Lets start with this photo taken at Osprey Fest 2006. It shows the hacking tower on Wildwing Lake where 23 osprey chicks were successfully raised and released from 1998-2002. The nest used by C09 from that program is west of this tower location. C09 and his mate have raised 10 chicks to fledge from this nest since returning to Wildwing Lake in 2002. This location was one of the many stops on the "Osprey Discovery Trail".

Rob Poniatowski photo; used with permission.

Watching and photographing the 3 female chicks in the Wildwing Lake nest was very popular with the Osprey Fest attendees. This location is at the southwest end of the lake and affords a close-up view of the nest.

Jaques Mersereau photo; used with permission.

At the opposite end of Wildwing Lake, OWSEM had a canopy set up on the boardwalk with three spotting scopes available. These were handicap accessible and located at the beginning of the "Osprey Discovery Trail" which wound along the South side of the lake to the location in the previous picture. The low set scope could be used by children also and was quite busy.

Eli Thomas photo; used with permission.

A photo of Francie Krawcke from the Leslie Science Center during her wonderful raptor presentation on Saturday. This is only part of the crowd; it was standing room only! Francie brought along a variety of large and small raptors.

Rob Poniatowski photo; used with permission.

One of the many "kids" activities at Osprey Fest 2006. Each day we would have a "pinatta bash" with the contents including candy, small prizes, and a couple of plastic "osprey eggs" containing larger prizes. It was a big hit (no pun intended) with the kids.

Christi Vedejs photo; used with permission.

This is osprey chick C73 from the Barry County Hacking Program, located south of Hasting, MI. He is sitting on the satellite dish in the back yard of the Steve Yaros family from Defiance, OH. Steve reported this bird to OWSEM on August 20th.

Steve Yaros photo; used with permission.

This chick was released from the hacking tower at Barry on August 11th and was evidently making its way southward on its first migration. Notice the very full crop; this guy knows how to fish and likes to eat!

Were really glad that Steve took these pictures and contacted us. We don't often see a chick again after it leaves the area where it was released. Thanks Steve.....

Steve Yaros photo; used with permission.

The newest nest to be discovered in Southeast Michigan is located on a cell tower (no surprise) near M59 and Duck Lake road in Highland, MI. Unlike the other cell tower nests we've seen, this one is centered over the tower monopole, not on the catwalk grid around the perimeter.

Jim Kortge photo; used with permission

The male who built the nest atop the cell tower in Highland. You can read the "C" on the green left leg band and see the USF&W silver band on the right leg. This is most likely C42, a chick who fledged from Wildwing Lake along with two other male chicks in 2003. It could also be C52 from the Barry County hacking activity, another chick using the same type band and released in 2003. We were unable to read the middle digit to positively ID which bird this is. If he returns next season, someone will read it!

Jim Kortge photo; used with permission

Here is the female of the Highland, MI nest. She seemed to have an unlimited number of fish available to eat, compliments of the male. On most visits, she would be eating a fish and was spotted a couple of times with a fish in each talon! No bands could be seen on this osprey.

Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.

OWSEM at Hawkfest over the September 16-17th weekend. Nice size crowds on both days. The migrating raptors were scarce due to the nice weather, but it helped bring out the people.

We were greeted Saturday morning by an osprey flying by as we were setting up the booth.

Hawkfest 2007 is already on our schedule.

Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.

The OWSEM sponsored "kids" activity was constructing an "osprey bag puppet". About 50 kids each day made one and took it home.

We also passed out several sets of materials to teachers and others interested in the project. OWSEM member Barb jensen (a retired teacher herself) was the originator of this very clever design.

Jim Kortge photo; used with permission.