A few osprey nests

The fish hawks' breeding season was in full swing when we visited Virginia's Eastern Shore last month.

This active nest was almost immediately adjacent to US-13 at Fisherman Island NWR, and there were numerous other ospreys hunting in the immediate vicinity.

We got a good look at this one, on a channel marker near Curtis Merritt Harbor on Chincoteague.

Not far away was this nest, in shabbier-than-usual condition but still possibly active, on an abandoned house.

And one more from Chincoteague, this one atop a duck blind on Assateague Channel and definitely active.

Come to think of it, this small collection is decently representative of osprey nests in the region: while some ospreys nest in trees, they readily take to all manner of human-built structures, including but not limited to purpose-built nesting platforms. They are not particularly shy about nesting near human activity; nor are they averse to nesting in fairly close proximity to other ospreys. And while it may not be immediately obvious from these photos, their nests tend to be somewhat haphazard in construction and a bit trashy with regard to decor.

Cheers to a successful season!