Nature's Notebook

In spite of a return to subseasonal temperatures, and even the brief threat of an April snowstorm that never materialized, our birds and other wildlife are not waiting to do their spring thing. Eastern phoebes are now well ensconsed, American robins (our state bird) are too. Northern cardinals are singing, and American woodcocks are displaying (although, unfortunately, bad weather forced the cancellation of last Wednesday's much-anticipated woodcock watch at Sharon Audubon).

Recent arrivals in our region included this osprey at Rudd Pond captured on film expertly by photogrpher Scott Whalen. This medium- to large-size raptor is a visitor to our lakes and ponds in spring and summer. Known also as a fish hawk, the osprey feeds on midsize fish by making a shallow plunge into the water from a moderate height, striking with its feet and then carrying its prey away, holding it firmly grasped in its talons, head first.

Perched on a branch, an adult osprey is unmistakable with its white head and underparts separated by a broad dark mask. In flight, it is equally distinctive, even at a great distance; ospreys typically fly with their long, narrow wings held with a distinctive bend in the “wrist,� giving them a profile that is more like a gull's than a typical hawk's.

To conservationists, the osprey is emblematic of the environmental movement of the 1970s and the successful struggle to ban the pesticide DDT. Osprey numbers plummeted during that decade, and DDT was fingered as a likely cause.  The chemical caused the birds' eggshells to thin, and as a result the incubating parents inadvertently broke the eggs. 

The eventual ban on DDT, along with the construction of nesting platforms in osprey habitats, has brought about a welcome recovery for this majestic species.

In fall, our ospreys will leave us for warmer climes in the southern United States and Latin America. In the meantime, though, we can enjoy their annual arrival to our corner of the world.

Bear watch: Jan Tenney of West Cornwall reports that her cat alerted her to the presence of a female bear with three cubs at her home. (For more, go to Cornwall.)

Walt Shannon of Lakeville said that he spied a sow with two cubs in the midst of his garbage, which was strewn across his lawn.

With the number of multiple cub sitings this spring, one can't help wondering if the bears got into the trash behind a fertility clinic last fall.

Fred Baumgarten is a naturalist and writer. He can be reached at fredb58@sbcglobal.net. His blog is at https://thatbirdblog.blogspot.com.