More Ospreys!

Many more Ospreys are arriving back on their breeding grounds in the past week. I visited 16 nests today and 7 of them had at least one osprey....3 of those 7 had a pair present. I read 5.5 bands today. Some of these birds are our old friends, returning and connecting with their long time mates, but I am also finding new, younger birds at some nests. That doesnt mean they will remain there if an established territorial bird returns, the interloper is usually quickly chased off. At one nest I watched the established pair repeatedly escorting off a new pair that kept trying to land on the nest. Nest defense is part of the spring ritual. When new birds come upon a nest that is not being defended, they see it as an invitation to move in. Time will tell what the outcomes are on some of these nests. I am always happy to see old friends, but also know that not all of them will survive migration. We are still waiting for our oldest bird....hoping.
At one nest I watched the female from last year with a new male in this territory. He came from a nearby nest that blew down last year.
No sign of the territorial male yet. They were copulating and the male was clearly "guarding" her...sticking very close to prevent any other male from copulating with her. They were quietly canoodling, tho she was not always receptive to his attempts to mate...when suddenly they both shrieked and flew up into the air....I knew immediately what that vocalization meant. Eagles! Sure enough soon two juvenile Bald Eagles flew over the nest and both ospreys began dive bombing, chasing and screeching. The two eagles landed in some nearby trees but the Ospreys were relentless in their aggression....finally escorting the eagles out of the territory so they could return to their nest and continue getting better acquainted! This female was not completely open to this males advances, but she knows that she needs to hedge her bets....if her old mate does not return, she may need this guy. Always so interesting to watch.