Leslie's report about ospreys led me to refresh my memory. More than a
century ago they were largely migrants, but became regular nesters, some
inland; they were said to be common near Kirtland's first home. Down
here in mid-state, they were seen as migrants, though suspected of
nesting at the Licking Reservoir, now Buckeye Lake, in the 1880s. No
doubt artificial reservoirs have given them a boost recently, not to
mention the banning of certain pesticides. Eagles have always kept their
nesting numbers down along the Erie shore--it's a lot easier to beat up
an osprey than catch a fish--but inland it is not hard to find the two
nesting as neighbors. No doubt their ups and downs have been heavily
influenced by humans. Like eagles, they have eagerly adapted to
artificial nest sites, and there are at least two spots in this county
where these species nest within sight of one another. I stopped by one
of the metro parks yesterday, and a pair were adding nest material and
copulating on an artificial nest pole. A circle of birders surrounded
them as close as they dared approach, giant scopes and cameras deployed
as if they were half a mile away and no one had ever seen one before;
the male--maybe a rookie--seemed to be recommending a more remote nest
site upriver from the dam on the river behind the fire station,
methodically loading sticks on a utility tower; it attracted the female
only for half an hour. She is likely the nester at the nest pole last
year, and had been successful. A couple other ospreys were seen
overhead, so the new site might be used or not, as migration is in full
swing. More power to them.
Bill Whan
Columbus

On 3/28/2016 10:47 PM, Leslie Sours wrote:
> There were SEVEN there last week. Two nesting platforms were claimed
> by pairs, and three additional adult birds were directly opposite in
> the tree line.
>
> The record high number in eBird for Hogback Rd is nine, but it was in
> July and involved two nests with young birds. Most reports for this
> time of year were of one to four individuals. Seven adults seen
> simultaneously in this spot in March is a lot of Osprey!
>
> At Deer Creek yesterday, three were seen at the nesting platform.
> Maybe we need a few more platforms out there? Leslie
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Mar 28, 2016, at 11:11 AM, Charles Bombaci <[log in to unmask]>
>> wrote:
>>
>> The Osprey have returned to the Hogback Road area of the Alum Creek
>> Reservoir. Five individuals observed from bluffs and from the lower
>> area. Charlie Bombaci

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