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Oct. 8: Jaws has moved eastward about 60 mi (100 km), and has taken up residence in a lagoon or lake just west of the shores of the Gulf of Venezuela. We've had other birds stop here. 
     The really interesting question now is whether he will find his way up to Bahia Hondita, where he spent a year and a half catching fish amongst the flocks of flamingos and other Ospreys that live there.
     Adult Ospreys always go back to the same wintering spot, with remarkable accuracy. Tagging young Ospreys gives us the opportunity to learn how they do this. When we tag adults, we just see them go back to someplace they've already been, but we never see how the find these spots. Does it take a couple of tries before they can reliably home in on a good spot? 
     Very few young Ospreys (less than 20) have been tagged in North America, and of those only one that I know of has made its first return to the wintering grounds. Because Jaws came into South America south of his fishing spot, we don't know if he'll recognize any landmarks that would point him back to Bahia Hondita. On his first migration he hit Hondita and stayed there, never venturing even as far south as he is now. There are mountains around Hondita, and he's only 100 km from them, so he should be able to see them if he gets up on a soar.
     Stay tuned! (This is the most interesting Osprey I have followed to date!)

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