Ospreys are a common sight in the Salmon Arm area, thanks to an abundance of fish in the lakes and many snags and nesting platforms.
Avid birdwatcher and photographer John Woods notes that ospreys can often be seen flying over Salmon Arm, clasping branches firmly in their talons. Whether they鈥檙e renovating or building a new home, they need a supply of suitable sticks.
Woods took this photo of ospreys working on a nest beside Skimikin Lake, but after watching for several minutes, the unexpected occurred.
He explained.
鈥淎s one adult delivers a stick to the huge, previously used nest high in a dead ponderosa pine, another adult watches the approach with partially opened wings. What you can鈥檛 see is that there are actually three adults at the nest, the two in the picture and a third crouched deep inside. I only noticed the third bird once both of these birds flew away.
鈥淎fter 10 minutes with no sign of any ospreys around the nest, the head of a hidden bird looked up and over the rim from inside the 鈥榲acant鈥� nest. Since male and female ospreys look alike, I鈥檓 not sure what is going on here with three adults at one nest.鈥�
Woods said pondering these types of mysteries is what keeps observing nature a fascinating hobby.
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martha.wickett@saobserver.net
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