≡ Menu

A Nuttall’s Woodpecker And The Ospreys For Bird Photography Weekly

Nuttall’s Woodpecker Female Injured photo by Larry Jordan

Friday, as I was getting off of work, my friend John, who had left just a few minutes before me, called and told me there was an injured bird in the parking lot right outside the hospital.  He found this female Nuttall’s Woodpecker on the pavement, and being a bird lover, he attempted to move it off of the hot pavement.  When he did, she actually took a short flight to a cooler, safer spot in the shade below this huge wall of windows.

Large buildings with walls of windows are a major cause of bird deaths.  See my post on birds colliding with windows.

She didn’t look good.  Her eyes were closed and she was panting.  We didn’t know what had happened to her but she was hot and dehydrated.  We offered her water and allowed her to get her beak wet and take fluid at her own pace.  My guess is that she was stunned from colliding with the window.

When a bird collides with a window, you never know if it is simply stunned or has internal injuries so we decided to take it to the Shasta Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation center.  We are lucky to have this great resource right here in Shasta County.   Here is a picture of this little cutey as she arrived at the center riding in my hiking boot.

I left her in the excellent hands of the staff where she was checked for injuries and released the next day.

At this point, I bet you are wondering where the Ospreys come in right?  Well, the Shasta Wildlife Rescue Center is located in Anderson River Park, which is one of Shasta County’s great birding hot spots, located on the Sacramento River.

This 440 acre park has some excellent birding trails and is one of the regular sites visited by the local Wintu Audubon Society for bird walks.  The park also has a pair of Ospreys building a nest atop one of the soccer field light towers and I thought I would stop by and check them out.

Osprey Pair In Nest Atop Light Tower

As I reached a good viewing location in a parking lot across from the nest, the Osprey pair were both in the nest, but not for long.  One of them (I believe the male) took off with part of a fish in its talon.

and flew over to the adjacent light tower to feed.

He was up there for over 45 minutes munching on that fish, with his mate vocalizing almost the entire time!  Actually, at one point, she flew out of the nest and came back a few minutes later with a stick for the nest.  I was told that this pair of Osprey mated back on March 5th and at least one chick has been seen in the nest.

Finally, as the sun was setting, the male flew back to the nest with what was left of the fish

but it was too dark now to get good pictures and I had to get home anyway.  However, I will be returning to chronicle the exploits of this Osprey pair and document the raising of their young as the weeks go by.

Make sure you get over to Bird Photography Weekly to get your bird photo fix!

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Neil May 17, 2009, 11:39 pm

    Look forward to the rest of the story.

    Neils last blog post..Striated Pardalote & Double-barred Finch.

  • Mick May 18, 2009, 12:08 am

    That’s a very cute photo of the bird in the shoe. The series of the ospreys is great too.

    Micks last blog post..Noisy Pitta

  • Kelly May 18, 2009, 3:11 am

    …the little woodpecker looks so sweet in your boot. Lucky for him you were there. Gorgeous Osprey photos…

    Kellys last blog post..It’s all about cuteness tonight… (BPW #38)

  • Kyle May 18, 2009, 5:28 am

    Love the woodpecker-in-the-hiking-boot shot, Larry! And I’m glad to hear they were able to check her over and release her the very next day.

    Great story and series of the Osprey pair, too. I have to admit, I found myself wondering if the female was fussing at her mate for not sharing his catch or just nagging him to quit lollygagging and come get to work on the nest construction. In either case, I expect there was some variation of “I always end up doing ALL the work around here” rolling around somewhere in her vocalization!

    Kyles last blog post..SkyWatch: Week’s End

  • MaineBirder May 18, 2009, 7:47 am

    I am glad the Woodpecker is okay now. Happy ending to what usually is not when birds collide with windows.

    Looks like you have fun with Osprey this weekend too. Excellent shots!

    MaineBirders last blog post..BPW: Osprey Catching Fish

  • bob k May 18, 2009, 7:58 am

    Thanks to your concern, the woodpecker was saved, Larry.

    Will be wating for the continuation of the Osprey story.

    bob ks last blog post..Paradox

  • animtreebird May 18, 2009, 8:47 am

    Very beautiful birds. Nice photos. :))) Great job in rescuing the woodpecker.

    animtreebirds last blog post..Hoopoe

  • Dawn Fine May 18, 2009, 9:59 am

    oh poor thing…she looks so cute in that shoe!
    Thank goodness she is ok…great that you took the time to rescue her.

    Dawn Fines last blog post..Come one,Come all..to the Horseshoe Crab Egg stravaganza ..all Red Knots>>please bring friends and family!

  • Brad May 19, 2009, 4:16 pm

    Great story and captures, love ther Osprey with his meal.

    Brads last blog post..Nesting Robins…

  • Liz May 19, 2009, 4:36 pm

    Thanks for your comments on my Asian vulture post. You have some amazing photos here. I love seeing the places osprey choose to nest. I hope the little woodpecker is makes it through okay.

    Lizs last blog post..Pygmy Nuthatch: Species of the Week

  • Arija May 20, 2009, 1:24 am

    I love the rescue story and bird anbulance and the greedy Ospray dad.

    Arijas last blog post..BIRD PHOTOGRAPHY WEEKLY ~ 11

  • chris May 20, 2009, 9:33 am

    Hi Larry,
    Awful story but what can we do except trying to safe these birds!! I hope she will be ok and you have to let us know if she survives!!!
    Nice Osprey pictures.

    chriss last blog post..Tufted duck, ring-necked duck and scaup