Iris the Osprey laid an egg

Watch live streaming video from hellgateosprey at livestream.com

Iris has laid at least one egg and is incubating it. Good luck Iris!
The AXIS P5534-E camera, computer infrastructure and internet connection were donated by the Riverside Health Care Center. Real time High Definition TV - available in Riverside HCC's lobby - was donated by Raptors of the Rockies. Logistic support provided by Northwestern Energy. This camera is also supported by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and their Bird Cams Project. Check out The University of Montana Biogeochemistry Labratory's website for more information.

CSI Montana

I came across this crime scene on my walk home from fishing downtown yesterday.  I suspect this trout was dropped by an osprey due to a lack of any other logical explanation as to why there was a rainbow trout in the middle of 3rd Street.  The missing head provides further evidence, as trout heads are a known osprey delicacy.

Looking west on 3rd St. in Misosula

Rainbow trout crime scene

Just imagine if it fell on your windshield - or shoulder. Ha!

The Hellgate osprey are back!

Iris and Stanley are back on their nest in Missoula's Hellgate Canyon.  Click play to watch them live, 24 hours a day.

Soon they will start mating.  They'll do it every 30 seconds or so.

The AXIS P5534-E camera, computer infrastructure and internet connection were donated by the Riverside Health Care Center. Real time High Definition TV - available in Riverside HCC's lobby - was donated by Raptors of the Rockies. Logistic support provided by Northwestern Energy. This camera is also supported by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and their Bird Cams Project.

Check out The University of Montana Biogeochemistry Labratory's website for more information.

O Osprey, Where Art Thou?

Squeaky Oar Lock from Headhunters announced on the HH blog that osprey made it back to the Missouri River about 2 weeks ago.  After that, I spotted one on the Bitterroot that looked like he was still on the move.  Then on Tuesday, the Missoulian ran an article about the osprey couple that nest in the outfield at the Missoula Osprey's baseball stadium.  Last year, the pair was in the news and people were all upset because some geese claimed the nest before the osprey got there.  I see this happen around here every spring.  The geese, perched high up in the in the nest, just stand their ground and honk as the osprey dive bomb them over and over again.

This year, Dr. Greene from the Montana Osprey Project installed a "goose excluder" (otherwise known as a cone made out of chicken wire) on the nest at the baseball field.  It proved successful and those osprey are on that nest.

 

Osprey nest at Allegiance Field (baseball stadium) RBM 2008

So, while there are some osprey back in Montana, where the hell are the rest of them?  On his Facebook feed, Dr. Greene says, "...well over 90% of the osprey nests in Missoula still have no one there."  And most importantly, where are Iris and Stanley, our Hellgate Osprey Cam superstars?

MPG Ranch Montana

They are still on winter vacation!

The dots are satellite tagged osprey that summer in Western Montana.  If you visit the interactive map at MPG Ranch website, you can zoom into each point to get a closer view of exactly where they are and follow their voyage all the way to Montana.

If you just can't wait to see a western Montana osprey, in its nest, while you drink coffee, or whatever, check this out.




This nest is on the Dunrovin Ranch in Lolo, Montana near the Bitterroot River.  Meet Ozzey and Harriet, and what sounds like a billion other birds.  If you are stuck in a shitty place right now, turn up the speakers!

Stay tuned for updates on the Hellgate osprey etc.

Missoula County Fishing Report

I'm too broke to leave town.  That's ok, it's a big week for fishing here in town.  There is a lot going on with the fish and a lot going on for those who love them.

that downtown brown

Bitterroot: 
All of the local streams experienced a small push of water with the rain and then nice weather.  The "numora" is king on the lower half of the Root.  If you want to fish dries, it is where it's at.

For nymphing, use the same stuff you've been using all spring.  The worm in red is hot right now as is the SH Sow Bug.

I spotted one osprey on the Bitterroot yesterday, now it is really spring.  I'll keep my eye on osprey cam.

Clark Fork:
The river above the confluence with the Bitterroot just can't settle in.  It was close, but it got a push of cold water last week.  It basically ended the dry fly fishing that was shaping up and even put down the good nymphing.

Last week I hit the river below the Bitterrroot confluence on a cloudy day.  For a short while it was all out BWO heaven.  The big boys were up in the swirlys taking the adults (which look the size of green drakes after looking at midges all spring).  I love to go after the swirly fish with a "short leash" setup.

Blackfoot:
 I've seen boats heading up that way.  I would bet that the nymphing is good to great up there right now.  Deep nymphing big stonefly nymphs, small mayflies, worms and eggs will produce in the winter/spring type water.  Dry flies are probably a ways off.

Rock Creek: 
Shit-hot nymphing with stones, worms, and eggs.  No dry flies on the lower end.

Area lakes and ponds:  Beavertail and Frenchtown are 100% thawed.  Harper's will thaw next.
Walk the banks of Beavertail and look for red sided submarines.  Throw brown/green/white bugger at leading edge of submarine.  Hold on!  Repeat.

Montana Osprey Project's Hellgate Canyon Osprey Cam!

No osprey in Missoula yet but this is one of the coolest sites on the net as far as I'm concerned.  Dr. Greene says they're on their way!




"The AXIS P5534-E camera, computer infrastructure and internet connection were donated by the Riverside Health Care Center. Real time High Definition TV - available in Riverside HCC's lobby - was donated by Raptors of the Rockies. Logistic support provided by Northwestern Energy. This camera is also supported by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and their Bird Cams Project." - Environmental Biogeochemistry Lab

One of my favorite ecology/biology professors I had when I attended UM was Dr. Erick Greene.  He has done extensive research on osprey on both coasts.  One of the projects I've been most familiar with is the studies on the Clark Fork osprey regarding the long term effects of heavy metals on both the osprey and the river system as a whole.  These pollutants are a result of intensive mining in the headwaters and tributaries of the Clark Fork River which is itself, a headwater to the massive Columbia River. 

If you tune into this blog, you will certainly hear more about the history, plight, management, restoration, astonishing fishing, and future of my favorite stream in America, The Clark Fork River. 

Please visit: http://cas.umt.edu/geosciences/osprey/nestCams/hellgate.php to learn more about the project, the people involved, and most importantly, the osprey-the coolest bird that lives!

I'll re-post this when the osprey arrive.  I'll be volunteering with Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks doing a temporary rehab on a local fish ladder tomorrow.  Stay tuned for some info on the ladder and some great pics.