A Canadian goose and a heron made odd bedfellows this week at the Boulder County Fairgrounds osprey nest.

State of play: The ospreys are expected to return to the nest in the next few weeks to complete mating and egg-laying.

• Ospreys migrate south to Central and South America each fall, leaving the nest vacant for the winter.
• It is not unusual for a variety of other birds to check out the nest before the ospreys return.

Zoom out: Spring is a great time to go birding in Colorado, and 2025 saw some exotic and rare species find their way to Colorado.

• If you hurry, you can probably still catch the migrating sand cranes in Monte Vista.