Ian,

Osprey will swoop down on people getting into their nests, but
usually don't make contact. In banding Osprey here in Everett
we have yet to be contacted by the adult birds, although they
have come within about three feet. (I hope they continue to
NOT make contact, as they could do a lot of damage. You
should see some of the wounds they inflict on the
tough-skinned Starry Flounder they are catching here!) They
Osprey seem to be more tolerant of researchers invading their
nest space than many other raptors, although there have been
cases of researchers being injured. One attacking a person
not near their nest seems quite strange. How positive was the
ID of an Osprey? In working with non-birders in the area I
come across cases of misidentification that seem amusing to
more experienced birders, eg. an entire GBH heronry identified
as an Osprey nesting colony and confusion with eagles happens
all the time. Do you or anyone else know of Osprey nesting on
Bainbridge?

Ed Schulz
Everett, WA

-----Original Message-----
From: ian paulsen <ipaulsen at krl.org>
To: BIRDCHAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU
<BIRDCHAT at LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU>
Cc: tweeters at u.washington.edu <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Date: Friday, July 26, 2002 11:36 AM
Subject: Osprey attack


>HI ALL:
> I got in a report earlier this week of an Osprey attacking a
girl here on
>Bainbridge Island, WA. She was walking on a trail at a local
park and
>reportly an Osprey swooped do and got a talon in her hair. I
thought at
>first the bird might be defending a nest but apparently the
attack took
>palce away from the nest. Has anyone else heard of Osprey
attacking people
>before??
>sincerely
>
>Ian Paulsen
>Bainbridge Island, WA, USA
>ipaulsen at krl.org
>A.K.A.: "Birdbooker"
>"Rallidae all the way"
>
>