Fwd: nesting activity

[Stew Hamill]

I sent this yesterday, but it didn't come back to me.
Stew

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	nesting activity
Date:	Fri, 08 Mar 2013 08:14:04 -0500
From:	Stew Hamill <sha...@ripnet.com>
To:	natur...@googlegroups.com

I noticed 2 pairs of Common Raven yesterday at their chosen nest sites - 
both former Osprey nests. The first pair, on the nest pole at Port 
Elmsley, may not have competition as that pole is not usually used by 
Osprey. (It appears to be too short.)

The second pair, however, will get a rude surprise when the Osprey pair 
returns to claim their nest on a hydro pole by the railroad east of 
Smiths Falls.

There were also 5 Trumpeter Swans on the Rideau near Smiths Falls. They 
are also early nesters - usually early May.

Stew

[Fred Schueler]

Quoting Stew Hamill <sha...@ripnet.com>:

> I sent this yesterday, but it didn't come back to me.

* nor did it come in here.

> I noticed 2 pairs of Common Raven yesterday at their chosen nest sites -
> both former Osprey nests.

> The first pair, on the nest pole at Port
> Elmsley, may not have competition as that pole is not usually used by
> Osprey. (It appears to be too short.)

* this is the one north of Hwy 43 east of Port Elmsley?

> The second pair, however, will get a rude surprise when the Osprey pair
> returns to claim their nest on a hydro pole by the railroad east of
> Smiths Falls.

* I'm not familiar with this one - what are the coordinates?

It will certainly be fascinating to see what happens at these nests -
on the one hand one supposes that the fact that Ravens aren't fish
won't keep the Ospreys from attacking them, but on the other one would
expect the infinite sagacity of Ravens to find some way of defending
their nests.

fred.
------------------------------------------------------------
Frederick W. Schueler & Aleta Karstad
Bishops Mills Natural History Centre - http://pinicola.ca/bmnhc.htm
Mudpuppy Night in Oxford Mills - http://pinicola.ca/mudpup1.htm
Daily Paintings - http://karstaddailypaintings.blogspot.com/
South Nation Basin Art & Science Book
http://pinicola.ca/books/SNR_book.htm
RR#2 Bishops Mills, Ontario, Canada K0G 1T0
on the Smiths Falls Limestone Plain 44* 52'N 75* 42'W
(613)258-3107 <bckcdb at istar.ca> http://pinicola.ca/
------------------------------------------------------------

[Stew Hamill]

On 3/9/2013 10:33 AM, Fred Schueler wrote:
>> The first [Raven] pair, on the nest pole at Port

>> Elmsley, may not have competition as that pole is not usually used by
>> Osprey. (It appears to be too short.)
>
> * this is the one north of Hwy 43 east of Port Elmsley?

On the south side of Road 43, on the east edge of Pt Elmsley: 18T 412095
4971491

>> The second pair, however, will get a rude surprise when the Osprey pair
>> returns to claim their nest on a hydro pole by the railroad east of
>> Smiths Falls.
>
> * I'm not familiar with this one - what are the coordinates?

Where County Road 17, Kitley Line 2, and the railroad meet, east
(actually south, although it feels as if you're going east) of Smiths
Falls on County Road 17: 18T 424758 4966330. This must be a very noisy
nest, with multiple train passages per day, each one with horn blaring
at the crossing. It doesn't seem to bother the Osprey, as this has been
a successful nest every year since it was built in 2006.

I've not been around such a nest when the Ospreys return, but I would
expect the Osprey to basically ignore the Ravens and go about repairing
the nest. The Ravens would likely discreetly withdraw to another site,
such as the Raven nest nearby on a hydro tower closer to Jasper. I've
noted the result before at the Osprey nest on the hydro tower at
Cranberry Lake: the Ravens are there early in the spring, later the
Ospreys are there with no sign of the Ravens.

Stew