Osprey family in the city

Monday, 1 August 2016, was mostly a quiet day at home - it was a long weekend and I didn't really want to be doing a longish drive with a lot of traffic on the roads. Late in the afternoon, I did get out to see a pair of Swainson's Hawks and also drove to a local Osprey family, that I think has three youngsters still on the nest. There wasn't much activity going on during the short time I was there, but I did catch this one with wings flapping. Not the best composition, but I was just turning away from the nest when I caught sight of wings out of the corner of my eye. Almost missed getting a shot.

"Unique among North American raptors for its diet of live fish and ability to dive into water to catch them, Ospreys are common sights soaring over shorelines, patrolling waterways, and standing on their huge stick nests, white heads gleaming. These large, rangy hawks do well around humans and have rebounded in numbers following the ban on the pesticide DDT. Hunting Ospreys are a picture of concentration, diving with feet outstretched and yellow eyes sighting straight along their talons." From AllAboutBirds.

www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Osprey/id

Seeing the Swainson's Hawks was quite an experience - I was dive-bombed three times in the two minutes maximum that I was there! A friend had told me about this family, but he didn't have the same experience as I had! I don't know how many young ones there are - and I don't intend going back to find out : ) There is nothing like seeing a large hawk flying fast straight for you at head level!

I was without my vehicle the last day and a half, while it was being looked at because it suddenly developed a really bad, noisy muffler problem. It was going to be a major expense (almost $5,000) to repair/replace the various parts and I have just heard back that one part is no longer available. To find one would mean being without my car for two weeks! So, late yesterday, I collected the car and will just drive within the few roads by me (mainly for groceries) with an extremely noisy vehicle. I know I finally have to buy a new car and as soon as possible - something that I have been thinking about the last few years, as the car is now over 17 years old. Not something I wanted to do on the spur of the moment like this, though. Unfortunately, I had to cancel my plans to take my daughter to the mountains today. For years and years I have longed to drive there myself and finally plucked up courage to go with my daughter today to help me navigate. Just as well we didn't go, as my vehicle may have been fine until we were out in the mountains, and then have the muffler 'die', and then there would have been a real problem. So, today, I must empty everything out of the car and go and clean it out the best I can, and then get back to some more research. I won't get much if anything for a trade-in, but that is most likely what I will do.