Even before the Osprey nest assignments came out, word spread through the birding community that “Patrick” the Osprey who claims the nest near the water department in Westerly had arrived. I grabbed my camera and did a beeline to the location. It was perfect – close to a quiet water department driveway in easy range of my light camera. He wasn’t there when I arrived -- he made an entrance. In the distance, emerging from the woods his magnificent wings spread, alternately flapping and soaring he was carrying six-foot branch in his talons. His branch, longer than his wingspan, was carefully lower on the platform. He was off again. The next branch was nine inches long. I wondered is he a master nest engineer or just learning that smaller is easier to carry. Some Crows came to join him and he was not leaving that nest until they were gone. There was no contact, but some pretty serious glances were exchanged. The Crows departed, then the Osprey, then me – a very happy birder.


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