Hi Diana, Osprey would be new for the Cayuga Lake Basin 2021 list. This is early though. It’s so early that there is only one eBird record ever for Osprey in February in NYS north of Long Island, and that was several years ago south of Kingston in Ulster County. This year the northernmost eBird report of Osprey in the past month was on the 27th in Maryland.
It’s certainly possible. Birds fly. There have been plenty of south winds lately. Ospreys nest along 5&20 by the refuge. I am as interested as anyone in finding out if birds are migrating sooner, and Ospreys have surprised me with early returns to Myers in the recent past. But a report of Osprey even at the very end of February suggests some care be taken, particularly since there are plenty of immature Bald Eagles around, and in some plumages they share some of the color pattern of Ospreys. Bald Eagles also nest earlier than Ospreys and have even been known to take over Osprey nests before the Ospreys return, so Bald Eagles or Red-tailed Hawks or other raptors might be near those nests. So, I’m wondering if you would mind asking your sister what about the bird said “Osprey” to her instead of some other large raptor - shape, behavior, pattern, etc. Thanks so much. And thanks for your photos and reports. It’s a joy to hear what is happening all around us. - - Dave Nutter > On Feb 28, 2021, at 8:53 PM, Whitings <whiti...@roadrunner.com> wrote: > > Hi All, > My sister saw an osprey flying on Rt. 20 near the entrance to the refuge > yesterday. Also, a Sandhill crane was seen at Mercer Park in B’ville. Spring > is in the air! > > Diana Whiting > > dianawhitingphotography.com > > > > -- > > 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/ > > -- > -- 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/ --
