Hi Bruce,
I read your note on Birding-aus re. the Narrabeen Ospreys. The scenario
that you describe is one that I have observed myself on a number of
occasions. I would agree that the eggs or nestlings would no longer be
present in the nest as the female would not have left the nest unattended if
they were still present. It is likely that the birds are a young pair and
young pairs often try a few times before successfully breeding. There has
never been any confirmed (successful) breeding of the species in New South
Wales, south of Lake Macquarie. The Central Coast (Bensville) attempt some
years back was unsuccessful. I have often been asked why Ospreys do not
nest on the south coast of New South Wales or in Victoria or Tasmania, as
they do breed in South Australia and southern Western Australia. This is
despite regular sighting of Ospreys on the New South Wales south coast.
There may be something missing from the habitat in these areas that prevents
Ospreys successfully nesting. It may be related to food supply, which in
turn may be related to ocean currents. It will be interesting to see
whether the Narrabeen Ospreys finally breed successfully and if they do will
it be due to the influences of global warming?
Regards
Greg
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