Osprey Tales

“How’s the weather in North Carolina?”

Summertime here.

Some of my friends wanted to hear about Doctor, so I told them all about him and my H. sapiens friends. Not just my HS friends, but my bird friends too.

I will be back in less than 8 weeks.”

                                                              Love, Harriet

4:45 Sunday evening.

Large, pure white heron with daggerlike yellow bill. Long black legs. Forages in shallow wetlands by slowly stalking prey. Largest and most widespread white heron.

The Santo Antônio Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Madeira River, 4 mi southwest of Porto Velho, Brazil

Because the dam is a run-of-the-river project, it does not impound a large reservoir. The reservoir that has been created is ideal for wintering osprey.

The Santo Antônio reservoir provides wide expanses of shallow, fish-filled water. It has been estimated that there are more than 900 fish species in the Madeira River Basin, making it one of the richest freshwater systems in the world.

The vast Amazon jungle surrounds the reservoir, allowing birds to congregate on the canopy. They socialize, catch up on gossip and dive for a snack on a whim. The trees along the bank are especially tall, protecting them from ground predators. The weather stays a balmy 75 – 78°.  There is always a lot of excitement down at the water’s edge.

One of the most common and widespread warblers. Breeds in forested areas with at least some conifers. Forages for insects, often sallying out to snatch them in midair. Also eats berries in winter.

Is not a duck…Compact, small gray-brown body and a stubby bill. Shorter, rounder body than a duck. Inhabits ponds and marshes with emergent vegetation. Dives to feed mostly on fish. Black eyes.

While buried in dense shrubbery, they belt out a scratchy “chick-burio-chick” song. More often heard than seen. Look for white eye, yellow eyebrow, olive back, gray breast, and yellow sides. Thick bill characteristic of vireos. Forages in scrubby areas, overgrown pastures, and forest edges for insects.