Subject: [Tweeters] Osprey overhead
Date: Jun 16 10:03:09 2015
From: Christine Southwick - clsouth at u.washington.edu





I heard Osprey calling Sunday around noon while working in my yard in southeastern Shoreline.

Stopping to check it out, I saw one, then another, then another, then another and yet another one circling overhead, flying from north end of Lake Washington toward Hamlin Park, and beyond.
There were two much larger than the other three. I, therefore, am assuming two females and three males. I've seen three circle over my yard before, but never as loud, nor with the obvious size difference. There's got to be a territory, and hopefully a nest nearby. There used to be a nest in the cell tower next to the Shoreline water tower, but the company took the nest out last year..

On another note, I was lucky enough to watch a Chestnut-backed Chickadee take its first bath. It fluttered its wings, it flew off, and returned. It acted like it wanted to get its feet wet, would lift one foot up, and then tightly grasp the rim again. It flew off several times, and was such a new fledgling that a parent fed it twice while it was trying to get into the bath. It landed on the crook of the dripper several times, trying to figure how to get to the water. Finally, it jumped into an area almost too deep for it (there were plenty of other shallower choices), and then jumped back up, holding out its wings bent and hanging as if to say "Ick, what is so good about a bath?" I really had to laugh.

And yes, I know that I am putting human emotions onto this bird, but it is so fun to watch babies learn. And they really do learn quickly. An hour or so later I saw a couple of these fledglings taking baths. I really was doing much needed work, so I might have missed the learning curve of one of the others.

Christine Southwick
N Seattle/Shoreline
clsouthwick at q.com