V21 N36

Bird Droppings
Dispatches from the nation’s birdwatching capital… by Seymore Thanu
Last March, I began writing the saga of
this year’s Osprey nesting season. It
ended yesterday. Way back on Saint
Patrick’s Day, the two adult Osprey
returned to the alpha nest across from
the riverside park, by March 31, there were
five Osprey pairs within sight of the park and
14 adult birds by April 14. With so many prospecting
birds and limited nest space, things
were bound to get complicated. Sure enough
on April 8, two pairs were vying for the nest.
The interlopers built a new nest on the
park side of the river in a utility pole in town
until a heavy rain caused a transformer to
blow. The power company arrived to restore
power and relocated the nest to a newly
constructed platform in the park. The birds
adopted the relocated nest but seemed unable
to move forward. Meanwhile the alpha pair
moved on with the breeding season.
On September 17, there was one adult still
in the nest, but the others departed. Tireless
fliers, the birds follow a trans-Atlantic, Great
Circle Route to South America. Northern
birds have thus far dominated the hawk flight
at Cape May Point State Park and birds from
Labrador and Newfoundland will continue
to be counted through October. Even under
cloudy skies and a steady drizzle, four Osprey
have already been tabulated. Most hawks
would never consider migrating in weather
like this, but these strong fliers are waterproof,
with outer feathers coated in waxy oil.
Able to dive to depths of 20 feet, the “fish
hawk” is strong enough to launch itself from
the water and climb vertically with a fish in
tow. In summer with young in the nest, the
birds must perform this feat multiple times
a day. Sea eagles also eat fish but skim them
from the surface or pilfer them from Ospreys.
And while Osprey vacate the northeast in
Winter, Bald Eagles are resident, counting
down the days, as I am, until the Osprey
returns in the spring. Make no mistake, there
is an abundance of birds wintering in South
Jersey and the winter pattern is already established.
Fish Crows gathering to roost every
evening, Black Ducks heading out to spend
the night on Delaware Bay. Mockingbirds
defending winter territories and dark-eyed
Juncos any day now. But somehow the skies
over town seem empty without the ringing
whistle of Osprey.
One season ends, another begins. And
winter means owls. Screech Owls live across
the street and Great-horned Owls call from
the church steeple into January. I’ll be writing
about these in the weeks ahead.
Embrace Flavors of Fall!
Mrs. Miller’s
Dutch Apple Jam
Pumpkin Spice
Chevre
Pumpkin Pie
Balsamic
Salted
Pumpkin Seeds
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on the
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October 12, 2023 EXIT ZERO Page 31