Osprey Diary: Home sweet home

osprey eating a koi fish

I know that we’re not the only ones who leave the Iowa Great Lakes area for the winter. There are ducks, geese, songbirds, swans and even people that take off when the weather gets colder for areas that are warmer and where food is easy to come by. Last year was a weird year. My Read More »

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Osprey Diaries: A little late

osprey on the nest

The ice is finally gone! We’ve been quite annoyed that after we arrived back our favorite fishing holes were all covered in ice, and then as soon as we began building our nest it snowed. And I mean snowed. And then a couple of days later it snowed some more. I heard someone in the Read More »

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Feeding the Kenue Park trumpeter swans

two trumpeter swans in the snow

Check out the trumpeter swans on the wetland year-round with our live web camera. Click here. You can also find more videos on our Videos page or watch what Teddy the turtle eats here. Egret, crane or heron? How to tell which bird you have seen Two big white birds — rehabilitated trumpeter swans — Read More »

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Osprey Diary: Trying out his wings

osprey chick flapping its wings

They grow up so fast. One day you’re using your wings to make sure no cool breeze touches your tiny chicks, and the next they don’t fit underneath you. One moment they’re the size of an egg, and the next their wings stretch out as far as yours. One second they’re hunkered down to stay Read More »

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Osprey Diary: Koi fish make blustery days taste sweeter

osprey sitting on the nest

It’s so cold. I’ve overheard the crazy birds that live here in Kenue Park year-round call us that fly south for the winter snowbirds. In reality, I think that they’re the snowbirds. They actually live here when it gets below freezing and the snow flies. I’ve only seen snow a few times when it has flurried Read More »

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Osprey Diary: We’re back!

two osprey in their nest

Blue skies. Warm temperatures. Fresh fish. It was a beautiful winter down south, and it was rejuvenating. I’m a bit of a loner in the off-season, and I needed some time away from my husband after our tragic loss of our chicks last year. I needed some mental recuperation, and the gorgeous winter provided me Read More »

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Swans standing like flamingoes

Two trumpeter swans and a goose on a partially frozen wetland

I turned on the live web camera at the nature center last week and zoomed in on the two rehabilitated trumpeter swans on the wetland. The weather was warm, and it appeared the waterfowl were having a ball in the springtime temperatures. They dipped their necks down into the water and then bent them back Read More »

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