Around Cayuga Lake, we know Spring has arrived when Osprey return to their nests in late March. The birds return to the same nest with the same mate each year. Since last August, Cayuga Lake's Osprey population has spent their winter season in South America, typically as far South as Argentina where it the climate is warm enough.
There are around 150 pairs of Osprey around Cayuga Lake, and last year most pairs had about 2-3 chicks in their nest. So that means there could be up to 450 Osprey flying around Cayuga Lake in the near future.
Osprey are tertiary consumers in the aquatic food chain around Cayuga Lake. They prey on bigger fish swimming in the lake, while those big fish hunt for small fish, and the small fish searches for bite-sized zooplankton (floating animals). Phytoplankton (floating plants) makes up the very bottom of the food chain. They are the primary consumers that use the sun's energy to create food, otherwise known as photosynthesis.
From the phytoplankton all the way to the Osprey, every aspect of the aquatic food web is essential to a healthy ecosystem. This includes the trout that are swimming in all of our tanks, soon to make their way into the streams in a couple of months.
When you observe your trout and consider what all you have learned about their habitats, consider what your trout needs in its future habitat in the wild in order to survive and be a healthy member of the aquatic food web.
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