Osprey Arrives @ SouthCoast Rookery, March 23rd
The first osprey (Pandion haliaetus) arrived at the SouthCoast rookery in Marion on March 23rd. Circling above the pond and swooping between the trees, the osprey evoked a riot of squawks from nesting pairs of great blue herons (Ardea herodias) who had glided into the rookery two days earlier on March 21st.
Osprey Promptly Evicts Blue Heron Pair from Prime Nest
The osprey immediately and unceremoniously evicted the early great blue heron pair from the prime nest in this rookery, repeating what had occurred in 2012 and 2013. (See Aggressive Ospreys Evict Great Blue Heron Nesting Pair.) Perhaps fortunately this year, the eviction happened before egg laying had begun. The 2012 eviction took place in early May!
Ospreys and Blue Herons Do NOT Make Friendly Neighbors
As each species takes flight from its respective nest and nears the other, cacophony and chaos ensue. Turtle Journal observes, “Isn’t Nature grandly harmonious?“