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Author Topic: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys  (Read 27514 times)

Lani

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Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« on: February 23, 2021, 07:04:36 AM »

Iris



This Osprey nest is at the mouth of the Hellgate Canyon at the edge of Missoula, Montana. It's a very busy location, right outside of Riverside Health Care Center and next to a college parking lot, busy highway, and a railroad. However, it is also an ideal location in many ways, since the Ospreys have riverfront property only 50 feet from the Clark Fork River. Being close to people does not bother them, and hundreds of people enjoy watching them every day.

The female at this nest is called Iris because she has very distinctive spots on her iris, especially her left eye. These iris patterns serve as individual barcodes and allow us to identify her. She has nested at this site for many years. Her mate of many years Stanley did not return in 2016, she has attempted to breed with new mate Louis. He has gone on to mate with another osprey near the baseball field.
« Last Edit: February 23, 2021, 10:04:29 AM by Lani »
All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful; The Lord God made them all....Author: Cecil F. Alexander

Lani

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2021, 01:33:03 PM »

8:06:48, 4/7 The arrival of Queen Iris to the Cheers of all CHOWS (Crazy Hellgate Osprey Watchers)! 
What a gift for today!!
#HellgateOsprey

TOUCHDOWN!  :-* Now, please have a loyal and loving mate sent to her too!


All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful; The Lord God made them all....Author: Cecil F. Alexander

Lani

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2021, 01:34:34 PM »


Iris is mantling and fending off Louis, who has returned and attempted to mate.
Go away Louis, back to your mate Star at the baseball stadium nest.

All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small, All things wise and wonderful; The Lord God made them all....Author: Cecil F. Alexander

shep

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2021, 02:23:14 PM »

there is something breath takingly beautiful about wings
or maybe I"m jealous!  hahaa
ACCEPT TRUTH even when you dont like it
https://gab.com/ShepQ

LORIDAVIS

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2021, 04:20:34 PM »

Lani & all, so nice to see Iris!!!  Thank you for posting!  I took these screenshots & uploaded to flickr... she is so beautiful!!!  A gif also. :)  Last year she returned April 5th.  I am hoping a very nice handsome male shows up very soon! ((Iris))

Home safe & sound ((Iris))
IRIS by Lori Davis, on Flickr
Looking very beautiful and snazzy!
IRIS by Lori Davis, on Flickr

:Gorgeous eyes!
IRIS by Lori Davis, on Flickr

I'm Home!!!
Lori Davis
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LORIDAVIS

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #5 on: April 27, 2021, 04:32:51 PM »

Clynn you beat me!  I was hoping it was Emmet. Emmet's band says M8 and its blue.  I took some screen shots and going to blow them up here in a minute.  Whoever it is hopefully they come back and hoping they are male! ;D
This is Emmet banded in Montana, visited Texas


This is visitor today with Iris

Female Osprey "Iris" Visited by Banded Unknown Osprey
https://youtu.be/oA0uW2fzCxs via cornelllabbirdcams
An unknown Osprey with a metal band visited the #HellgateOspreys​ nest today while Iris was present. She appeared comfortable around the newcomer, looking relaxed and chirping.

Looks like just one band???
« Last Edit: April 27, 2021, 04:41:05 PM by LORIDAVIS »
Lori Davis
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Phyl

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2021, 06:26:25 PM »

Thanks for the thread Lani.
Wish I had the nack of screen captures.
Hoping Iris finds a more loyal mate and Stanley minds his own nest w/ Star.

Dina 5-23-21  :-* I miss you so much.
Sauces bald eagle cam

LORIDAVIS

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #7 on: April 01, 2022, 05:15:29 PM »

Hellgate Osprey cam Missoula, Montana home of sweet Iris

Visitor or Iris???  lani & Clynn, i think she looks like Lele  ;) 💜

closer image


First Osprey of 2022 Alights on the Hellgate Nest—but is it Iris? April 1, 2022

https://youtu.be/um3VWkvZOQc via Cornell lab Bird Cam
The first Osprey of the season touched down at the Hellgate nest early on the afternoon of April 1, 2022 (but this is no joke!). Only time will tell if this individual was the long-time matriarch of the site named Iris, and in past years other females have landed on the nest prior to her arrival.

This is my pic from last season of sweet Iris beautiful close up.


Lori Davis
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Phyl

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2022, 03:05:07 AM »

Thanks for the photo update on  this nest. Lori These are great.
Not sure who this one is...but don't think it's Iris based on your photos.


Dina 5-23-21  :-* I miss you so much.
Sauces bald eagle cam

LORIDAVIS

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #9 on: April 08, 2022, 07:17:16 AM »

look who's home now  ;)  Cornell has confirmed.

Hellgate Osprey Cam  Missoula, Montana home of the beautiful Iris

Iris, we love ya girl, thanks for sharing Clynn  :D

This is from around 1am, catching some zzzzz's

Lori Davis
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Phyl

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #10 on: April 08, 2022, 01:52:11 PM »

Welcome back home!
All hail Iris...Queen of Hellgate nest!
 :-* :-* :-*

Dina 5-23-21  :-* I miss you so much.
Sauces bald eagle cam

LORIDAVIS

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #11 on: May 03, 2022, 10:30:24 AM »

Hellgate Canyon Ospreys Missoula Montana home of Iris

Iris lays first egg of 2022
prayers and hugs Iris

Iris Lays First Egg of 2022 at Hellgate Canyon, May 3, 2022 | Cornell Lab | Montana Osprey Project https://youtu.be/5xVM8hd5qBA via cornell lab bird cams

Watch live with updates, tweets, and highlights at
http://AllAboutBirds.org/ospreys
Watch the cam and learn about the Montana Osprey Project at http://hs.umt.edu/osprey/

*********************************
This Osprey nest is at the mouth of the spectacular Hellgate Canyon at the edge of Missoula, Montana. It’s in a very busy location, right outside the Riverside Health Care Center and next to busy parking lots, a construction site, a busy highway, and a railroad. However, it’s also an ideal location in many ways, since these Ospreys have riverfront property only about 50 feet from the Clark Fork River. Being so close to people does not bother them, and hundreds of people enjoy watching them every day.

The female Osprey at this nest is called Iris because she has very distinctive spots on her iris, especially in her left eye. These iris patterns serve as individual barcodes and allow us to identify her. She has nested at this site for many years. Her mate of many years, Stanley, did not return in 2016, and she attempted to breed with a new male dubbed "Louis" after an influential local Salish elder named Louis Adams (for more info: http://missoulian.com/news/local/new-...)

Ospreys are consummate fishing birds, and this pair fishes primarily from the Clark Fork River and nearby Rattlesnake Creek. They use their 6–7 foot wingspans to soar above the water, looking for fish, then diving as deep as 3 feet for shallow-swimming prey. Adult Ospreys usually weigh 3–4 pounds, and they can carry prey up to 50 percent of their own weight. Ospreys can live up to 25 years, and they typically lay 1–4 eggs in a clutch.

The nest used to be on a power pole about 200 feet west of where it is now. This was dangerous, since the Ospreys could have been electrocuted, causing fires and power blackouts. In 2007, the current nest platform was erected to provide a safer place for the Ospreys to nest. They took to it immediately. Getting the new nest platform set up, and installing and running to high resolution camera for this feed for you to enjoy has been a large effort involving many groups: Riverside Health Care Center, Karen Wagner, Kate Davis and Raptors of the Rockies, Northwestern Energy, Dave Taylor Roofing Company, and Dr. Erick Greene of the University of Montana.
Lori Davis
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Phyl

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #12 on: May 04, 2022, 12:39:04 AM »

LORI- thank  you so much for you post. I hope others read this.  Poor Iris indeed!
 Here's  my ' little theory' why Iris keeps hanging onto that cad, Louis, ...maybe he has good DNA and the chicks are strong/healthy and will strengthen the species.   :-\
 That's all I can come up as to  'Why?'  Frankly even if that's true...just not worth it.  Please God, send her a new and better mate! We fret over her so.
Great photos.
Iris needs our prayers for sure.
Iris :-* :-* :-*

Dina 5-23-21  :-* I miss you so much.
Sauces bald eagle cam

LORIDAVIS

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #13 on: March 30, 2023, 02:14:37 PM »

keeping thread active waiting for sweet Iris to come home and hopefully Emmett ;)

post via Lani today... thank you Lani!


Hellgate Osprey - Watching the skies for Iris! Any day now! :-*

Lori Davis
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LORIDAVIS

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Re: Hellgate Canyon Ospreys
« Reply #14 on: March 30, 2023, 02:25:51 PM »

April 7 2021 Beautiful Iris💕
Lori Davis
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