When the rain moved through the area much earlier than forecast this morning, I decided to go check out the three osprey nests that are near my home. All three couples focus their fishing efforts in the Canosia Wildlife Management Area … or just outside it.

The Twig couple surprised me the most. Today is the last day of June, and they appeared to be courting in progress. While our spring was cold, and ice out was extremely late, today would be extremely late to lay eggs. However, the male was definitely bringing sticks back to the nest and smashing them into the female’s back … real romantic, huh?!

I found Steam Shovel Sam and Sally hanging out together (he is the osprey on the right). I was rather surprised once again when he left the nest with a sunfish. I would have expected the fish was a meal for his missus, or the little ones, but it appears he flew to the nest with the sunnie, and then left. Hmmm … I don’t think I ever took Molly out for dinner while we were courting, and then took her meal away w/o giving her a chance to eat!

The third nest was normal boring … thus no pics.

I haven’t posted much over the past few days because we had a humdinger of a winter storm here in the Northland. Yesterday when the sun finally came out I was marooned at our house. 60+ mph wind gusts brought down some pine trees which blocked my only exit from my small neighborhood. Just as well because I needed to shovel all the snow off the sidewalk and driveway.

However, this morning I escaped and arrived at Sax-Zim Bog a half hour before dawn. Perhaps that was not a great idea. The mercury was -18F. While the winds had finally abated the severely cold temperature is never great for birding.

On the way home I did find a very cooperative Rough Legged Hawk. See the very final image which will show you how you may know when a raptor is about to take off … within seconds! Cheers.

Look towards the bottom center of this image!!! At this point you would want to press the shutter down, and keep it down (continuous mode)