Iris Lays First Egg Of Season At Hellgate Osprey Nest | May 8, 2023

Watch highlights of Iris hunkering down over the Hellgate Osprey nest on the evening of May 8 to lay her first egg of 2023. It takes her about 15 minutes from when she starts the laying process to when she begins incubating.
Iris has mated with her previous mate, Louis, several times this season, but she has not received any other investment at the nest site from a potential mate this season. It has been reported that Louis continues to focus his efforts with a different mate at a nearby nest. It remains to be seen whether Iris will attempt full-time incubation duties at the nest, as it is unlikely she will be successful raising a brood without the help of a mate.
Keep watching and learning with us this season on the Hellgate Osprey cam at www.allaboutbirds.org/ospreys
Watch the cam and learn about the Montana Osprey Project at
hs.umt.edu/osprey/
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This Osprey nest is at the mouth of the spectacular Hellgate Canyon at the edge of Missoula, Montana. It’s in a very busy location, right outside the Riverside Health Care Center and next to busy parking lots, a construction site, a busy highway, and a railroad. However, it’s also an ideal location in many ways, since these Ospreys have riverfront property only about 50 feet from the Clark Fork River. Being so close to people does not bother them, and hundreds of people enjoy watching them every day.
The female Osprey at this nest is called Iris because she has very distinctive spots on her iris, especially in her left eye. These iris patterns serve as individual barcodes and allow us to identify her. She has nested at this site for many years. Her mate of many years, Stanley, did not return in 2016, and she attempted to breed with a new male dubbed "Louis" after an influential local Salish elder named Louis Adams (for more info: missoulian.com/...)
Ospreys are consummate fishing birds, and this pair fishes primarily from the Clark Fork River and nearby Rattlesnake Creek. They use their 6-7 foot wingspans to soar above the water, looking for fish, then diving as deep as 3 feet for shallow-swimming prey. Adult Ospreys usually weigh 3-4 pounds, and they can carry prey up to 50 percent of their own weight. Ospreys can live up to 25 years, and they typically lay 1-4 eggs in a clutch.
The nest used to be on a power pole about 200 feet west of where it is now. This was dangerous, since the Ospreys could have been electrocuted, causing fires and power blackouts. In 2007, the current nest platform was erected to provide a safer place for the Ospreys to nest. They took to it immediately. Getting the new nest platform set up, and installing and running to high resolution camera for this feed for you to enjoy has been a large effort involving many groups: Riverside Health Care Center, Karen Wagner, Kate Davis and Raptors of the Rockies, Northwestern Energy, Dave Taylor Roofing Company, and Dr. Erick Greene of the University of Montana.
#birdcams #live #osprey #birds #wildlife #nature #nowplaying #montana

[@tracileone6305]

Iris has lived a long fruitful life. I think it is fantastic she is spending her golden years eating fish and enjoying the summer in Hellgate Canyon. Shows that maybe birds also have a "retirement". ;)

[@claireholden4279]

We just love her so much. She is sooo determined & just keeps getting a bum deal. Beautiful Iris.

[@sherrywebber4013]

GO IRIS!!!❤❤❤❤

[@nancyross2897]

Fantastic Iris ❤

[@kathgrainger4504]

Oh no!!! a few years ago this would have been excellent news, i've seen her mating many times over last couple of weeks but not sure if it's been with Louis. If only she would think how we do about him then she would probably think nope he's no help at all & find another mate... We can only have our fingers crossed & hope for the best...Bless her

[@ritabartuska6326]

Indeed! That philandering husband Louis...he is an osprey of low character👎🏿👎🏿👎🏿...poor Iris...

[@community1949]

It's May 24th, 2023 and she doesn't seem to be sitting on any egg - anyone know what happened?

[@larsonfamilyhouse]

Saddest channel on yt 💔 we love you Iris 🥰❤😘

[@cindythomas5895]

Omg does she finally have a mate ???? I am so excited ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@Anney88]

No, past seasons happen again😞 Poor Iris, our Hellgate Star❗💙💛 Dude Louie won't help her😞

[@schen5425]

@@Anney88 you are *right on point* just like last Season. Louis is no help! 🦜

[@barbs4919]

Iris is a rebel , so happy for this special day , bless her 🙏🏻

[@Starbreaker666]

WHy? The crows will get the egg because she has no mate.

[@barbs4919]

I have checked the nest a few times today , she is never there , , 🙁

[@Starbreaker666]

@@barbs4919 GLad your so happy for a failed nest.

[@schen5425]

🦜 update: Iris hasn't been incubating and has left the egg unattended for hrs during this day (Tuesday) from what I saw on rewind. Nevertheless, I❤️you still Iris 🦋🖖🏻

[@darlenequinn193]

I feel so sorry for her sitting on her egg and no mate to help. She's all alone.

[@agl1138]

@Catania Momma Italia How to put this politely: I don't think Osprey's are quite as intelligent as you seem to think. They don't make real choices, they react to stimuli. This is good news: Iris doesn't get sad or depressed or angry with Louis. She just exists

[@larsonfamilyhouse]

@@agl1138 we can hope but unfortunately no one knows for sure how another animal feels. I certainly know cats and dogs get sad and depressed so I don’t know why a bird would be any different 💔

[@Jane-dx6rf]

Is there no live streaming for this nest?

[@CornellBirdCams]

Sure-it's at allaboutbirds.org/ospreys

[@debbiebleege6333]

How sad what the heck Louis?

[@fisherbird1739]

What's the story on Louis this year?

[@schen5425]

@fisher bird you speak of that two-timing Louis? It's a repeat of last season. Poor Iris 😔

[@animallover8855]

Same as always...Wham..Bam..Thank You Ma'am..

[@amya.9611]

It's night and Iris isn't sitting on the egg, just sleeping on the perch

[@Luxsword29]

This nest seems so exposed, is it safe even when she has a decent mate?

[@larsonfamilyhouse]

Yes, they all build on places like that

[@frenchtoastemergency]

Great news. Have we seen her mate around?

[@Starbreaker666]

There is no mate... Luis is dead beat and stays with his other woman bird.

[@joanies6778]

What happened to Stanley?

[@schen5425]

Stanley hasn't been around for the past few Seasons. Darn Louis shows up that same year! 🦜

[@joanies6778]

​@@schen5425 Oh, wow. I haven't watched for a few seasons. Thanks!

[@schen5425]

@@joanies6778 I say darn Louis bcuz he hasn't been faithful to Iris🤷‍♀️. She has laid one egg that I'm aware of but has not been incubating as she normally would. Last season was the same and ravens took the unviable eggs 😔

[@agl1138]

@@schen5425 Faithful! That is hilarious. These are birds, not humans. They don't get married. In Charter Nest Cam 1 a barn owl female died. Three days later the male was mating with a new female, right where his previous mate died. She is now sitting on 7 eggs

[@schen5425]

@@agl1138 glad it was hilarious to you. They may not be humans but they do have behaviors which we, as humans can or should understand and/or take the time to know their species, regardless of a person way of thinking. Iris and Stanley were faithful/monogamous to each other until she had to eventually move on, not knowing what her future held when Stanley never showed up... wait, that sounds like something humans do as well, if I am not mistaken 🤨 🦋

[@Starbreaker666]

Another failed nest... She has no mate people. This is not a good thing.

[@ZennaD]

Crap

[@Starbreaker666]

I really wish they'd take the nest apart during the off season forcing her to move on to a new area.

[@schen5425]

@@princesslily810 I agree. This is "her" home 🦜

[@TOTMGreenish-Top-Of-The-Morrin]

you just broke 665 of your own Stars

[@schen5425]

@Catania Momma Italia so in reply, Iris has made *her home* in Montana for the past 14 years. I suppose this Osprey loves it there 🤷‍♀️ ~ I do as well (Iris)

[@anthonyjannini1937]

Read up on it. She had a nest on a power pole close by and it was dangerous. The people donated money to have this constructed for her so she will be safer.

[@schen5425]

@@anthonyjannini1937 hello Anthony. Yes, I knew that but perhaps some others on this thread/comment section did not know ✌🏻