Ospreys - Minnesota / Xcel Energy

[Alison]

And now a pair of Canada Geese at the nest -- they spent a lot of time there today, with a couple of pigeons visiting when the geese were not around. The geese usually spend time at the nest each year before the ospreys return.

[allikat]

Oh My! 

Now that's just a little high up to nest there mama goose....that looks like a long way down if you have chicks.

[Alison]

A new visitor tries out the osprey nest today:

[Alison]

Perhaps it's due to the childhood influence of AA Milne and the "wolery," but I thought owls nested in enclosed spaces such as hollows in trees.  Would they be at all interested in a platform for nesting?

That's a really good question. I think Great Horned Owls normally prefer to nest in trees, but they do seem to like peregrine nest boxes too. I think a platform might be too much out in the open for them, but even if they only like to perch there, it would deter the ospreys from using the nest.

A couple of different GHO nests: last year, a Great Horned Owl raised an owlet in a planter in Brevard County, Florida:



And in Socorro, New Mexico, a pair of GHOs raised their owlets in the fork of a tree, which had been provided with a liner. They had tried to nest their unsuccessfully the previous year.

[bcbird]

Perhaps it's due to the childhood influence of AA Milne and the "wolery," but I thought owls nested in enclosed spaces such as hollows in trees.  Would they be at all interested in a platform for nesting?

[Alison]

One GHO returned this evening:

[allikat]

Let's hope the owls either leave and find somewhere else to nest or let's hope the osprey's have somewhere else to nest...and not close by.

[Alison]

A pair of Great Horned Owls at the nest this evening:





If they like this nest, the ospreys may not have a nest to come back to . . .

[Alison]

The Great Horned Owl visited again late today:




link to webcam: http://birdcam.xcelenergy.com/osprey.html

[allikat]

Hmmm, seems like a great hunting perch for this owl.  Lookout below!

[Alison]

I'm not quite sure where to post this. The ospreys are gone on migration for the winter, but late today, as darkness fell, there was a visitor to the nest -- I think perhaps a Great Horned Owl.





http://birdcam.xcelenergy.com/osprey.html