This sighting is very early for an Osprey. The Osprey used to arrive in the Cayuga Lake Basin around April 1 like the swallows of Capistrano. For their first three years, the Salt Point Natural Area pair would reunite on April 5 like clockwork. Six years ago, things started changing. The Osprey started arriving earlier, by a few days, each year. Last year they skipped a week and the male returned on March 15. There was an earlier sighting, around March 1, but I did not have confidence in that sighting. However, Diana Whitings knows her birds and has confidence in her sister's ID. I'm not sure what to think as this can be a confusing time with eagles as Dave Nutter stated especially when compounded with the affects of climate change.
Please keep your eyes posted and report any Osprey sighting—thank you! Don't be taken aback by the 4-5 Canada Geese decoys along Rt. 90. NYSEG put them up to keep the Ospreys from nesting in those places. I don't think the Osprey will be intimidated, but we'll see. Eyes to the sky! Candace On Mon, Mar 1, 2021 at 2:41 PM Peter Saracino <[email protected]> wrote: > Last spring the osprey began occupying the nests along 5&20 near the > Refuge in early April. About the time the white Pelican was first seen at > the north end of Cayuga Lake. > But hey, like they say - if the book says one thing and the bird says the > other.....believe the bird! > Stay safe all. Getting psyched for Migration, and I bet I have lots of > company!! > Sar > > On Mon, Mar 1, 2021, 2:35 PM Dave Nutter <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi Diana, >> >> Osprey would be new for the Cayuga Lake Basin 2021 list. This is early >> though. It’s so early that there is only one eBird record ever for Osprey >> in February in NYS north of Long Island, and that was several years ago >> south of Kingston in Ulster County. This year the northernmost eBird report >> of Osprey in the past month was on the 27th in Maryland. >> >> It’s certainly possible. Birds fly. There have been plenty of south winds >> lately. Ospreys nest along 5&20 by the refuge. I am as interested as anyone >> in finding out if birds are migrating sooner, and Ospreys have surprised me >> with early returns to Myers in the recent past. >> >> But a report of Osprey even at the very end of February suggests some >> care be taken, particularly since there are plenty of immature Bald Eagles >> around, and in some plumages they share some of the color pattern of >> Ospreys. Bald Eagles also nest earlier than Ospreys and have even been >> known to take over Osprey nests before the Ospreys return, so Bald Eagles >> or Red-tailed Hawks or other raptors might be near those nests. >> >> So, I’m wondering if you would mind asking your sister what about the >> bird said “Osprey” to her instead of some other large raptor - shape, >> behavior, pattern, etc. Thanks so much. And thanks for your photos and >> reports. It’s a joy to hear what is happening all around us. >> >> - - Dave Nutter >> >> On Feb 28, 2021, at 8:53 PM, Whitings <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Hi All, >> My sister saw an osprey flying on Rt. 20 near the entrance to the refuge >> yesterday. Also, a Sandhill crane was seen at Mercer Park in B’ville. >> Spring is in the air! >> >> Diana Whiting >> >> dianawhitingphotography.com >> >> >> >> -- >> >> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >> http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME >> http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES >> http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm >> >> ARCHIVES: >> 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html >> 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds >> 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html >> >> Please submit your observations to eBird: >> http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ >> >> -- >> >> -- >> *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* >> Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> >> Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> >> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >> <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> >> *Archives:* >> The Mail Archive >> <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> >> Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> >> BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> >> *Please submit your observations to eBird >> <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* >> -- >> > -- > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* > -- > -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
