Sterling State Park Ospreys - 22 July 2008

I had just completed my trip to Grosse Ile and decided to call Tom Lakin, who'd been helping to monitor the Osprey nest at Sterling State Park. I drove down to Monroe and met him next to the railroad tracks on Elm Street just west of the Ford Plant. Tom brought his 12' ladder and set it up 'on' the tracks. Climbing to the top allowed me to look over the phragmites lining the shoreline and to see the Osprey platform.

No sooner had I looked at the 3 fledglings on the platform that one of the adults spotted me and took off across the pond toward me. It made a couple of squawking passes overhead before returning to the platform. I took several frames as it passed overhead, but unfortunately the earlier clear skies were now being replaced with heavy overcast clouds. Still, I managed enough keepers of the birds, and even managed to witness one of the young leave the platform.

One of the adults had a silver band atop a tan band on the left tarsus, and a yellow band atop a blue band on the right tarsus. The other adult had a large, blue or black band on the right tarsus with the letters 'V87..' or 'VB7' On its left tarsus was a large silver band atop a smaller red band.

Magnificent birds!

Sterling SP, Monroe, Michigan, US
Jul 9, 2008 11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Protocol: Stationary
Checklist Comments:     Tom Lakin and I
1 species

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)  5     Elm Street just west of the Ford Plant. Ladder on RR tracks to see platform inside park. 2 adults and 3 fledgelings.

View this checklist online at https://ebird.org/checklist/S167175554

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