Subject: [Tweeters] Ospreys are fledging
Date: Aug 1 20:56:00 2011
From: Carol & Lynn Schulz - carol.schulz50 at gmail.com


Hi Tweets:
Our local Osprey juveniles are fledging. I've been watching several nests from Tukwila south to north Auburn. I just learned about a new nest today from Roger Orness. It's near Willis St in Kent. On a cell tower.
The nests are on cell towers, or tall light poles w/ large lights, and one is on an Osprey platform. On one nest, all 3 juvs have fledged, but today one juv returned to that nest while an adult was nearby. That is the only nest so far in our area where all the young have fledged.
We call one of the nests the Longacres nest. It is located to the east of West Valley hwy near Longacres Rd. It is on a very-tall cell tower, so I view it from the back of the Best Western parking lot which is across the hwy. An adult and a juv has been in the nest during most visits. I don't think that juv has fledged yet. While I was there today, a juv Western Scrub-Jay was foraging on the black top and flying up to the top of some lights of the Best Western parking lot. The Oh Boy Oberto unltd. hydro was parked in that lot. The Green River runs right behind the lot.
The nest that is the easiest to see is in Tukwila across the Green River from Boeing Employees Credit Union (BECU). There is a young juv there w/ adult on the nest. The other adult perches on a light on the viewing side. The locals who have a spotting scope and watch the action from the ambulance company's windows, said the young hawk did not hatch til quite late, sometime in the week before July 4. Those folks think that bird might not fledge for a week or two. You can view from a trail and there is a viewing bench. The nest platform is only about 150 feet from the viewing area. To reach the BECU nest, exit I-5 onto Interurban Ave. Turn east on Gateway Blvd, which goes back to BECU. Just before the end where the blvd makes a U, turn right on 57th, and then an immediate left into the parking lot of an ambulance company. Drive all the way around to the back of the lot, and park by the Green River. Walk up to the trail to see the Osprey platform in Codiga Park which is across the river.
If anyone wants directions to these nests in Tukwila, Kent, and Auburn, I can send some information off list. It's quite fun to watch the young fly short distances, and hear all the Osprey calls from adults and juveniles.
Yours, Carol Schulz
Des Moines