Arboretum Osprey Cam

We have had some conversations in the comments of our Facebook page (link on the blog page) about the Arboretum Cam, but I thought I would post here about that nest also. We initially saw a five year old male, N3, on the nest alone, but today the male from last year, Z3, has shown up with an unbanded female....which may be the same unbanded female as last year. (Z3 is now four years old.) This pair seem to have shown up together. The defensive behavior we are observing may be his reaction to N3 or other males in the area. We may see some chaos until things settle down here, as we did last year. Wishing them better luck this year! 

More Ospreys!

113 miles and 21 nests today....lots more ospreys have been riding the wind back to their homes. I read some bands, waiting endlessly for some birds to show me their legs...some never did. I am still finding that it's quite a big game of musical nests this year. Also discovered one osprey nest taken over by Bald Eagles, and one taken over by Great Horned Owls. Ahhhhhh! Build your own nests! 
That, in turn, causes those Ospreys to show up in unexpected places! Oh, they keep me hopping! I keep plugging away at the huge task of gathering data! Trying so hard to get many bands read before the leaves come out and the eggs are laid. It's just so much easier during these early days, but it takes a lot of patience. Thanks to the volunteers who have been trying so hard to do the same. Sometimes we just have to share the frustration! But you must remember when you are waiting, waiting, waiting for a bird to turn around, or move to the nest edge, or return to the nest...breathe, feel the sun on your face, enjoy the cool breeze, listen to the sounds, notice the markings on the birds, be in the moment. There is pleasure amidst the frustration!

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.

Sunday, April 3....

I was out and about again today. I met with some lovely folks who shared info about a "new" nest....new to me, tho it's been there a few years apparently. Then I checked about six other nests, read the band on one male...another old friend who I have been watching for many years. He was sitting quietly on his nest, alone, snoozing in the sun, waiting....but a perfect chance to read his band. 
I visited the nest that had a pair on Thursday....they are still there, still the same male...not her old partner, but this new young fellow. He arrived with a goldfish and flew circles around the nest, displaying the fish, but she did not food beg so he headed to a perch to eat it himself. It was clear he was offering it to her, but she was not hungry, or not interested in him. Time will tell! Still not too many Ospreys have returned, but new reports are trickling in of sightings...so we will keep making the rounds, identifying the birds when we find them. The strong northerly winds may be slowing some birds down. Patience!

Day two....

Today I visited 23 nests (96 miles) and found only ONE osprey! And he was at a nest where he didn't belong! But that's what happens this time of year! Some of them are checking out real estate! I was actually very happy to see this fellow because his nest blew down in a storm last July and I never saw him after that. So I was relieved to see him alive and well. Perhaps he figures why start rebuilding if I can find a new territory. I know that either his mate or one of his chicks was severely injured in that storm and was euthanized at the Raptor Center so he may need a new mate as well as a new home. He has had a tough time, nested unsuccessfully several times at one site, moved to another site and was successful for several years until that storm last year. I am rooting for him this year! A very handsome Osprey!

First day out....

Such an interesting first day with my winged friends. Let me share some hilights and observations. I visited the nest where I released the adult male with the fractured keel last year. Many of you may have followed that story. After a month in rehab, I returned him to his nest and much to my surprise, his mate went after him as if he were an intruder. She was relentless in her nest and chick defense. She had struggled to care for three chicks alone and probably viewed him as an unfit mate who failed to provide. He kept trying to bring fish but she would not allow it. Eventually she left on migration leaving the three chicks behind and he stepped up and provided fish after she departed. I was so happy to see him this morning, working so hard to rebuild his nest, which had deteriorated over the winter. I am so curious what will happen this year. I am so pleased though to see that he recovered perfectly and was able to complete another migration. Hats off to the Raptor Center for the good care he received. The long term follow up on rehabbed birds is valuable.
I visited 12 nests today and found Ospreys on four of them. One nest had a pair of birds on the nest and I ended up spending several hours there. The female was quickly identified as the same one as past years. The behavioral clues made me think it was a different male though. He remained in the nest where I could not read his band, but the females constant food begging was ignored. When she finally moved into the nest, closer to him, he turned his back, hung his head and shook his wings. This is a classic defensive behavior. Old mated pairs do not usually act this way. That kept me there watching, wondering who he was. He was uncomfortable with human activity, unlike the territorial male, and he flew off frequently. But he returned each time. I could see a band but could not read it. They tried to copulate once, unsuccessfully. He finally moved to the nest edge where I could read his band. He was indeed a male from another nest, not too far away. But his nest had been removed from a cell tower so he was out and about, looking for a territory. This is the time of year that I observe the game of musical nests! Where will they end up and who will partner with whom? I love to document all the movement between nests. The territorial mate at this nest has often been a slightly later return, and his female often beats him back. She hooked up with another male last year at this time, prior to her regular mates return. He swiftly jettisons any new male who may try to take over his territory. We will see what happens! So there is the first chapter in the 2016 Osprey Watch saga! I hope to get out again on Sunday!

Osprey season has begun!

Osprey season has officially begun in Minnesota. I received several reports in the past 24 hours, and tho I spent most of the day yesterday at Apple or on the phone to Apple dealing with iPad problems, I am finally out here checking nests. I have visited ten nests so far and found at least one osprey on four of them. I am now at a nest with a pair....waiting to see the males band. She is the same banded female as past years and is food begging very loudly. He is ignoring her. I will have more stories to share tonight. Just wanted to let you all know, we are off and running!