Year Three of My 365 Photo Project

May has been a very busy month with lots of photography options.  My first opportunity came with a work adventure.

One of the Osprey parents circling overhead (photo:  Cathy Spahn)

 World Bird Sanctuary works with many organizations when it comes to bird issues.  In this case it came with an Osprey that had nested on a crane over 180 feet in the air.  The organization wanted to help the birds, yet the crane was needed.  So, several of us went on an adventure to rescue the eggs.  I stayed on the ground taking photos, since I have a very large fear of heights.

An unhappy Osprey parent (photo: Cathy Spahn)

Walter and Adam adventured up in a lift to the nest to rescue the eggs.  While taking photos of what was going on I took a few nice photos of the Osprey parents as they hovered overhead.   The eggs were taken to World Bird Sanctuary to be put in the incubator.  If the eggs hatch we will then raise the young for release back into the wild.

The next photo opportunity came at World Bird Sanctuary’s Annual Spring Camera Day.  I usually work the event, so I do not have a ton of time to take photos, but I can usually take a few.  There are two photos that came out of this day that I really like.  The first is Rustle, the Nine-banded Armadillo.

Rustle the Nine-banded Armadillo (photo: Cathy Spahn)

This year I decided to try something different and went for Rustle.  Rustle is a very challenging subject to photograph because he does not sit still.  We put Rustle on table with logs, leaves, flowers, and rocks.  He went to town plowing it all over and knocking about 80% on to the ground.  Then he discovered a small colony of ants that came out of the log and he got a nice big snack!  He had a good time and will be a guest again at camera day, but possibly in a different set up.

Oliver (above) & Timber (in box) demonstrating the two Screech Owl color phases (photo: Cathy Spahn)

The next Camera Day photo opportunity came at the end of the day.  I really wanted to try getting a few photos of our two Eastern Screech Owls Timber and Oliver in the same photo.  First the trick to this photo was to keep the birds separated so they could not get to each other.  The first set up involved a large log and one screech owl up high and one down low.  That was a good idea, but the photo was still very distant.  Then I remembered that we have a screech owl box set up.  We put Timber inside the box, since he does not mind the box.  Then we put Oliver on top, since he was not sure of the box earlier in the day.  They both sat perfectly!  This was my favorite of the two birds and a nice way to show the two different color phases.

Jim, the farmer, and me with two of the babies (photo: Jeff Meshach)

The last work adventure that resulted in many photos was a sudden trip.  One day I was leaving to head out bird watching when Jeff Meshach, WBS director, pulled up and asked if I would like to go with him to place Barn Owls for release.  Away we went heading south to a farm with 6 Barn Owls to be hacked into the wild. 

The Barn Owl fledglings adjusting to their new environment (photo: Cathy Spahn)

Hacking is the process of putting young birds into an artificial nest, or in this case a barn.  The nest is closed for a period of time (so the babies can’t leave) and humans provide food.  Then the doors are opened.  As the babies fly to and from the artificial nest, humans provide food for anywhere from a few days to a week.  This supplements food they may catch as they develop their flight skills.  The young are then off and on their own.  This method has been used for a long time and has helped to bring many endangered species back from the brink of extinction, such as the Peregrine Falcon.  This photo was taken by Jeff of Jim the farmer and me with two of the owls ready to go.

So these are just a few of my photos for the month.  Sometimes the photo opportunities are planned and other times they just happen.  I have had people say they want to come with me to take photos.  I can fully admit sometimes it really is just dumb luck on what comes about.  What makes the big difference is just getting out and taking photos--not just sitting at home waiting for something to happen.

Submitted by Cathy Spahn, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

Birdlore: Osprey The Fish-Hawk

The name Osprey takes its roots from the Medieval Latin phrase, “avis prede,” which translates as, “bird of prey.”

This Latin phrase is separate from the Latin taxonomic classification name, Pandion haliaetues.   Other names for the Osprey are Balbuzard pécheur (French) and Gavilán pescador (Spanish).

Here at the World Bird Sanctuary I am called Bennet , but I go by other names as well. 

Many Native American cultures referred to the Osprey as the “Fish-Hawk”, as the Osprey will dive into shallow waters for its strict diet of fish.  They are also very successful hunters as they can catch fish with a success rate as high as 70%, and usually they can achieve a successful catch after 10-15 minutes of hunting.

The Osprey is revered with the same level of respect regarded to Bald and Golden Eagles by Native Americans, especially among the coastal tribes, where the Fish-Hawk is most commonly seen.  In these cultures, Ospreys are seen as guardians, or a warning against approaching danger.  Sometimes birds or other animals are assigned human characteristics in a story for people to better relate to, and the story is used as a teaching lesson.

 Following is a legend of the Micmac tribe, in which the Osprey is both a prideful and arrogant character.

Fish-Hawk and the Scapegrace – A Micmac Legend

“Two men met and greeted: one was Fish-Hawk, the other was Scapegrace (a scoundrel). Fish-Hawk was a prideful bird; he could fly higher than any sea bird and was very particular about his food.  Only to the Great Eagle does Fish-Hawk yield, but to anyone of lesser status he gives no ground. 

“So, when the Scapegrace, who will eat anything upon the ground and is slow and heavy in flight, approaches Fish-Hawk that they should become equals, Fish-Hawk rages with fury, but keeps this to himself.  Instead, he cleverly devises a plan to humiliate the other. When Scapegrace suggested a race with Fish-Hawk, the proud hawk said, “Let us go together to an Indian village near here.”

“Fish-Hawk arrived long before the other and called the villagers together saying, “Beware of the one who follows after me.  He is ugly and heavy and will offer his own coarse food.  Beware!  It is poisoned!  He aims to kill you.  Do not eat it or you will die.”

“Then he left, quite pleased with himself. 

“Scapegrace appeared a short while later and was treated with great caution.  He gave out his food, but the people only pretended to eat it.  They subtly let the food slip past their lips and threw it away.  Scapegrace told the chief that he was in search of a wife, and asked if there were any daughters available to be wed.  The chief then said there were several daughters within the Raccoon tribe.

“So Scapegrace went in search of those daughters, but Fish-Hawk’s misleading words preceded him again.  He was met with fright and disgust and welcomed like filth on fine cloth.  The mother of the daughters refused his request and turned him away. 

“Fish-Hawk returned again and asked if all had transpired as he said it would.  They said it had been so.  Feeling clever again, Fish-Hawk decided to use the opportunity to pass himself off as a great prophet or wise magician.  To the villagers he said, “All is well.  You would all have died today if not for my foresight.  That scoundrel would have poisoned you.  But do not worry, I will watch over you in the future.”

“To a man of the village, Fish-Hawk said that should he ever see a great bird flying overhead it would be a sign of great danger approaching.  The proud bird then left.

“The man, being wise and shrewd, thought for a long time and thought that Fish-Hawk foretold the coming of Scapegrace, so and now he tried to pass himself off as a great sorcerer.  “They shall see!” he said.

“A few days later, the man saw a bird flying high above the village.  He called out to Fish-Hawk and said, “You spoke of danger to our people.  What comes this way?”

“In a few days time, your village will be attacked by a Kookwes (man-eating ogre or giant).  You must retreated from the village or be devoured.”

“When will he come?”  The man asked.  “Where shall we go?”

“In a week’s time,” Fish-Hawk answered.  “You must take your canoes and flee far before then.  You must get beyond the Kookwes’s reach, but you will not get far enough in time to escape his terrible roar.   All who hear it will die.”

“How may we escape this fate?”  The man asked.

“You must close the ears of all the villagers, so no one can hear anything.  Then when the danger is past, you may return.”

“The man, Oscoon, led the people away.  He had them close their ears, but he did not close his own.  He heard a whoop far-away, but it did not sound so terrible.  He kept his silence.  Scouts returned with news of the departing Kookwes.  All was safe.

“The people held Oscoon in high regard and appointed him their chief.  Days later, Fish-Hawk returned and asked, “Did the Kookwes come?  Did you escape?  What direction did he go?”  But Oscoon countered with, “He did come and we escaped unharmed.  But surely, as great and knowledgeable as you are about him, you would know better than we do.” 

“Fish-Hawk then realized his ruse had been discovered.  And he went away, never to return to that village to play the prophet.

“He who would cheat must watch his words well.”

Submitted by Jessica Bunke, World Bird Sanctuary Trainer

The Bird That Stands Alone

A very unique bird of prey that I would like to introduce to you is the Osprey (Pandion haliaetus). 

Ospreys are so special that they are in a class all their own.  There are eight different classes of birds of prey; Eagles, Hawks, Falcons, Owls, Vultures, Condors, Kites, and Ospreys.

Bennett the Osprey

At World Bird Sanctuary we have a very special bird named Bennett--our only Osprey.  Bennett was found in a field in Wentzville, Missouri in the cold of February 2013.  It was a very rainy day as well and he was soaked to the skin when he was rescued. 

When Bennett was examined at our hospital it was discovered that he did not have any physical injuries.  He appeared to have arthritis in his joints.  He was very fortunate to have been found, as he most likely would have perished if not rescued. 

Bennett got his name from Bennett Springs Park and Hatchery in Lebanon, Missouri.  The conservationists there are lifetime adoptive parents.  Their fish hatchery donates their excess fish to WBS to help feed the birds.  And, since the Osprey’s main food is fish Bennett receives some of that fish as his meal.  Below is a picture of Bennett.

Ospreys are found on every continent of the earth except Antarctica.  These birds eat about 99% fish in their diet, so they are found mainly around waterways, such as rivers, lakes, and coasts.  In North America, they are found on the Gulf Coast of Florida, and the Gulf of California year round.  During breeding season their range extends to Alaska, Canada, and many parts of the continental U.S.  During the winter they migrate towards the California coast and Texas coast.  They will migrate as far south as Mexico, and even into South America.

The name Osprey actually means bird of prey (avis prede) in Latin.  Ospreys range from 3-4.5lbs (1400-2000g) in weight and stand at a height of 1.75-1.9 ft (21-23in) tall.  They have an astounding wingspan ranging from 5-6 feet long as well. 

Do you know what sets ospreys apart from other birds of prey?  Believe it or not, it’s their feet!  Ospreys have feet that are zygodactyl, which means that they have two toes pointing forward and two toes pointing backward.  However, one backwards toe can move forward if needed.  The only other birds of prey that have zygodactyls feet are owls.  Ospreys are the only diurnal (day active) birds to have these special feet.  All other birds of prey have anisodactyl feet.  This means they have three toes pointing forward and one pointing backward.  Below you can see the difference between an osprey’s foot and a peregrine falcon’s foot.

Photo of an Osprey foot

Photo of a Peregrine Falcon foot

Bennett is thought to be around 15-20 years old because of his behavior.  An Osprey’s  lifespan in the wild is usually around this same range.  In captivity however their age can be as much as 30-35 years old.  The oldest recorded wild osprey was 25 years and 2 months old.  Some different reasons why animals live longer in captivity include a steady diet, no predators, medical attention available, and housing available as well.  Since Bennett has arthritis, we sprinkle Arthriease on his fish every day. 

Bennett is available for adoption in our Adopt a Bird program.  To find out more information, call 636-861-3225.  All adoption donations are tax deductible.  

Bennett can be seen on the exhibit line just past the World Bird Sanctuary Wildlife Hospital, mostly during warm months. 

The World Bird Sanctuary is open daily from 8am-5pm 363 days of the year. 

Bennett is a very interesting bird.  You should stop on by and visit him! 

Submitted by Lisbeth Hodges, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist

Chewk-Chewk-Chewk

Chewk- Chewk- Chewk is the alarm call of the Osprey.

The Osprey or sea hawk is one of the most common birds of prey and is found on every continent except Antarctica.  Locally in the U.S. the Osprey is found everywhere on or near water, and they are not shy about living amongst humans.  The diet of the Osprey is almost completely comprised of fish and they are completely specialized for a life style on the water.

An adult Osprey

Common on almost every continent, the Osprey is a master of its craft as a fisher.  With a worldwide population over half a million, the Osprey is one of the most widespread birds of prey.  The Osprey is found in most temperate regions throughout the world, from Canada to Argentina and Ireland to North Africa.  Temperate zone Ospreys do migrate, typically with the changing of the seasons in most regions.

The Osprey is specially designed to hunt on water in many very interesting ways. Sporting long slender wings and a short tail, the Osprey’s wingspan measures up to 6 feet in large females.  The Osprey is specially equipped with an outer toe that can rotate toward the back toe to help catch and hold on to slippery fish.  The scales on the feet and legs are fashioned in an upward position and is opposite of all the other birds of prey. These upside down scales make the legs more hydrodynamic when the bird plunges completely into the water to catch a fish (Bald Eagles catch fish near the water’s surface).  The pads on the bottom of the Osprey’s feet are made up of tiny barb like bumps.   Even the nose holes (nares) of the Osprey can be closed, which comes in handy when the Osprey hits its prey below the surface of the water and then has to fly out of the water with the fish.

The Osprey is among just a few of the legendary and mythical creatures that have been recorded in human culture from the beginning.  This is probably due to the common connection to water and fishing that humans and Ospreys share.  They are able to coexist in and amongst humans quite successfully as long as they are respected. 

The Osprey is truly one of the world’s most successful and magnificent animals.  If you would like to see an Osprey up close, stake a stroll down the WBS display line and visit our resident Osprey, Bennett (from late March through mid November).

Submitted by Adam Triska, World Bird Sanctuary Naturalist/Trainer

Odd Birds in Rehab

The Wildlife Hospital at World Bird Sanctuary has been very odd lately.  

Most of the birds we admit are usually birds of prey, but recently swans, pelicans and great blue herons are filling up our clinic cages. 

 Trumpeter Swan and his mate - victims of a poacher

Unfortunately, the pair of trumpeter swans that were shot by a poacher in December did not survive. Even with a tremendous investment on our part, both monetarily and emotionally, we were unable to save them.  This is one of the pitfalls of working in animal rehab.  However, each time we are able to release one of our patients back into the wild we are reminded why we do what we do.  

 Osprey recently admitted to the hospital

Even the birds of prey that we are receiving are ones that we don’t see that often.  A number of Bald Eagles have made it in to the hospital, including one that was caught in a trap and died from a gangrenous infection where the trap had severed the toe.  We’ve even admitted an Osprey, which was in a fight with a Bald Eagle.  He is eating well and looks set for release in the next 6-8 weeks.

I am glad that we are here for them – at World Bird Sanctuary we are all odd birds!

Submitted by Joe Hoffmann, Sanctuary Manager, World Bird Sanctuary