Neighbor's Photo Of Ospreys In Nest At Union Bay And Their History

A Laurelhurst resident would like to share this picture he took of one of the birds in the nest in the Urban Horticulture Field. 

He said "The bird was looking right at the camera.  It was neat. I thought I'd share with my neighbors."

Larry Hubbell, long-time photographer and birder who publishes the "Union Bay Watch" Blog, said in July of last year in a post: 

For the first time in decades, and quite possibly in over a hundred years, there are young Osprey in a nest on Union Bay! Under time pressure and against the odds Chester and Lacey have produced three beautiful young chicks. 

Connie Sidles (Master Birder and renown Union Bay Author) says that while she has been birding Union Bay, since 1982, she has never before seen an osprey nest here. She also looked up an account in the 1951 book "Union Bay: Life of a City Marsh".  

The book relayed an earlier story about an osprey nest in Union Bay being shot up, presumably by fishermen, during a time when Seattle was growing rapidly. Connie guessed that the most likely time frame for the incident was between 1900 and 1915, which implies that it may have been a hundred years or more since osprey where allowed to nest on Union Bay.  

Either way, it has been a very long time and hopefully this nest full of young osprey is a sign of a growing harmony with nature.

And recently Larry posted pictures of Lacey, returning to the nest at the Union Bay Natural Area, saying "Lacey is the mother of these two young osprey who are getting close to leaving the nest for the first time.