The "necklace" is not really a reliable method for sexing Ospreys in the field. Males can and do show the "necklace", and there's lots of overlap. As Alan Poole states in the BNA account, "sexes often difficult to distinguish in the field.
Furthermore, it's quite a stretch to take a bunch of generalized, common behaviors that almost all Ospreys would display, and assign them to a particular individual because one feels it's their "fashion". It's nice that folks are so interested in the local nesting pairs, but perhaps it's wise not to go overboard with assumptions about how much we know about individuals unless we're reading band numbers off of them like with the campus Red-tails. -Scott On Thu, Apr 9, 2015 at 10:57 AM, Karel V. Sedlacek <k...@cornell.edu> wrote: > David, > > > > Thank you for your thoughts. > > See my comments below. > > > > Karel > > > > *From:* Dave Nutter [mailto:nutter.d...@me.com] > *Sent:* Thursday, April 09, 2015 10:31 AM > *To:* Karel V. Sedlacek > *Cc:* CAYUGABIRDS-L > *Subject:* Re: [cayugabirds-l] Olin the Osprey is back > > > > This nest platform is installed atop one of several poles for lights for > McGovern Fields, replacing (literally) a nest which Ospreys built atop the > same pole, right? McGovern Fields occupy the NE corner of the fields > between East Hill Plaza, Ellis Hollow Road, Game Farm Road and Cascadilla > Creek with the east end of the East Ithaca Recreationway. > > KVS—The 2014 nest was atop the south center, double-side light pole at the > McGovern Fields. This caused the lights to be turned off for the duration > of the nesting season. Plans were made for a replacement location and > through the efforts of a lot of folks a riser, built by the Musco Lighting > Co was installed on the SW tower. > > In case other Ospreys start nesting near Game Farm Road, maybe refering to > McGovern Fields would be better, at least until another of those light > poles gets built upon! > > KVS—It is unlikely (that is the hope anyway) that another Osprey family > will build on another of the poles at the fields—the outside poles are > single-side, and the center double-sided poles now have bird-deterrents on > them. In addition, Olin and Olive spent considerable energy last season > dissuading other Ospreys from the area. Having said that, names are > flexible and can be adjusted as needed. > > The Ithaca reservoir and Commonland are along Six-mile Creek south of > NYS-79, which is in the next drainage behind Snyder Hill and perhaps > difficult to see from McGovern Fields, so was that really where you meant > the Osprey flew? > > KVS1—Yes. This was Olin’s pattern of behavior last year when going to > Common Lands: circle over the tree line to make a threat assessment near > the nest, fly west down Cascadilla, to East Hill and linger to assess the > area, then turn south and head towards Six-Mile Creek. Having chased him > several times this is his typical pattern. When Olive is in the nest he > can make the roundtrip with a fish in 12 mins. He sometimes does make the > turn up Snyder Hill Rd. > > How do you ID the birds as individuals? Is it an assumption based on > gender (general plumage and relative size) and presence or behavior at the > site, or are there specific characteristics of individual birds that you > use? > > KVS—Gender, based on plumage, Olin has no necklace, Olive has the lightest > Necklace in the southern basin to-date. Olin has a distinctive set of > markings on the top and back of the head. Absolutely behavior: Koi fish > raided from Snyder Hill, NW tower, bite the fish, look both ways, drop part > of fish, flying routes as described above. > > I recently saw an Osprey perched beside the platform at the NW corner of > Newman Golf Course and wondered if that indicated it was being used. > Moments later I saw an Osprey flying from that direction toward Union > Fields, so now I wonder if it was one of the Union Fields pair just > checking it out. I don't know how you keep track of individuals. > > Ospreys love to do things after a fashion—you do your best to learn them > and id based on that. > > --Dave Nutter > > > On Apr 09, 2015, at 07:24 AM, "Karel V. Sedlacek" <k...@cornell.edu> > wrote: > > First definite sigthing of Olin the Game Farm Osprey Nest male was 7:50 > AM on the NW tower at GF. He was happily eating a Koi fish. 8:20 AM he > flew to the new nest riser and flapped, poked around and sat for a few > minutes. Then off down the tree line west and then south to the reservoir > or Common Lands. Later, 12:45-1:10 Olin ate another fish and worked on the > nest. Landed briefly on one of the double sided poles then went to the > Nest. Mr Lefty, the RTHA was near by both times and appeared at ease. > > > > > > Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Smartphone > > -- > > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > > > > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > > > > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > > > > *Archives:* > > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > > > > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > > > > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > > > > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* > > -- > > -- > *Cayugabirds-L List Info:* > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > *Archives:* > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > *Please submit your observations to eBird > <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>!* > -- > -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
