SOAR
saving our avian resources
SOAR
25494 320th Street
Dedham, IA 51440
Phone: (712) 683-5555
Fax: (712) 683-5535
www.soarraptors.org
diversityfarms@iowatelecom.net
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SOAR saving our avian resources |
SOAR 25494 320th Street Dedham, IA 51440 Phone: (712) 683-5555 Fax: (712) 683-5535 www.soarraptors.org |
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Osprey Project 2008 WEB
CAM ON THE TOWER This is year three of reintroducing osprey at Whiterock Conservancy. In 2006 we were excited to start the project and it was with a lot of help from a lot of people and agencies that a hack tower was moved, put up at Whiterock and the first birds released. Those birds followed their instincts and migrated south in the fall of '06 and would have stayed all of last year in Central or South America. This year those first birds may be back in Iowa, coming "home" to raise their first young. This year the project started early as the Saylorville WILD nest had to be saved from the flooding.
Kay had to feed the birds cut up fish every three hours. SOAR also has an injured male osprey and when the baby birds got large enough she put them in his pen. The adult male quickly became a foster parent to the Saylorville birds. When someone would come to feed them and put fish in the pen he would be protective and place himself between the babies and the human. Very cool. But they have grown quickly and have been joined by more birds from Minnesota. Our volunteer Vic will be sending updates on the birds and their progress. July
31 Kay put 3 Osprey in
the tower July 20th. Two of them are from the Saylerville Lake rescue,
the other one is from Minnesota. We went out Wednesday morning the 30th
and opened the gates as they were ready to fly, and one flew out within
an hour of them being opened. Kay still has 3 back at SOAR and will put
them in the tower when they are ready. Kay has a new volunteer to help
feed the birds, and his name is Doug Ramsey. He will be covering Janet's
duties, and I Vic will doing it again this year. I hope to get you updates
on a regular basis, and the occasional picture.
August
3 Kay had some concerns
that the third osprey to fly out hadn't been seen all day Friday or ed. note (Maybe one of our '06 birds has made his way back??!! Keep your eyes peeled and look for those ID tags on the ankles!)
August 9 Well we had a good turn-out
for the open house Saturday, and the weather was perfect. The
Saturday evening I went out about 7pm, as breakfast wasn't served until about 8-30am, but they were ready for me. P.C. left the tower and landed on a dead tree in the pond and watched me put the food on top. Then I went to the north-end of the pond to observe. It was warm and the water was very calm and after P.C. had had it's fill I saw P.C. skimming the water and dragging it's claws through the water. Such a sight to see.
August 11 Kay decided to open the gates Monday am and not a moment too soon. P.C. was hungry again, and as you can see by the photo, N.E. was out of there before Kay and Colton could get the doors open properly. Too bad N.N. didn't think the same way. We waited about an hour, and the last time I saw it flap it's wings it had it's back to the door, so it's not ready to come out. Lots of good activity, and we did get to see 3 Osprey again today before we opened the gates. So now there will be 5 to feed. By Wednesday the main field gate will be left open so anyone wanting to get close can drive to the pond and watch from the North end, but please dont go around to the east side or any closer than that, as it will scare the birds off.
August 15 Well I guess it's time
to catch up!! Kay was at the State Fair Tuesday and Friday with Spirit
August 16 Pretty quiet Saturday. Only saw 2 today. Did get to see big daddy snapper sunning. Boy he's big. August 17 Sunday was really quiet. Doug stopped by to see what was going on and he said he hadn't see all the birds either, but he did say he had seen one on the boat-ramp to the river one day last week. We only saw 2, maybe a 3rd about 45mins later, but that was after the other 2 had their fill and took off. It only did a fly-by the tower, but didn't stop so it could have been one of the others. This log in the pond is a favorite perch for all who come along.
August 31 I was feeding them and all I saw were 6 turkey Vultures. They flew off when I got there but didn't see any Osprey. So I put up their breakfast and left. When I got to the highway I saw two of them on the NRCS sign on the wetlands. I drove to the viewing blind by the river and saw one on the nesting pole. I drove around the north-side and then P.C. flew over and then went to the nesting pole and landed on it. There were three Osprey out there together. It was good to see three again.
September 3 Doug got to see all 5 birds this morning. There were 4 at, or near the tower when he was feeding them, then he saw 1 when he was leaving. Kay was really happy to hear that they are all still around. It has been a concern as no one had seen all 5 until now.
September 6 When I got here this morning there wasn't any birds at all. So I proceeded to cut up fish, and then I heard one coming in from a distance and it was P.C. There where 3 good pieces of fish on the roof, and she was just sitting on the corner watching me. It was the first time she didn't jump on the first piece I tossed up there. It was a different story in the evening. The roof was bare and she jumped on the first piece on the roof.
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Saturday
morning, but she was happy to hear that I say them all Sat evening and
all 3 seem to be doing very well. Two of them were very bold and didn't
fly off when I went up to feed them. I was even able to get some good
pics of P.C., but N.X. didn't want any of that and took off. Sunday evening
when I got there I saw one skimming the pond and looked like he dropped
a catch, (I think I spooked it when I showed up), then it disappeared
in the big tree on the south end. After I fed them I returned to the north
end and as I got there P.C. had left the tower, came flying across the
pond, lunged into the water and emerged with a fish and took it back to
the tower. There is a chance that another Osprey is in the area, because
as I saw the 1st one fishing I looked at the tower and saw 3 on top waiting
to eat. I told Kay about what I thought I had seen and she said it was
to soon for P.C. to fish on his own, but I said if it had been another
Osprey fishing that maybe it learned from that. I could be wrong, but
it could be so!! We will have to wait and see.
August
4 When I arrived all 3 were sitting on the tower waiting for supper.
As I got near they took off, but as I was preparing to go up they were
all circling the tower, so I took a moment to take some pics. By the time
I got to the top P.C. was there waiting for me, and watched as I tossed
every piece of fish onto the tower roof. Because Kay has been hand feeding
P.C. and N.X. ( Saylorville Lake birds ) from a very early age, they do
not have much fear of humans. Kay hopes this will not be a problem when
they head south for the winter, but in the meantime it does offer great
photo ops, and should be good viewing for the public at the open house
this Saturday the 9th, starting about 7-30am. N.T. is not as bold but
follows the others, and unlike last years birds, do not fly off with their
food, but stay on top of the tower to eat.B.jpg)
Osprey put on a good show, though we did only get to see 2. The Turkey
Vultures are back to do some clean-up, but B.C. will chase them off if
they try to take it too early. Coffee, juice, sweet-rolls,and sticky buns
were served for humans and chunks of carp for the birds.
August
10 I did see 3 Osprey today and when I called Kay she was pleased
to hear that, as she had only seen 2 in the morning. P.C. was so hungry
that it grabbed a piece of fish before I had finished putting it on the
roof, and then 
started
to screech at me until I left so supper could begin. N.X. was on the roof
when I climbed up but took of, and landed on a tree on the west side of
tower. Another Osprey was sitting on the nesting poleEast of the tower
I sat and watched for a good hour but I never saw it come to eat.
at the DNR building along with Bill Horine. I was there Tuesday and it
was raining most of the morning for thier appearance at 10am, but dried
out by mid-afternoon. Bill celebrated his 93rd birthday Friday, and the
stories are still flowing like they happened yesterday. Good job Bill.
Friday
evening I only got to see 3 Osprey, but the Turkey Vultures are helping
out. Not that any help is needed!! It's a good job that P.C. is keeping
a check on them. We have been seeing a Cormorant at the pond. Looks like
a Juvenile Double-crested. It comes most evenings, about 7pm. Everyone
is concerned about N.N. and N.E. as no one has seen them. Keeping our
fingers crossed.
August
30 Didn't have much to report last week-end, but this week-end
was better. Saturday only saw two birds, and as usual P.C. was there waiting.
So I cut a couple of pieces and tossed them up and she was
on it, then I finished cutting the rest up and put it up and P.C. jumped
on the head as if it was the prime cut, and really dug into it.
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