MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) - A pair of osprey have begun building a nest on a man-made platform along the Clark Fork River in Missoula that biologists reserved for the fish-hawks after a pair of early-bird Canada geese laid claim to the spot last year.
University of Montana biologist Erick Greene tells the Missoulian (https://bit.ly/OyuM0Y ) he removed the “goose excluder” from the platform last Friday, under the watchful eye of a female osprey. The “goose excluder” was a chicken-wire cone put up in March.
The nest overlooks Orgren-Allegiance Park, home to the Missoula Osprey of the Pioneer Baseball League.
Canada geese migrate north about three weeks ahead of osprey. Last spring, a goose built a nest on the site, forcing the osprey to raise their family on a nearby NorthWestern Energy utility pole. Utility workers kept the nest trimmed to prevent electrocutions.
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Information from: Missoulian, https://www.missoulian.com
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