Life on the Osar

Seven Swans a Swimming

August 14 - We spent three days at a wide spot along the Osar River. When we weren't busy with basic camping needs, we were observing the animals.

Across the river, in one of the few trees, a female eagle observes her community. She only leaves her post once or twice a day to catch a fish then return to the tree to preen and stand guard. On our side of the river, her mate follows almost the same routine except for a short period when he crosses the river to sit with her.

The Eagle Couple

Both have chosen trees with mangled tops. It's not hard to figure out why they have chosen these trees. There aren't many trees in the area but these with twisted tops provide strong trunks in a horizontal position for the birds to land. They spend more than 90 percent of their time perched.

If one of the eagles leaves its tree a great northern diver’s alarm call alerts the community. When the alarm is sounded, several terns will abandon their fishing to attack. The eagle ducks or swerves, but doesn’t deviated from its purpose.

Community Watchdog

I see a family of loons out practicing diving with their loonlets. I observe one as it gets distracted by bus floating on the surface. While it was catching bugs its family was swimming away. After a few minutes the loonlet suddenly looks around. It's confused. Where is my family! It's alone on the wide river. It dives, surfaces, and dives again frantically looking everywhere. I look to the eagle’s tree. Luckily the eagle is not looking for an easy snack.

Bumpy Take-off

Soon I see an adult loon taking to the air. It faces into the wind and flaps its wings, while slapping at the water with its feet. I hope it is one of the lost loonlet’s parents. I look back to the young loon as it drifts around some bushes out of my view.

I am distracted by a sound. It is an arctic tern fly fishing.

“Terns” out, he did catch a fish!

The terns circle overhead like swallows, but without a swallow’s sudden changes in direction. Occasionally they dip a wing mimicking the rings made by insects that litter the water's surface. These might be the original fly fisherman. When they spot a fish going for a floating insect they make a sharp turn and dive straight down. Their dive makes the short “plop” sound of an expert diver, but they immediately return to the air. The time spent in the water is less than a second.

Bottom Feeders

Across the river, a family of trumpeter swans is teaching their cygnets to tip their body, tail straight up in the air to search the river bottom for food. Only three of the five have mastered this skill. The cygnets are beginning to get white adult feathers on the top of their heads. Soon they will get flying lessons.

Short-Billed Dowitcher

Along the shore I see a bird that moves like a sewing machine. Its bill quickly bobbing up and down along a line while it looks for bits of food along the shore. It is a short-billed dowitcher. If that's a short bill, what is a long bill?

Kittens Playing on the Shore

On the far side of the river, a family of otters leave their four kittens to romp by the water’s edge while the parents fish. Later we will see the kittens out learning to fish for themselves. River otters find a way to make all work into a game.

The Beaver Family is

Having Carry-Out for Dinner

I see a bundle of willow branches drifting with purpose by our camp. It's the beaver coming back to its lodge with dinner. They seem to work in teams. I have seen four out eating ropey material in the middle of the river but only two beavers at a time moving willow branches. Sometimes they stop mid-swim to adjust their grip before continuing.

Curious Beaver

It occurs to me that if beavers and otters were to interbreed they would find what humans think of as the perfect life balance.

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