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Georgia Small PlatesPrime Time for Soaring Ospreys at Lake Allatoona

Prime Time for Soaring Ospreys at Lake Allatoona

As early blooms peak through the soil and the first leaves appear on trees, Lake Allatoona ospreys will soon return to their nesting sites for spring hatching season. Each year, pairs of these large birds of prey begin the mating season in March and April, before the female lays her eggs in a large nest high up in tall trees or man-made structures.

At Lake Allatoona, ospreys have more places to nest since 1998. That’s when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Georgia Power began a cooperative program to erect nesting platforms at six locations. Georgia Power provided 40-foot-tall poles for the nests. The Corps and Georgia Power provided equipment and manpower to erect the nesting towers. More towers were added in 2013.

Man-made osprey nesting platforms dot the lakeside at Lake Allatoona, thanks to a partnership between the Army Corps of Engineers and Georgia Power.

According to Army Corps of Engineers, the osprey population at Lake Allatoona has grown from one pair of nesting birds in 1995 to more than a dozen in recent years. Considered an endangered species in the 1970s due to the environmental impacts of DDT, osprey have rebounded in recent decades. The species was removed from the endangered list in 1983 but is still protected by the U.S. Migratory Bird Treaty Act.

Early in the mating season, male osprey perform a mating flight or “fish dance” high above the lake. The male osprey soars high in the air, then treads air before diving more than 100 feet. It rises quickly and treads air again. The male may repeat the dance multiple times to attract the attention of a nearby female.

Ospreys soar high above the lake, then dive down to capture fish in their talons, where a reversible toe and sharp spines help to secure their prize.

The female osprey lays her eggs in the April-May timeframe in North Georgia. While the eggs incubate, both the male and female osprey tend the nest. Once the young birds hatch, the adult pair share duties. The female tends and defends the nest more, while the male does most of the food-gathering. The young ospreys take their first flights approximately 55 days after hatching. They remain in the nest tended by the adults for approximately 100 days.

Once paired, ospreys are believed to be largely monogamous and faithful to both the mate and nest. Paired osprey live in the same area and return to the same nest for years, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

Both male and female ospreys tend to the nest when the young are incubating and growing. Young ospreys begin flying approximately 55 days after hatching.

Where to See Lake Allatoona Ospreys

With more than a dozen man-made nesting platforms and other natural sites, it’s not unusual to see ospreys soaring high above Lake Allatoona. The impressive large birds have a wingspan of over five feet. Due to their size and white heads, they often are confused with the larger bald eagle. Ospreys hover above the water, locate their prey and swoop down to capture shallow-swimming fish with their talons extended. A reversible fourth toe and short spines on the undersides of each foot help them grasp slippery fish.

The Army Corps of Engineers does not publish a map with osprey nesting locations. Made-made nesting platforms can be spotted near the shoreline of the lake atop utility-style poles. One example is located along the Allatoona Battlefield Park hiking trail. A natural nest rests in the steel girders of the Red Top Mountain Road bridge leading to Red Top Mountain State Park.

A natural osprey nest with two adult birds rests on the steel girders of the Red Top Mountain bridge.
DeanLand
DeanLandhttp://ourtravelcafe.com
Inquisitive traveler -- 33 countries, 48 states. Sometimes cyclist, occasional hiker, over-experienced diner. Cajun by birth, Parrothead by choice, Baby Boomer by age, Southerner by the grace of God. Semi-retired career marketeer, with a career serving the foodservice and food retail industries. Sharing experiences is an avocation.

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