Kelly: a year or two ago, well a little longer than that ,1961, on Malheur NWR, OregonI made
a large nesting cone out of 1/2 inch hardware cloth, erected it on a branch about 20 ft high
in a Cottonwood tree and filled it full of straw. . Purpose was to provide a nesting site
for Swainson's Hawk. Constructed about 5 more and placed them in some Willows and
Cottonwoods.

Was surprised when I found a Red-tailed Hawk nesting in it the first year. The following
year a Canada Goose. The third year a Great-horned Owl took it over for nesting. What
happened after that I don't because I was transferred to Hawaii.

Anyways, I thought this rather unusual. Also, two other nesting cones were taken over by
Horned Owls which start nesting in there in February .

Gene Kridler
Retarded FWS Annuitant.
Squirm, WA

.. .

Kelly Mcallister wrote:

> Good questions, Rachel. I have wondered the same things. There was a long time active
> osprey nest atop a snag on the south side of Interstate 90, just east of the Cle Elum
> River bridge. It was known to some as the "Bullfrog pond" nest. The last birds I saw on
> it were Canada Geese. I remember wondering if it was possible for the geese to hatch
> a brood and still allow the Osprey to take next turn on the nest. Since I believe it
> likely that the precocial goose nestlings do indeed jump for it not long after hatching,
> it seems plausible that the Osprey might have time to get in and nest after the geese
> have left.
>
> Anybody have any actual facts on this?
>
> Remember, the plural of anecdote is data. Whose quote is that anyway?
>
> Kelly McAllister
> Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
> Olympia, Washington
> Reply to: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov