The Osprey Are Back!

 Thanks to a text from my friend Kevin Wright yestday afternoon, I was alerted to his first sighting of the year of a returning Osprey at a nest site on Buena Vista Rd south of Indepence. In short order Jeanette and I and Buster were out the door and driving to the Osprey nest site where we found this female. We were lucky enough to get a photo before she took off. We have been keeping an eye out for Osprey as mid to late March is normally the earliest arrival date for their return from their winter hang-out in Mexico and places south.  From there we checked out the nest site in Independence at the River View Park. It was empty, so we decided to drive on to West Salem to check out some more nest sites.

This is the nest site on Murlark Av., which has always been the nest where we see the first Osprey every year. We were thrilled to find a bird here too.  The earliest past observation was March 18th 2018.  We also checked out the nest sites on Patterson St and the Salem Audubon Nature Reserve on Eola Drive. Both were empty.  This nest site has a new look this year. Salem Electric who put up the poles and platforms, have replaced the wooden platforms with a metal platform on this site and also the Patterson and Audubon sites.The sticks you see on this platform were placed they by Salem Electric I presume to give the Osprey a little encouragement.