Mental Recall of an Osprey

[carol clark]

Hey Rob,
Now that things are somewhat calmed down as far as migration is
concerned, I have questions concerning Osprey
that noone can seem to answer.Maybe there is no answer to them but
still I wonder just how does the mind
of these birds work.
It may be that its just coincidental, but the day that Moffet left
Martha's Vineyard he made a stop in my front
yard.I was on my way to the Bahamas and got a phone call from my mom
who was at the house cat sitting for me.
She called me on my cell phone as I was heading to the boat and said
that a big brown and white bird was out
in the tree above where my car is parked.It flew down next to the car
to the ground.She went to the front door to get
a better look and she saw the gps on his back and the wire.I find this
in a way odd or maybe its coincidence.
But each day that I went to Felix Neck to visit with the bird I drove
down the road in my big white Ford Taurus.
He would turn his head and watch me as I came into the clearing of the
field.As I pulled into the lot he would
turn towards that direction and still watch me.
The thing I wonder is if an Osprey has enough recall to fly back to
the same nest every year.Does the bird have
the recall to recognize my car? Or do they follow a scent ?
It just baffles me how he would end up in my yard.Then the day I leave
for the Bahamas he left also.
maybe its coincidence or maybe they are just a lot more intelligent
than people realize.
If you have any information on how their minds work as far as recall
Id love to know.

Thank You
Carol on MV

[Rob Bierregaard]

Carol,
We have to rack this one up to coincidence. Ospreys do have great
memories--that's how they find the same spot down in the middle of the
rainforest or wherever each year, so in theory they could recognize a
car, but why would he? If you had somehow been giving him fish, he
might want to stop by where your car was, but he had no reason to
associate your car with anything other than someone following him
around with a camera. Sorry, but I can't go out there and buy into the
good vibes you were no doubt sending out being what brought him to
your yard. So, I'm left with a surprising coincidence.

Rob

[DeeDee McGann-Gollwitzer]

It's interesting you should bring this up. I have been photographing an
Osprey nest for since 2007. It is in an enclosed area not open to the
public, but I am allowed to go in and within a reasonable distance
photograph them.

I do talk to them when I photograph them. I have no evidence, but I think
they can recognize my voice. They don't seem to mind me, but if others come
near they stare at them, do the head back and forth behavior and sometimes
chirp.

I have been donating my images for publications out there and for the DFG to
use or display.

After watching for hours at a time (sometimes 8 hours), I have gotten to
know their calls and their behavior - even their personalities. With the
new 1D Mark IV coming out soon, I will then video them which tells an even
greater story.

DeeDee