First Osprey of the Season

Yesterday while returning home from visiting our grand-daughter in Springfield we decided to swing by the Osprey nest site on Murlark Ave in West Salem to check for possible Osprey.  Each year it seems to be the first nest site to be occupied by returning Osprey.  True to form, we found our first Osprey of the season.  Osprey make their migratory trips to Central America for the winter, and back north for the summer individually, getting together only when back at the nest site to breed and raise their young.  I have read that it is usually the male that arrives first at the site and then waits for the female.  However, based on the spotted breast, called a necklace, this is most probably a female. Interesting also is that this particular female's necklace is unusually high up the neck, and this is true of the photo I took of her last March, which makes me think she is indeed the same female.  Check out that blog here. For some reason, maybe she winters closer than some, or maybe she takes a shorter route, she appears to be the first back in West Salem year after year.