A pair of Osprey have for years had a nest on a light pole in the midst of the Industrial Waterfront area of the Duwamish River Waterway. This nest is a little south of the West Seattle Bridge and in a dock/parking lot next to the Herring’s House Park. Here is the link to an article I wrote on this area earlier in the year. http://wp.me/p1d1cX-AC
Today I tried to get closer to the light pole that they have nested on. This was after I confirmed seeing a bird head poking out of the top.
As I approached the area by way of a derelict dock I noticed a large ship being docked within feet of their pole. The following slide show is of the dock and the proximity of that ship. There is also a shot from the other side of the waterway where you can see the ship. The farthest to the left pole is the Osprey Nest Light post.
The whole derelict dock thing was a bit of an adventure. There were holes in the wooden deck part and debris strewn around. I walked back behind the row of old railroad cars to get a better shot and perhaps not be so visible to the dock crew next door. There I came upon a shack that must have been a tool shed or such. I think a homeless person must have used it at one time and it stunk rather bad. Gave me the creeps but I did get up on some railroad ties and got a video of the nest.
The Osprey only gave us glimpses of themselves in this video but I posted it anyway because of the pan I did (not very well done – sorry) which shows how the nest is really in the middle of a working dock. You can see the city skyline including the Smith Tower and Columbia Center. The noise all around them is also part of the wonder of this. Listen to how loud the train is. They have continued year after year to raise their family here in the middle of ships, trains and forklifts. To be admired.
As I left the park I received one little gift from nature after all that industrial noise and debris… a butterfly.
Crows of Arroyos 