Missing this wonderful osprey pair!

[elleng]

[AllaN01Bear]

1. miss em too also.

[ShazzieB]

2. Yes!

I miss them, too. But I've been thinking about something.

I wonder what would happen if all that stuff was scraped off the roof of the boathouse. There's nothing left of the osprey nest anyway. If it was scraped clean, maybe it would lose its appeal for the geese, and the ospreys could start over fresh next year if they've a mind to.

Just a thought I've been kicking around for a while, make of it what you will.

[elleng]

3. All that 'stuff' IS the nest,

and goose seemed happy to use it, as she awaited gosling delivery.

Ospreys nowhere in sight.

[Donkees]

5. Osprey don't nest on the ground, but geese do. What's left of the legacy nest is rotting vegetation

There needs to be a deterrent to the geese, both can't share the legacy nest because osprey need more time to raise their young.

[ShazzieB]

6. Exactly!

Thanks for explaining this so clearly.

I've noticed that the geese seem to get there first every year snd settle in before the ospreys even get a chance. I was just thinking that removing what's left of the goose nest might make it unappealing to the geese, and give the osprey pair a chance to build a fresh new nest if they are so inclined.

Of course there's no telling if it would work. But as long as that spot is attractive to the geese,they'll probably keep claiming it. I was thinking that clearing away the material that the geese have been using might give the ospreys a fresh start.

[Donkees]

7. Have mentioned much of the same the last two years, the obstacle seems to be the boathouse landlord

Osprey have been able to make a come-back and increase their numbers as individuals and communities constructed and maintained nesting platforms for them. Maintenance often included dumping end of season platform contents in order to deter geese. The longer that geese claim that nest, the more their goslings will imprint on that site.

A constructed platform nest for osprey usually has slats and wire screen on the bottom, which acts to sift out rotting matter. The boathouse roof just forms a compost heap.

[Donkees]

4. Agree, and have mentioned the same advice. The geese are content nesting on rotting vegetation.

There needs to be a real deterrent to the geese taking over the legacy Osprey nest. It might be time to clear that boat-house roof of the rotting vegetation, and give the Ospreys a fresh start.