this Monday morning (6-9-07), Frank Germann
ALUM CREEK NESTS off of Hogback Road.
TM’s (transmitting male) nest - INCUBATION IS CONFIRMED. I am convinced that incubation is in progress on Nest No. One. Between 0955 and 1050, I observed egg rolling by the female with a tail wag, and TM delivered a headless shad which was aggressively grabbed by the female. She immediately flew to a tree to eat, whereupon TM took one minute to assume the incubation posture with a final tail wag as he adjusted his feathers around the eggs.
At 1005, an extra female buzzed the No. One female as stood defending her nest. Please, girls, no more chick-fights, now that incubation has started. Think of your species! According to the literature, the birds are bonded more to their nest sites than to each other, so even if a new male should appear, it will take time for the extra female (likely, the 2006 female at No. One that arrived too late this year) to move on. A little soap opera music, please.
WATCH ALUM CREEK NO. FOUR. I had started my observations at platform No. Four and the female stood in the nest facing west from 0945-0950, then I drove on to observe No. One. As I left the area, I returned to No. Four, and the female was in the incubation position. I may return later today after an Easter get-together to check on the status of this nest.
In 2006, all four Osprey nests in Delaware County initiated incubation within the same four days, April 18 - 21, 2006. Are this year’s birds this early or are they just sitting in their nest cups to stay warm?
Look for tail wags and nest exchanges to confirm incubation.
Also, a drake and hen Wood Duck were feeding within 25 yards of WODU cylinder No. Two, the one that Frank Germann has taken photos of with Wood Ducks.
Raptor on, Dick Tuttle
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