BOULDER, Colo. — This story is part of a series of 9NEWS articles exploring the intrigue of bird mating season in Colorado, written by people who watch too much reality television. Do you want actual news?! Don't click on a story about a female osprey spurning the advances of multiple male suitors then!
Despite paparazzi photos of multiple male suitors (and even one girl!) entering and leaving this female osprey’s nest, don’t think she’s anything but loyal to her man.
The comings and goings at this (love) nest have been under surveillance by an osprey cam, which is being monitored by the “osprey paparazzi” of Boulder County Open Space, who have been watching what some have dubbed a bird version of the scandalous reality show “Temptation Island.”
The action began on Wednesday morning, according to a breathless observation on Boulder County’s website. Rangers spotted a male landing at the nest our female osprey shares with her companion. It was 10:59 a.m. Being a loyal woman, the female drove the man away, but he couldn’t take no for an answer and returned again at 11:14 a.m.
This time, our resident female drove him off for good.
But did she get peace and quiet? Of course not. Another male interloper came to the nest for the sole purpose of mating (men, am I right?! BUY HER A DRINK. GET TO KNOW HER!) at 2:12 p.m. This too was not successful.
Things took a turn later that afternoon, when Boulder County Parks and Rec says a female intruder also came to the nest. It appears that our resident female was not interested in whatever she was looking for either, and forced her to leave.
But there would be no peace in that nest. Instead, another strange male came to the abode, this time with a fish. While there were multiple interactions, Parks and Rec said there’s no evidence of any funny business between the female and her male admirer, outside of her using him for free dinner.
Nevertheless, things should have been awkward at 4:13 p.m., when our female osprey’s male companion finally came home. For a time, all three shared the nest, before the man of the house got tired of an admirer trying to take his girl, and drove that interloping osprey away.
Is there trouble in paradise?
At this point, there’s no indication. The resident female and male osprey settled in for the night. No one was relegated to the bird equivalent of the couch; they slept in the same perch.
The drama in the osprey nest could, however, continue. This is mating season, and egg-laying isn’t expected for two weeks.
Can the female osprey resist temptation for that long? Will the man of the nest tire of attempts to steal his boo? What is this woman's secret to making everyone fall in love with her? Follow all of the developments on the osprey cam: https://bit.ly/2p1uV2z
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