Birdwatching Eyes high: Osprey have returned

Published 11:56 am Tuesday, May 8, 2018

ILWACO — Not all birds nest low. Some nest high and some even higher than high. So with eyes high, we can discover and enjoy raptors such as the red-tailed hawk, the bald eagle and the osprey. The red-tail and the bald eagle are with us all year round, while the osprey is only here during the breeding season. It breeds here on the Peninsula and on the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge.

Ospreys are back now, so this is a good time to look high to see them and their nests. The tops of very tall snags, man-made platforms and the tops of utility poles are usually chosen for the placement and building of their bulky, stick nests. Cell or communication towers are also high on their list of nesting choices. Snags fall down and the wind plays havoc with nests placed on platforms or utility poles. You will see all four choices being utilized on the Peninsula and the refuge.

Check out the communication tower across from Black Lake, the platform on the Ilwaco High School sports field, the shoreline trees at Black Lake, and the cell tower located on the main highway north of Long Beach. Now that cell towers have become part of the Peninsula landscape, they seem to be one of the first nesting spots chosen by osprey. If you examine the shape of these high rises, it is clear why. Their shape holds the huge stick nest in place; it is not likely to be blown down and of course … the view is spectacular!

The osprey is a fish-eating bird of prey active in the daytime. It is about two feet in length and has a wingspan of just over five feet. It has a small, white, head and a dark crown. In flight it shows long crooked wings that appear arched with drooping wing tips. Its wing tips are black and look as if they have been dipped in one of those old-fashioned bottles of black ink. It has specialized feet for snaring and carrying fish. Barbs on its feet help it to grasp a fish and carry it to its nest.

The osprey is a particularly interesting bird for three reasons. First, it is the only bird whose diet consists mainly of live fish. Secondly, it hovers over the water and dives feet first (unique among raptors) to grasp prey. Thirdly, it is widely distributed throughout the world. It is found on every continent except for Antarctica.

High-rise nesting spots abound on the Peninsula and on the refuge. Keep your eyes high and you may see one of our osprey’s beautiful large, bulky stick nests.