Date: 3/22/26 5:33 am From: Dave Nutter (via CAYUGABIRDS-L list) <CAYUGABIRDS-L...> Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Basin Osprey report, early 22 March
At the south end of Cayuga Lake there continue to be reports of a single Osprey. On March 20th Jay McGowan saw one "circling around nest area over creek". On Saturday the 21st there were multiple reports: from the south end of the Black Diamond Trail, from AH Treman State Marine Park, from Stewart Park, and from 4 members of a Cayuga Bird Club Conservation Committee work crew in Lighthouse Point Natural Area (Jetty Woods). No one reported more than one Osprey, nor did they pin it down as to where it was spending its time, but Ann Mitchell on the work crew reported the Osprey was carrying a fish.
In Seneca County, where Osprey has seasonally ceased being considered rare, there have been 2 additional reports in the Montezuma NWR area after a hiatus since the 16th. Eleven people from the boards of the Iroquois and Montezuma Friends Boards (public support groups for the refuges, not necessarily Quakers) was allowed onto the Wildlife Drive before the general public (who I believe will be allowed on 1 April), and 1 member of the group, Christopher Hollister, submitted an eBird list including 1 Osprey, simply noting "FOY". This morning, the 22nd, David Kennedy, a photographer birder known for finding and splendidly documenting new arrivals in the north end of the Basin, shared to the Montezuma chat group on Discord a photo of an Osprey on a nest along 5&20 just west of the refuge entrance.
I haven't seen or heard of any reports elsewhere in the Cayuga Basin, but the day is young.
