[ApproachingLight]

Next outing I'm wearing a wig and a full beard.david.

[hobkyl]

I stopped out yesterday and only found this guy near the long boardwalk. I suspect its the same one that we saw last week, same tree and about the same size.




Mike,
To view the osprey nest...where do you go? I went down the trail that you pointed out and after sloshing through the mud and water for about 20 mins I ended up on the beach next to a home. I turned around went back and took a side trail and ended up near some other homes. There was an interesting trail that spurred off from here with 20'ish poles (maybe 12 or so) that had cordage strung from them. It would appear that maybe they attached birds to these cords and they flew around-drawing in larger birds. However, I didnt see a way to catch the larger birds.

[mrbirdnerd]

Kyle,
You did go in the right direction to see the osprey platform, you just needed to go a bit further west. The area to the west is called Rose Marsh. Very hard to navigate this area, there are not any well traveled paths that I know of.

Here's a picture of the platform that I took back in January 2007. It was very hard to get back to the area back then, and I can only assume that it has gotten more difficult now.


As to the corded poles, I am not sure what they are used for without seeing them, but I would assume that it is exactly as you stated. It is possible that maybe they set up some mist nets around the area to catch what would come in.

Did you happen to have any photos of the corded poles, Kyle ? It has been a few years since I have ventured back to that area of the woods. Did you happen to notice the 'old' banding station that is back in that area, it would have been on the east side of the trail as you were heading back toward the beach.

[hobkyl]

Would this require entering a field at some point? Where I took the side trail..there was a junction...one way went into a large field (which might have been the same field that the hawk banding occurs in-but I didnt want to sludge through the standing water), the other was the way I followed. If you were to head down the trail that you pointed out, you would make a right turn. Follow that to its end and you will see some homes a couple hundred yards away. Continue on and there will be a small trail to the right that will have the poles. If you take that trail, you will end up in a large field with a couple of small outbuildings in it. I'm guessing that this field borders Manitou Beach Road just north of the parking lot based on the houses lined up.

I didnt take any photos, now I wish I had.

[mrbirdnerd]

It's been a few years since I have been back in that area, Kyle, and I am sure that the trails have changed a bit. I will be getting out of work this morning at 6 AM, and I plan on heading down to Owl Woods to walk through. I will head down the trail to the beach and try to get my bearings once again. I will let you know what I find.

[hobkyl]

Ok Mike...make sure you wear some waterproof boots...its pretty bad back there. If you're going to look for the poles...go right at the 4 way intersection and keep going past the yards and the small trail will be on the right.

[Matt]

I made it down the beach a few years back. It's not much of a beach. Someone had put up an obstacle course of 2x4s to get over some of the really muddy/flooded areas. That was pretty fun.

[hobkyl]

Those rickety 2x4s were a saving grace

[mrbirdnerd]

Yeah Matt,
The planks are still there, with about 2-3 inches of water beneath them. One good thing about going down that path after a nice cold night is the ice that keeps you on top of the muddy mess.

Kyle, to get to the Osprey platform you go straight at the intersection of the trails, you will end up heading toward the beach. Just as you pass a fallen tree that is above your head, you will see some Wood Duck boxes just off the trail on your left side. There is not really a well worn path, but you will see what looks like a deer path heading toward the nest boxes. Follow that trail, keeping the sound of the lake to your right, you will eventually spot the Osprey platform ahead of you. I walked to within 10 ft. of the pole this morning, still no residents.
I am guessing that the open field with poles that you passed was the Braddock Bay Bird Observatory

Here's a Bing Map with some pushpins that explain the area.
http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=r6mr6q8hpq13&lvl=17.95806866592536&dir=5.70626638035082&sty=b&cid=D14BECA5FD024B67!113

And I was able to locate a couple of Saw Whets

[Matt]

That close-up is fantastic!

[mrbirdnerd]

Thank you, Matt. The owl was quite cooperative, even had it's eyes open for me. Spotted this one about 5 feet off the ground in a tree by the banding station.

[mrbirdnerd]

Another great morning down at the woods. Got there just before sunlight, so I stopped to scan the bay as the sun came up. All sorts of activity on the bay, Mute swans everywhere, mergansers, long tail ducks, and pretty much right under my feet were 2 male and 2 female wood ducks.

Well the sun finally got high enough to give that deception of being warm, so I headed in.
Located 2 Saw Whets in the classroom area, and 2 more further down the boardwalk.

Walking further down the trail, I spotted a long ear. I went in closer to the tree, and spotted 1 more long ear just a branch away from the other. Decided to go back out to the trail and get on the other side to take advantage of the sun, and what do I see ? A 3rd Long Ear. All three in the same tree, just a few branches apart. Awesome morning, now I can go to bed.

Here's a couple pictures of the Owls. I'll photoshop them up after some sleep. Too tired......eyes blurry......must sleep.......

Saw Whet #1

Saw Whet #2

2 of the Long Ears

[backpacker]

nice shots mike

[hobkyl]

Indeed! love #2!

How high up were the long ears?

[mrbirdnerd]

The Long Eared were up about 15-20 feet up on the northeast side of the tree soaking up the morning sun. I would have gotten better shots, but it was early in the morning. They were not settled in yet for the day, and someone walked under the tree they were in. The Long eared are pretty skittish as it is, so they decided one by one, to move to a different tree.

Approxiate area they were in