Ospreys may bring their young to a particular site to teach and practice flying.
The Osprey or “fish hawk”, Pandion haliaetus https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osprey has returned to our local area in force. At the present time (July 2023) there are two successfully occupied nests at the shores of Mount Sinai Harbor on L.I., Suffolk County, New York. (https://earth.app.goo.gl/PW3giC) One of these nests was located on a post and platform affair constructed by the Town several years ago in the Harbor’s extreme west end, and another was chosen and constructed by Ospreys on the top of a wooden utility pole along the road-side of Harbor Beach Road.
An avid Osprey observer of these local nests close to water I was quite surprised to see an Osprey family (adult male and female with a single immature bird )frequenting the top of a high tension electric utility pylon, more than two miles inland from known nest sites and similarly distant from the ocean, Long Island Sound, or large bodies of water where these birds are normally observed.
The pylon where these observations were made is situated at: 40 56’ 37’’ N, 72 59’ 20’ W, at the intersection of Miller Place Road, and the former LIRR right-of-way (recently developed as a bicycle and pedestrian pathway, and locally known as “Brookhaven Town, Rail Path”). The high tension electric pylon with an array of wireless nodes or repeaters which encircle the top is well over 150 feet above ground. This pylon is approximately 1.5 miles from Long Island Sound, 2.2 miles from Mount Sinai Harbor Osprey nests, and 2.1 miles from a large artificial lake near Middle Island, and 3.3 miles from “Twin Ponds” two small, inland, natural ponds. This Osprey family was far from their normal fishing and nesting sites. So why where they there?
On at least four occasions, this summer I have observed what I assumed to be a mated Osprey pair and a juvenile of that species, occupying the area over one particular pylon. The three were observed soaring over the immediate area near the pylon—where summer thermals are common. The immature bird often lands on the top of the pylon and calls plaintively and repeatedly to its parents, who then fly over the top of the pylon and continue on into in a spiral soaring flight. When they pass they call to the juvenile. On several occasions they landed on the top of the pylon among the many microwave and wireless nodes installed on this particular pylon to join (and calm?) the complaining juvenile. I can not be sure that the observations were of the same mated pair and their young on each occasion. The parents do not often perch, but appear to swoop down and encourage the juvenile to fly. The group remains at the site around the pylon for a period of time, then all depart together..to areas unknown.
The Pylon they have been seen to visit on these occasions is distant from any water sources. However, several large parking lots and shopping plazas in the immediate vicinity may encourage the formation of local thermal currents. Perhaps they visit the site, with their young to practice flying. The area of observations is two miles inland from the Sound shore, where cool water and sea breezes retard thermal activity and tend to minimize their strength. On warm clear days abundant thermals near this site with its elevated comfortable perch provides adequate up ‘lift’ for these magnificent flyers to soar, and circumstances where they can “teach” their youngsters to fly—and perhaps to build adequate wing and breast musculature for the fall, when they will have to migrate long distances to southern latitudes. In addition, the large array of wireless equipment at the top permits many places to perch…another possible advantage.
Update: On July 28, 2023 this author observed a single juvenile Osprey flying to and perching on the pylon described above. The juvenile made a few plaintive calls as if parents were near, but no other osprey were present. I observed the juvenile for about 1/2 hour. The time was about 10 AM, light winds, clear sky.
No comments:
Post a Comment