Finnegan Defends Hellgate Territory While Carrying Stick | May 30, 2024
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- Viewers got a taste of Finnegan's aerial abilities when an interloping Osprey decided to stop by the Hellgate nest. Despite carrying a large stick, Finnegan swoops in to deter the intruder, then eventually chases the other bird off, leaving Iris safe and sound on the eggs.
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This Osprey nest is at the mouth of the spectacular Hellgate Canyon at the edge of Missoula, Montana. It’s in a very busy location, right outside the Riverside Health Care Center and next to busy parking lots, a construction site, a busy highway, and a railroad. However, it’s also an ideal location in many ways, since these Ospreys have riverfront property only about 50 feet from the Clark Fork River. Being so close to people does not bother them, and hundreds of people enjoy watching them every day.
The female Osprey at this nest is called Iris because she has very distinctive spots on her iris, especially in her left eye. These iris patterns serve as individual barcodes and allow us to identify her. She has nested at this site for many years. Her mate of many years, Stanley, did not return in 2016, and she attempted to breed with a new male dubbed "Louis" after an influential local Salish elder named Louis Adams (for more info: missoulian.com/...)
After a single year of successful breeding with Louis in 2017, Iris went through several years of unsuccessful attempts as Louis paired up with another female a little downriver. Then, in 2024 a new male showed up (later christened "Finnegan" by viewers) who successfully paired with Iris and began a new breeding season.
Ospreys are consummate fishing birds, and this pair fishes primarily from the Clark Fork River and nearby Rattlesnake Creek. They use their 6-7 foot wingspans to soar above the water, looking for fish, then diving as deep as 3 feet for shallow-swimming prey. Adult Ospreys usually weigh 3-4 pounds, and they can carry prey up to 50 percent of their own weight. Ospreys can live up to 25 years, and they typically lay 1-4 eggs in a clutch.
The nest used to be on a power pole about 200 feet west of where it is now. This was dangerous, since the Ospreys could have been electrocuted, causing fires and power blackouts. In 2007, the current nest platform was erected to provide a safer place for the Ospreys to nest. They took to it immediately. Getting the new nest platform set up, and installing and running to high resolution camera for this feed for you to enjoy has been a large effort involving many groups: Riverside Health Care Center, Karen Wagner, Kate Davis and Raptors of the Rockies, Northwestern Energy, Dave Taylor Roofing Company, and Dr. Erick Greene of the University of Montana.
#birdcams #live #osprey #birds #wildlife #nature #nowplaying #montana
That was certainly a feat to chase off an intruder while holding onto a large stick, then placing the stick and taking off again after the intruder. What a guy, Finn is a true hero for Iris.
Good job, Finn! You da Man! Quite a handsome-looking stick you delivered, too, even though Iris didn't like the initial placement!😅
You effing ROCK, Finnegan! 💓
Jeez, poor Iris can't catch a break!! Good job protecting her, though, Finn!!
Oh she got a break alright and his name is Finnegan! 🤣😉😍🤩🥰
That's not a stick that's a club! Good job Fin!
Love Finnegan. Finally a mate Iris deserves.
❤❤
Amen to that!
I’m proud of you, Finnegan. Impressive stick making a good crib rail
It’s so nice to see her able to be a mom again and to have someone to depend on! Finn is doing a great job so far. I really am excited to see how he does when the eggs hatch! I hope he provides well for Iris and allows her time to bond with her babies. She looks really tired this year. I really hope we see them both again next season together ❤❤❤
Great video. Finnegan is amazing and a super mate for Iris.
Great job, Finnegan! Wonder if that intruder was Louis from last year?
The night (May16th?) when that Great Horned Owl attacked poor sleeping Iris was shocking! She defended her nest & chased it away! It was looking for babies, me thinks.
Por suerte Iris ahora tiene a un buen compañero ❤️
How many eggs do they have? Thank you 🙏 for this impressive video… wild animals go through so much …
What a great video! I really like Finnegan.
Such a busy season at Hellgate! Great job building and defending your nest Iris and Finn! ❤
Thank goodness, Finn is a champ for defending our beautiful Iris. 🙏🏻 Let her embrace this moment of motherhood ❤
But mom, I just wanted to stop by and say hi.
Oh my! Does Iris have a new partner? I would so like that for her.
Yes she does and has laid 2 eggs.
So the eggs aren't Finnegan's??@@darlenequinn193
So are these eggs Finnegan's??
Yes❤❤
Isn't he something!
Fabulous multitasking❤
Hello friends! I’ve been wanting to comment, but had phone connection problems. They were namely me🤣. Not exactly tech savvy. I am sooo elated for Iris with her FINALLY finding a deserving and doting new mate in Finnegan. It’s like a phrase you’ve heard often “WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?” It truly brings a tear to my eye to witness this.l!!! Especially after the disappointing past few years. At this point, where she is considered a ‘senior aged’ Osprey may God bless Iris and Finnegan a few more seasons together. To produce not only these precious two chicks, but many more to carry on her genes for decades to come.❤️🙏✝️
Ditto to all that you wrote!!! 🥰
That was amazing! Good job Finn!
I love Finn from this moment on , What a good mate❤
Good boy, Finnegan!
You go Finn! 2 kids on the way, a building project and still have to defend the home.
Amazing
Finnegan is really stepping up , great job,
Get him!
that was awesome. Finnegan came flying in like a super osprey. Looks like he is airboarding on a stick. and he did not loose it. Bravo Finn, Bravo😍👏
I missed this incident, so TYVM for this! First time for me to see an osprey defend while carrying big stick! You go Finnegan - you're THE best!!! 🥰
Is that the dork who would show up for Iris once or twice a year? Thank you Finn!
"Fly high and carry a big stick!" 🤣😛😍
Do ospreys try to "interlope" on other ospreys very often?
Yes, they can like all birdies I would imagine... Sometimes it's grown offspring from the nest, returning to the place of their hatching. They don't know they wouldn't be welcome but they sure find out rather fast.
~Other times it's "stranger danger" = single osprey looking for a new mate, new nest, new territory for themselves. Sometimes it can even be another osprey couple trying to take over an established nest and territory.
~~Finally and rarely, it can be a male who is straying from his own nest and mate bec though not common, yes there are a few out there who have more than one partner. Louis, Iris' former part-time mate is one example. He had a "wife" at another nest, that is who he is still with to this day, raising their own family. Now that Iris has her own mate, Louis of course, is no longer welcome.
Could it be that that is one of hers babies from a previous year. None of them are particularly aggressive