I love the northward migration. Each day brings new sights and sounds … and bike rides along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Over the past few days the male Ospreys have returned to the Northland. Often two different males sit in the nests waiting for the females to return. Two afternoon’s ago I found one returnee enjoying a fish supper. Hope folks are not squeamish!
Osprey … Fish for Dinner!
Dinner … The Movie
It’s important not to ignore my own back yard. Sometimes as a photographer I focus too much upon known birding areas, but forget to take photos at home. Here across from Amity Creek in Duluth (where I live)
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
White-Breasted Nuthatch
Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker
Preening … the Movie!
However, I still like to get in the car and drive to my favorite birding locations. Early in the spring that means I head to NW Wisconsin and the Johnson Mitigation Wetlands near Cloverland. This morning’s trip yield many new returns, and some lingering Arctic birds.
Killdeer
Courting Wilson’s Snipe
The Movie … Wilsons’ in Love
I definitely am not forgetting the ponds at my local cemetery. With area lakes ice bound, Forest Hill Cemetery yields some good duck watching.
Ring-Necked Ducks (Two’s Company … Three’s a Crowd)
Finally, here is one leftover movie from the southwest. I never post this flick of a Cooper’s Hawk I watched my final afternoon. Cool bird.
Mario … I would originally have assumed two ospreys means a male and female, but a few years back I actually saw four males awaiting the arrival of a female. Here is the post: http://www.365daysofbirds.com/2016/04/27/canosia-state-wildlife-refuge-opsreys-great-blue-herons/
Not sure how the female chooses. The ospreys did not fight in the air like bald eagles.
Two males in the nest waiting for a female? I just saw ospreys the other day (https://thebirdsarecalling.com/2019/04/26/project-366-post-no-029-template/),… two individuals and one nest. I assumed it was a male and a female but your post throws doubt on my conclusion. I still have so much to learn. The next question is, what happens when the female arrives? Do the males battle it out? Do they try to out-charm each other? Or do the three of them form a “non-traditional” family?