Osprey nest & marinas

[J. Dillon]

http://img338.imageshack.us/img338/1664/ospreynestmay17yn7.jpg

Sailed past this very busy marina today and spotted this home with a nesting pair . It wasn't there a week ago. This is a very busy marina located on the bend of the Branford river in CT. Why would mama want to raise young next to a marina full of snot boats ?:confused:

If you look close you can see her sizing me up. ( in line with the mast) Will get better pix later.

JD

[S.V. Airlie]

Jack.. believe me, they will nest about anywhere..

A person's picnic table on the water
Large lights at an amusement park in New London.
Buoys
Chimneys
Atomic power plants
you name it..

After working on these birds for 15-20 yrs, Nothing surprises me.
This one actually looks fairly decent.

[J. Dillon]

They cannot have good taste to pick a spot near all the snot. They bear watching IMHO.:rolleyes:

JD

[S.V. Airlie]

Jack.. umm what about on a big light that is on all night at an amusement park in New London CT.? Always were successful even when there were only twelve pairs in the entire state....Talking about heat.... I hate to think about the heat that light put out to illuminate a parkinglot.

[JBreeze]

A couple of years ago I saw a picture of ospreys and the nest they built in the top of a tuna tower on a boat that was in the water early in the season on Cape Cod.

All the discussion was about the boat owner's inability to do anything about it because of the state's environmental laws that precluded disturbing the nest:D

[Figment]

They cannot have good taste to pick a spot near all the snot.

All the better to poop on??

[Three Cedars]

Ospreys , everybody likes them ... especially bald eagles who like picking on the weaker . Say isn't the bald eagle the national bird of the US ? ;)

[rbgarr]

A local restaurant has set up cameras on a nearby osprey nest. Have to go there to see the action.

http://outdoors.mainetoday.com/news/070429fleming.html

[Thorne]

They are probably more interested in the fishing and flying than the type of boat materials...

;0 )

I love watching their acrobatics -- full Immelmans and suchlike -- they have so much fun in the air!

[rbgarr]

... they have so much fun in the air!

It's also fun to watch the greedy juveniles here trying to pick up fish that are too big for them. They wallow around in the water trying to take off and then let go.

It seems like they then look around and say to themselves "Jeez! I hope nobody saw that!!"

[S.V. Airlie]

When I was working on Ospreys in CT.. we did an egg transfer from MD. birds to CT. and visa versa. To keep the ospreys on their nests and incubating we used chicken eggs as placeboes.. Well, we spent days painting chicken eggs ( hard boiled ) to make them look like osprey eggs... I mean hours.. Wanted to make sure the birds would not abandon the nests because the eggs were white..

Well, long story short, found an opsrey sitting on a white rock.. as in white.... Gave up painting the eggs as we realized, color did not matter.
Egg transfer and the young produced.. all successful..

This was a more involved experiment but you get the drift...
Sorry for posting but well, ospreys are kinda one of my favorites...

[S.V. Airlie]

Interesting stats.. on osprey nests in MD.. and VA.. ( Chesapeake.. )

In the 1980's 85% of the nests were on non man made structures
In or by 2000, 85% of the nests are on man made structures..

of course the pop has increased as well approx 4,000 in VA. and MD. on the Ches.

Favorites are blinds and navigation aids.. Love these... Another interesting sight, there were only three or four 5 yrs ago, are the number of egrets nesting beneath osprey nests on these blinds. Guessing it is great protection. Also, egrets are losing their natural nesting habitat through development...

[Bob Smalser]

Jack.. believe me, they will nest about anywhere..



They don't nest anywhere here. Too many natural sites available.

As the juveniles are a hoot to see go swimming after Coho and Cutties here, I've tried to erect platforms to encourage nesting. No go, just like many of my nest box attempts too close to extensive and old forests. Bats, Martins, Wood Ducks at least. Man can't compete with natural snags when they are available in abundance.

[S.V. Airlie]

Don't doubt it Bob.. Never been to your fair state but I would say you have a few more tree stands that are just perfect for a nesting pair of osprey.. or eagles....for that matter....:D

Here in MD.. well, another story...:rolleyes: