2022….waiting….

 I have been looking at the osprey return dates over the past ten years and our earliest confirmed sighting of an osprey on their nest was March 28, with the latest first sighting on April 10! We always get earlier reports but have never been able to confirm those reports. We often find a hawk or are unable to locate any raptor. Our return dates are confirmed ospreys on their nest, not a sighting in the air or perched in a tree. With the

lakes still frozen it is unlikely that ospreys will show up when there is no reliable food source.

I am hoping that most of the volunteers from last year will return to monitor their nests. My monitoring will have to be a bit more limited this year….I lost my job at the start of the pandemic and my unemployment ended last fall. With gas prices as high as they are, I will be unable to drive 100 miles a day as I have for so many years. But I will do my very best to get basic info on all known nests. I hope that gas prices will drop and our world may stabilize….

I will let you know when I have been able to confirm the first sighting of an osprey back on its nest. I have seen eagles and hawks perched on osprey nests in recent weeks and I have issued eviction notices to them….most seem to have vacated as required….whew!