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I just had to get a look at the osprey nest.  It was in the lake I thought, sitting on top of a pole in the middle of a small lake.  I saw it last night and I just stopped by this morning.  I could only see one bird, apparently sitting on an egg because she kept adjusting herself.  It was raining slightly as well.  I stayed for about 15 minutes, hoping to see the other bird, but he never showed up.

I’m keeping this post short because I need to read up on these birds.  Expect another post on Ospreys very soon.

Actually, the nesting Ospreys are in Cedarburg, WI! I just read about them in the News Graphic from Grafton WI and I can’t wait to get a look at them. Like most casual birders, I’m trying to become a more than casual birder and I have to go see these birds. I realize that if too many people are hanging around the nest then the raptors might leave. I’m thinking that since the birds are building a nest on top of a pole in the middle of a small lake then they will probably stay!

The only problem is I have a camera that can not take pictures of far-away subjects. So, if the birds aren’t close then it will not be a very good picture to post here. I’ll take the camera and see what I get.

I learned something today from the newspaper article, Ospreys used to be known as fish hawks and they are the only birds of prey that dive into the water to capture fish.

According to the article:

• Ospreys were once among Wisconsin’s most endangered birds
• They’re making a comeback
• There’s an estimated 400 pairs in Wisconsin

Last weekend I saw two pairs of redtail hawks about a mile from each other.  I haven’t researched it yet, but I’m guessing it’s getting close to mating season and they’re getting ready.  The hawks were hunting of course, but they were sitting about a foot from each other on the same branch.  I watched the first pair for about 15 minutes, drove around to the other side of the tree and watched them for another 10 minutes or so.  I was far enough away not to disturb them.

I was actually looking for that dark morph hawk I saw several weeks earlier, trying to figure out exactly what type of hawk it was.  Haven’t seen the dark morph again.  The last time I saw him he was being chased away by an adult redtail.

Switching gears…..

I thought I saw a rather large chipping sparrow at my backyard feeder.  After careful examination and a quick look at my Audubon Field Book of North American Birds, I realized it was a tree sparrow.  This guy is about an inch bigger than a chipping sparrow, and the markings are very similiar.  The tree sparrow lives in upper Canada and winters in the midwest, as well as other places across the U.S.  I’ll follow-up this post with some information from the book.

Have regularly seen a red-breasted nuthatch at my suet and of course, chickadees, cardinals and finches at the feeder.