Michelle and Tweeters,

OSPREYS are a fairly common and widespread breeding bird in western
Washington, as documented by Smith, Mattocks & Cassidy (Breeding Birds
of Washington State, 1997), and as I can attest from personal
experience. However, they are highly migratory, and sightings in
December, January, and February are extremely unusual, and worthy of
documentation. This statement is true for B.C., and I believe also for
Washington; it is not quite as true for Oregon, where a very few
Ospreys (probably fewer than 10 per year) winter at places like Coos
Bay, Port Orford, and Eugene.

In 5 years of editing all the Christmas Bird Counts for western
Canada, I found that Ospreys were reported on a few counts every year.
Almost invariably, the reports were poorly-documented or undocumented,
and by inexperienced observers, and the birds could not be relocated
after the count. I have spoken to quite a few (inexperienced)
observers who have tried to turn an immature Bald Eagle with a dark
eye-stripe into an Osprey-- never mind that the bird had dark
underparts. For those of you that belong to ABA, a Bald Eagle in this
plumage is pictured on Figure 18, page 27 of the Feb. 2001 issue of
BIRDING.

In southwestern B.C., Ospreys normally arrive in early April or (less
often) late March, and are gone by late October. I know of one
credible February record for Vancouver-- presumably an early arrival.
I suspect that migration dates are similar in Washington.

Mistaking a Bald Eagle for an Osprey is not something an experienced
birder is likely to do. However, there are more inexperienced
observers afield during Christmas Bird Counts, and the Great Backyard
Bird Count, than at any other time of year. (This is NOT a dig at
neophyte birders-- encouraging beginners to come out in the field is a
large part of what these two projects are about, and is something I
have always strongly supported!!) However, these counts need to be
edited with the fact firmly in mind that there are many inexperienced
birders, who are likely to make some identification errors.

Perhaps Russell Rogers, the Field Notes Editor for WOSNEWS, can give
us some idea of the frequency of winter Osprey sightings in Washington
if he has time? If so, many thanks, Russell!

Wayne C. Weber
Kamloops, BC
contopus at home.com


----- Original Message -----
From: <WMeadowlark at att.net>
To: <TWEETERS at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2001 6:45 PM
Subject: Ospreys in W. Washington


> Wayne...
> I hope you're not suggesting that we don't see Ospreys
> in Western Washington. I see them often, here in South
> Thurston County, Washington. In fact, with all the coast
> line and bodies of water we have here, I'd be amazed if
> I DIDN'T see Ospreys........
>
> --
> Michelle Blanchard
> WMeadowlark at att.net
> Olympia, WA
>