Tag Archives | raptors

Family/Beginner Bird Walk at Turtle Bay

We invite beginners of all ages and experienced birders to our introductory walks on the first Saturday of each month. Waterfowl, passerines and raptors can all be found at Turtle Bay and the surrounding area which includes the Sacramento River and surrounding riparian habitat. The walks begin at 9am and meet in the parking lot near the Monolith structure at the South end of the Sheraton Hotel. Binoculars and field guides will be available to loan. Call Roberta Winchell, 530-945-8342, for more information.

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Family/Beginner Bird Walk at Turtle Bay

We invite beginners of all ages and experienced birders to our introductory walks on the first Saturday of each month. Waterfowl, passerines and raptors can all be found at Turtle Bay and the surrounding area which includes the Sacramento River and surrounding riparian habitat. The walks begin at 9am and meet in the parking lot near the Monolith structure at the South end of the Sheraton Hotel. Binoculars and field guides will be available to loan. Call Roberta Winchell, 530-945-8342, for more information.

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Osprey Nesting Platform Install

Osprey In Flight

The Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) at Anderson River Park in Shasta County have been nesting atop a soccer field light stand for over 17 years. The problem is that they build the nest right on top of the field lights. This becomes an issue when, every four or five years the light bulbs need to be replaced and the nest can be destroyed in the process.

Osprey Nest

One of my wildlife rehabber friends had received a legacy gift and contacted me regarding the prospect of building a nesting platform to place at the top of the utility pole. This would allow the Osprey to safely nest above the bank of lights, thereby keeping their nest intact year after year, with no interference from the maintenance crew.

I, of course said, “what a great idea!” I found an excellent plan for the platform (shown below) from the International Osprey Foundation and built it in less than a day. It is a 40 x 40 inch box which I modified using all 2 x 6 inch pressure treated lumber.

Osprey Nesting Platform

Before building the platform I contacted the Anderson City Public Works department to discuss the possibility of actually putting up the platform and got the OK. We obviously wanted to get it up before the Osprey arrived and were able to install it on January 31st.

Osprey Platform Lift

This is an 86 foot utility pole so a lift was rented and the excellent workers from the City of Anderson Public Works department generously gave their time and expertise to the project.

Having never seen an Osprey nest close up, I asked one of the installers to take some photos of the nest before removing it and placing the nesting material in a bin to be put back into the new platform.

Osprey Nest

The shape of the Osprey nest changes during the breeding cycle. During incubation the nest is distinctly bowl-shaped. After hatching the nest flattens out, but a rim of sticks is maintained, sometimes by the young themselves, while the young are beginning to move clumsily about the nest. In the last weeks of the nestling phase, the nest often becomes completely flat1. Note the large sticks and bark.

Osprey Nest

Here’s a shot of one of the installers placing the nesting material back into the newly installed nesting platform.

Osprey Nesting Material

About four weeks after the install I went back to the park to see if Osprey had shown up. I found one bird perched inside the platform!

Osprey In Nest

However, there were also a pair of very vocal Red-Shouldered Hawks (Buteo lineatusin) in a nearby tree.

Red-shouldered Hawk Pair

Apparently they were interested, for whatever reason, in the nesting platform as well.

Red-shouldered Hawk

A week later when I returned, the platform was now occupied by a pair of Osprey!

Osprey Pair

I observed them for over an hour but never saw them bring in nesting material, although there is obviously new sticks in the nest. The Red-shouldered Hawks were still hanging around but this day, the Osprey pair were involved in mating and the hawks were vigorously chased away by the male Osprey.

Osprey Copulation

Osprey pairs copulate frequently, on average 160 times per clutch, but only 39% of these result in cloacal contact. Pairs average 59 successful copulations per clutch, starting 14 days before, and peaking a few days before, the start of egg-laying1.

Osprey Copulation

Pairs copulate most often in early morning, at the same time as egg-laying1.

Osprey Copulation

As I returned a couple of weeks later, the first thing I noticed is that there has been much more nesting material placed into the platform and the male was bringing in more and arranging the sticks.

Osprey Building Nest

After trimming and arranging these large, long sticks, the male Osprey took off and the female did some rearranging.

The male soon returned to a nearby utility pole on the opposite side of the soccer field with a rather large, what looks like a trout.

Osprey With Fish

He ate about half of the fish, starting at the head, before carrying the remaining portion back to the platform to share with his mate.

Osprey With Fish

References: 1Birds of North America Online

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Millville Plains Outing

Lewis’s Woodpecker, Western Bluebird and Horned Lark are a few of the usual species seen on this trip. Many raptors are possible including Ferruginous Hawk, Merlin and recently seen on Millville Plains Road, a Burrowing Owl! We will look for early migrants, possibly Western Kingbird and Tree Swallow, also Rock Wren on Ash Creek Road. We will meet at the Kutras Park parking lot at 8am to carpool or the corner of highway 44 and Millville Plains Road at 8:20. Bring a lunch for this full day trip. For more information call Larry Jordan at 949-5266.

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Wintu Audubon Fall River Valley Outing

Always a high species number destination, the Valley is a great place to see wintering raptors, various waterbirds and Sandhill Cranes. Meet your leader Larry Jordan at the Redding Convention Center at 7:30 sharp to carpool. Be ready for a full day with a lunch and water. Dress for changing weather. East-county participants can join the group at either the Park and Ride at the intersection of Hwy. 299 and 89 at 9 am or the Fall River Vista at 9:30 am. Rarities are possible! Contact Larry for more information at 949-5266.

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