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An Intro to OspreyZone

The Story of DDT

Osprey Rescue

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Bald Eagles Visit Nest

Ospreyzone Highlights: May 21-29, 2020

OspreyZone Highlights: May 15-20, 2020 - The Intruder

OspreyZone Highlights: May 7th-14th, 2020

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March 18, 2016 Timelapse

The Summer of 2015 by GinaM

Osprey Rescue Extended - July 30, 2015

Osprey Zone Highlights - June 28, 2015

Osprey Zone Highlights - June 19, 2015

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First Sighting

George and Gracie's First Baby

Eggs Over Easy

Changing of the Guard

Breakfast is Served

Upgrading

Feeding Time

First Love

Let's Hang Out

Hard to Get

Little Brother

Intruder

Dinner is Served

OspreyZone Montage

OspreyZone Highlights: George Returns

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Belle’s Journey

Written by Dr. Rob Bierregaard & Illustrated by Kate Garchinsky

Take flight with Belle, an osprey born on Martha’s Vineyard as she learns to fly and migrates for the first time to Brazil and back–a journey of more than 8,000 miles.

Click HERE for more information!

IMPORTANT: Messages from osprey experts

Rob Bierregaard July 1, 2015 at 7:24 am
I haven’t seen the little guy yet this morning, but I would be very surprised if he survived the night. That sure was tough to watch yesterday, but that whole process is as much a part of the essence of being an Osprey as is eating a fish. It’s part of the life of Ospreys that was rarely seen before we started putting cameras in nests. As hard as it is, we should not label the behavior as mean or cruel. Being mean or cruel implies that there is intent to do harm just for harm’s sake. Those young were responding to a set of stimuli (very little food being delivered to the nest and the presence of a very small young) in a way that evolution has hard-wired into them. It helps ensure their survival. Nature is not cruel. It is harsh, unforgiving, and often random (had the little guy been born 1st, he would have been just as aggressive as was his sibling), but not cruel or mean.

4818eecc88292926c58414a82c884c71Paul Henry ospreyzone July 1, 2015 at 8:17 am
Thanks Rob for bringing your knowledge and experience to help us all gain perspective here. We are all saddened by the events that unfolded before our eyes and it’s only natural for all of us to feel and express our emotions appropriately. There have been many issues pertaining to intervention which have been discussed amongst us all. There is no doubt in my mind that the right decision was made, to let nature take it’s course. By the way, that doesn’t equate to heartless, on the contrary, nobody feels worse about this then the apparent decision makers. I say apparent, because when all was said and done, and all the issues were properly weighed, there really weren’t any other options. It was clearly pointed out, by experts, that intervening at this stage could have spooked the whole nest to the point of losing all the young. If the little one was saved, and nursed back to health, what kind of a life would it have had, perhaps caged up in a zoo. I remember when I was younger I saw a golden eagle in captivity, caged behind a wire mesh. I could practically see it’s tears. As far as placing the little one in another nest, such a low probability of success would never have justified the possibility of spooking the nest. There’s a piece of me, however heavy hearted, that believes that perhaps it is better to be born free and die free. We mourn for the little one as we marvel at the wonders of nature.

Reprinted with the permission of John W. Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

Hello Paul,

Thanks for your query, and you have my admiration for persevering. We know very well how tough your job is, including dealing with an anxious public.

Our policy with our Bird Cams project is essentially “just say no” to pleas for interference. The behavior you are witnessing – while seemingly cruel and heartless to us – is natural for many kinds of birds, especially those that feed on variable, unpredictable food supplies. The little nestling does have a chance to survive, but if it does not then that result was “meant to be” by the nature of Osprey breeding strategy. The wonderful things about these nest cameras also sometimes yield the difficult things for us to watch. As you might know, we actually post a “siblicide alert” on some of our cams where we suspect the possibility exists.

I’m copying your note to Charles Eldermire, project leader for our Bird Cams. He may have some additional comments, and he would be the one to ask if we might be able to use your stored files for biological analysis.

Best wishes, and good luck,

John W. Fitzpatrick

Director, Cornell Lab of Ornithology

In addition, Charles Eldermire, Bird Cams Project Leader, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Writes:

It’s also important to acknowledge that intervening can also cause problems of its own—depending on the ages of the birds in the nest, disturbing them can trigger an early fledge. We have restricted the scenarios in which we would even consider intervening to injuries or dangers that are explicitly human-derived. For example, 3 or 4 years ago we were alerted by viewers that one of the osprey chicks at the Hellgate Osprey nest was entangled in monofilament line. We consulted with our partners there (wildlife biologists, raptor researchers, raptor rehabbers) to determine if the monofilament was an issue, and if intervening was both likely to solve the issue AND not have bad effects on the other nestlings. In the end, a quick trip to the nest was scheduled via a bucket truck, the monofilament was removed, and the nestlings all eventually fledged. In that case, all of the permits were already in hand to be studying the ospreys, and we had already discussed how to approach issues in the nest.

Good luck to the young one—hope it all turns out well.

charles.

*******************
Charles Eldermire
Bird Cams Project Leader
Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Paul,

I’ve been to your site—great cam! And I noticed the runt in the nest. This is just normal Osprey reproduction. It happens all the time and you should not intervene. It’s tough to watch, but it’s how nature works. Ospreys almost always lay 3 eggs and on average fledge between 1 and 1.5 young each year. They stagger the hatch so there is a spread of ages in the young. That way, if food is short, the first-hatched (and therefore largest) will get enough food to survive while the smaller nest mates do not. If all three young were the same size and there was only enough food for 1 young, none of the young would get enough food and they would all die. If there’s lots of food, the smallest will eventually get fed and can survive. These nest cams can show some gut-wrenching scenes. The most infamous perhaps was one of the very first Osprey cams (on Long Island somewhere), where the smallest young died. One of the adults carried it out of the nest and after several minutes flew back into the nest and fed it to the other young. Waste-not-want-not at its goriest. At Hog Island up in Maine just last week a Bald Eagle came in and took the young out of the nest. Last year at another nest, cameras documented a Great-horned Owl taking young Ospreys out of a nest in NJ or MD. All of these things have been going on for millions of years and Ospreys are doing fine.

Rob Bierregaard
Academy of Natural Sciences
Drexel University
http://www.ospreytrax.com

“Interesting. They don’t often take over osprey poles—probably too small for them. They will coopt tree nests, which they can expand. We had a pair of eagles do this on the Vineyard. They built up the Osprey nest a lot and then the Ospreys came home and drove the eagles away, in a David v. Goliath story. The Ospreys successfully bred. They looked tiny in the nest, which sadly blew down this winter.”

    Leave A Comment

    52,629 Comments

    1. Eleanor August 2, 2015 at 5:04 pm - Reply

      Did I miss something? I only see 1 in the nest

      • Susan August 2, 2015 at 5:23 pm - Reply

        All is well, I see the two.

      • sirole August 2, 2015 at 6:47 pm - Reply

        I have seen lovely hovering, and I suspect that our intrepid chick has caught some wind and moved faster than planned, seemed a bit cautious about the breeze, likes the lift but not quite ready for the big blue!

      • Lyn August 2, 2015 at 7:05 pm - Reply

        Hiding behind the other! I got scared too!

    2. Leanne August 2, 2015 at 4:29 pm - Reply

      Some major air time is being had by these chicks today. They are just so fun to watch. Approximately 3:30 CST

      • Leanne August 2, 2015 at 4:30 pm - Reply

        SORRY. I meant to type in the time as 3:00 CST

    3. Marilyn August 2, 2015 at 4:22 pm - Reply

      Looks like Gracie came home with a good size fish about 1 hr or so ago.

    4. sallyanne August 2, 2015 at 4:02 pm - Reply

      Well,Jumpin’ Jehosophat !! (sp?) Sun. Aug. 2nd @4PM chick number 1 flapping furiously and getting some air while jumping and hopping in the nest. Actually looked like he had to “leap” over his younger sibling!!

      What fun to watch!!

    5. Ja August 2, 2015 at 3:44 pm - Reply

      Its def 2015 Gracie is no stay at nest mom … She went out and got a nice fish for lunch

    6. Donna August 2, 2015 at 3:37 pm - Reply

      About 3pm Gracie brought in a good size fish!

    7. Etta August 2, 2015 at 3:26 pm - Reply

      Actually just saw chick#2 flapping his wings and rising up from nest several times!

    8. Kathryn k August 2, 2015 at 3:20 pm - Reply

      Chick 1 is hovering soon he will be flying

    9. Kathryn k August 2, 2015 at 3:15 pm - Reply

      Have not seem George since early this morning

    10. Leanne August 2, 2015 at 3:11 pm - Reply

      Scrolled back and I think it was chick 2 who got a little air. So hard to tell them apart.

    11. karin August 2, 2015 at 3:00 pm - Reply

      about 2:54 one of the chicks got a very good liftoff… It won’t be long now!

    12. Leanne August 2, 2015 at 2:59 pm - Reply

      Gracie came in with a good sized fish and the babies took turns eating. While number 2 ate, number 1 practiced with her wing dance and she actually got some air. Scared me because I was afraid she was gonna fly off but of course, she didn’t. That was at about 1:55 CST.

      • Leanne August 2, 2015 at 3:02 pm - Reply

        She flew up high enough so that she almost left the screen. Very brief but it was also kind of cool.

    13. CarolV August 2, 2015 at 2:41 pm - Reply

      2:37pmEDT Gracie went fishing and brought home a good sized fish. The chicks saw her coming and sang her home. SoCute!

      • CarolV August 2, 2015 at 2:51 pm - Reply

        #2 getting lots of practice flapping while #1 gets fed…Gracie giving him larger pieces now. Time to switch places!

        • CarolV August 2, 2015 at 2:57 pm - Reply

          #1 getting good loft! Was backed up to #2 and I was afraid 2 would turn and push 1 out with his tail !

    14. Marlene August 2, 2015 at 2:39 pm - Reply

      OK, Gracie to the rescue at 2:35 p.m. with a HUGE fish. She sure is a great fisherwoman (and mom).

    15. Leanne August 2, 2015 at 2:30 pm - Reply

      Just scrolled back 4 hours. No fish since this morning? George and Gracie need to step it up. Those chicks must be hot, hungry and thirsty.

    16. Kathryn kovacs August 2, 2015 at 2:26 pm - Reply

      You shouldn’t bit the hand that feeds you

    17. Kathryn kovacs August 2, 2015 at 2:21 pm - Reply

      There has been a couple of times chick 1 pick at mom

    18. Marlene August 2, 2015 at 2:11 pm - Reply

      It’s 2:06 p.m. NY time, and the chicks have not eaten since this morning. No wonder they are squawking. They must be very hungry. The weekends seem to be the hardest time to find food for them. Maybe the boat traffic adds to it.
      I’ve noticed that when George sings his nice chirp to them, they quiet down. It’s so cute. I’m REALLY going to miss this family when they go their separate ways. I’ll be happy for them, but sad for us. ;-(

    19. Diane S August 2, 2015 at 2:07 pm - Reply

      2:05pm EDT-One of the kids just took a peck at Gracie, they haven’t eaten since this morning. If/when another fish comes in it could get ugly.

    20. CarolV August 2, 2015 at 1:58 pm - Reply

      See Gracie has been shopping….garden edging?

    21. barbara August 2, 2015 at 12:45 pm - Reply

      I just got on again. Last time was 11:00 Has anyone seen Gracie? I’ve only see the chicks today.

    22. AngelP August 2, 2015 at 12:11 pm - Reply

      Do you ever feel like your Skypeing? LOL Cracks me up when they look into the camera and move their head back and forth. I find myself talking to them…LOL

    23. Janet August 2, 2015 at 10:59 am - Reply

      When will they fly getting big

      • Coleen August 2, 2015 at 3:59 pm - Reply

        If they’re like the eagles, which I know much more about and studied, they will be able to lift off the ground (nest) when their wing bones become completely hollow, making them light to spread and fly. They’ll be practicing like little helicopters for about a week, then go to a perch nearby. Sometimes they will fly to something nearby and get cold feet and sit on that perch all day until they get enough courage or get hungry enough to fly back to the nest for food.

    24. DianeNY August 2, 2015 at 10:21 am - Reply

      Watching this baby osprey flap their wings is truly amazing. But you are really in for exciting birdwatching when they start to test those wings for flight. I watched the baby Osprey on Hog Island Maine last year from the hatching of three chicks until they all fledged. The birds started to flap and flap hitting each other. Then they started to hover over the nest getting higher and higher. Then one at a time they practiced hovering and landing on the perch. From the perch we watched them fly to nearby boats anchored in the bay. I am anxious to see what these baby birds will do.

      • JP August 2, 2015 at 12:41 pm - Reply

        They were both flapping away late last night when I peeked in.. if they weren’t hanging on with their claws they would have taken off for sure. Maybe with the heat of the day, they like to practice more at night, I don’t know. It will be any day now. From watching other nests, they always come back to the nest for the parents to feed them until they all start their migration.

    25. Susan August 2, 2015 at 9:55 am - Reply

      Has anyone seen Gracie this morning?

      • Lyn August 2, 2015 at 2:10 pm - Reply

        Gracie has been off camera for most of the afternoon, although I’m sure she’s around somewhere. The chicks haven’t gotten ANYTHING in the four hours I went back, and its probably
        very hot up there is the blazing sun. They have been crying on and off. George remains MIA. – 2:10 p.m. EDT – Getting a tad worried they aren’t getting what they need water or food wise.

    26. nancy August 2, 2015 at 9:22 am - Reply

      Looks like chick 1 has a cold- she’s been sneezing all morning and is holding her beak open. Hope she gets better.

    27. Meg August 2, 2015 at 8:15 am - Reply

      Just saw mom leave the nest and there was an entanglement in her foot. I hope she is able to get rid of it!

    28. CarolV August 2, 2015 at 8:03 am - Reply

      George started the day with a med. small whole fish about 5:35amEDT. It was odd because Gracie and the kids didn’t start in right away.They kept looking around and even after Gracie started on the fish she stopped and did some squawking. Maybe an intruder nearby?

      • CarolV August 2, 2015 at 8:23 am - Reply

        About 6:00am…George dropped in with a chunk of fish. It definitely seemed like he was being followed..the kids hit the deck and Gracie was doing the intruder alarm. Mom and Dad did a lot of head waggling looking around before Gracie came for the fish. It was a smallish piece and disappeared quickly.

        • CarolV August 2, 2015 at 8:38 am - Reply

          This is sort of like with your own kids…you see them everyday and then one day, you really SEE them. All grown up and almost ready to face the world! These chicks are so beautiful with their long feathers, long tails and wings so big they are hitting the mike when they flap. We’ve been so lucky to share this experience!

    29. Leanne August 2, 2015 at 6:25 am - Reply

      A mom and her ducklings (?) passes in front of the nest. I saw them yesterday afternoon too. Very cute 🙂

      • Eleanore August 2, 2015 at 2:12 pm - Reply

        Sunday 2:05 p.m. Did I just see one of the “kids” peck his mother!!!?? I know they are hungry but that’s a shocker. She just got back to the nest and I guess he was mad she didn’t bring anything to eat. No sighting of George for a long time. He’s definitely not knocking himself out to bring them all food.

    30. Diane S August 2, 2015 at 6:16 am - Reply

      I’m not sure if anyone posted the Newsday article of the rescue. Anyway here it is!

      http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/long-island-osprey-chick-mired-in-fishing-line-rescued-live-on-the-internet-1.10692834

    31. Leanne August 2, 2015 at 6:15 am - Reply

      About 4:40 CST George brings in his first fish of the day and both babies ate. Right before Gracie finished feeding the chicks the fish, George delivered either half a fish or a hunk of one. I also scrolled back to see if it had rained and it didn’t appear to me that it had even though I could see lightening off in the distance and hear the rumbles of thunder. It’s a beautiful start to the day so far though and I hope George continues to bring fish for the nest to enjoy.

    32. Leanne August 2, 2015 at 2:00 am - Reply

      1:00 CST Lightning in the distance and thunder can be heard. Hope the babies have a safe night.

    33. Rjoneal August 2, 2015 at 12:06 am - Reply

      Sunday 12:00am thanks to the Bluemoon we have a beautiful view of our babies in the nest at night or early in the morning,it’s gorgeous.
      Who needs lighting at night when we have the beautiful moon. Once again nature providing for us as we watch our babies grow up. If anyone gets a chance you should take a look at it at night. Here’s hoping George will step up his game on Sunday even though we know their will probably be a lot of boats out again and fishing is usually not as good.

    34. Trinity August 1, 2015 at 11:25 pm - Reply

      11:30 pm, moonlight is shining down on our beautiful chicks who are both wide awake. Looking forward to their first flight as I’m sure every other viewer is ?

    35. peter keane August 1, 2015 at 9:40 pm - Reply

      Paul reduced my taxes two times. l had no idea that he was doing great things for the ospreys! Very cool.

    36. gigi August 1, 2015 at 9:12 pm - Reply

      got on computer at 9:00 pm, scrolled back to watch “Flap, jump, whack” So funny when they knock each other in the head with their wings:)

    37. Leanne August 1, 2015 at 8:27 pm - Reply

      I can’t remember if there were any fish since this morning?? George needs to step up his game.

    38. Ja August 1, 2015 at 8:09 pm - Reply

      Their getting me so nervous how the wind almost takes them out of the nest when they flap their wings, Are their wings ready for flight if they should fall from the nest and would they b able to fly back up to the nest ?

    39. Roberta August 1, 2015 at 7:45 pm - Reply

      Just a little while ago I was sure that one of those chicks was going to take off. He/she was flapping wings wildly as if to warm up the engine. Then backed away & then repeated a few times. I wouldn’t be surprised if he/she will be flying tomorrow. I think it was check #2. Anyone else see it?

      • Leanne August 2, 2015 at 12:27 am - Reply

        I did see it but wasn’t close enough to the computer to be able to tell which one it was. Looked like it got a little air a few times too. So cute. It was hopping all over the place. 🙂

      • cloudymoor August 2, 2015 at 6:48 am - Reply

        It’s strange but the fledges I’ve been witness to had no revving of the wings beforehand which was exactly what I was expected. Just a still position and then… whoooosh. I’m super curious to see if these chick’s will do the same.

      • CarolV August 2, 2015 at 1:27 pm - Reply

        In previous years, at a nest I’ve watched from the ground, the chicks would practice to the point they would be hovering over the nest. I used to wonder if it was a conscious decision or just a puff of wind that would set them off!

    40. Gamma August 1, 2015 at 6:49 pm - Reply

      Can someone tell me when the hatch dates were for these two chicks and what the estimated fledge time is. I thought maybe there would be a timeline of dates bur I can’t find one.

      • Bill August 2, 2015 at 8:55 am - Reply

        I believe June 13 and 15 were hatch dates. Someone posted that fly time is around 56 days. If that’s true, I would expect first flights to be Aug 6 and 8. We’ll see.

        • gamma August 2, 2015 at 1:33 pm - Reply

          Thank You Bill. I think your right, anywhere from 56 to 60 days to fledge.

    41. annieap1 August 1, 2015 at 6:35 pm - Reply

      Because death by sibling is part of nature, that is – survival of the fittest when there is not enough nourishment for all the chicks. The entanglement of the chicks in the fishing line was caused by man not properly disposing of unused fishing line.

    42. GinaM August 1, 2015 at 6:32 pm - Reply

      The beautiful rescue really hit home today. I was driving on a strip of road that has many osprey nests on either side because there is a bay on one side and the Long Island Sound on the other. I like to check up on them to see how they are all doing. Everyone seemed fine until I got to the end of the road. There, hanging from his/her tangled foot atop a telephone pole was an adult osprey. Too late for anyone to help. He must have gotten caught there during the storm the other day, or picked up a fishing line and could not break free. It was absolutely heartbreaking. What I DO NOT understand is how there are so many beachgoers there and no one noticed him in distress. It was not a high pole. Surely he was flapping madly to break free. No one helped him. Now his lifeless beautiful body just hangs there. We are ever so lucky to have Paul and his team. That could have been our chick’s fate.
      Thank you, again, Paul and Jim and PSEG and Rob, our Osprey Expert.

      • Jan August 2, 2015 at 8:36 pm - Reply

        Gina- That is so sad. I agree…with all the beach people how could it be that no one saw this poor thing and try to help..That poor little baby! Breaks my heart…..

    43. barbara August 1, 2015 at 6:13 pm - Reply

      Dorothy that green thing is sea grass or sea weed.

      • Marge Tuthill August 2, 2015 at 2:34 pm - Reply

        Thank you so much….loving every minute I view this…watched Osprey’s in Mastic Beach 65 years ago
        wishing I could get a camera to view them…dreamed of it often.

    44. Donna August 1, 2015 at 5:58 pm - Reply

      The two youngins are so close to lift-off. It will be any day now.

    45. Rjoneal August 1, 2015 at 4:59 pm - Reply

      Terri G can you copy and paste the Newsday article for those of us who can’t get News-day? I’m sure all would be interested reading it .

      • Sammie August 1, 2015 at 6:53 pm - Reply

        Thanks, I would like to read it also!

    46. Dorothy August 1, 2015 at 4:58 pm - Reply

      What is that big green thing? Looks like lettuce….Maybe if there’s no fish, they’ll turn to salad……Boy, they are getting more beautiful every day……

    47. kgerette August 1, 2015 at 4:47 pm - Reply

      Is it just me or has the camera angle moved to the left more? So windy lately, wondered if the camera got jostled a bit?

      • CarolV August 1, 2015 at 7:23 pm - Reply

        Maybe a touch….seems like you can see just a bit more of that long pier on the left. Maybe when it got wiped off? Or are we just not used to the clean view!?!

      • Lyn August 1, 2015 at 8:33 pm - Reply

        I agree, sometimes it seems like the camera angle was moved to the left more, but actually, it is the fact that the babies are so much bigger and take up more of the nest
        than previously. The amount of dock shown on the left is the same, so I’m assuming that nothing has been changed, other than the fact that our babies are growing and
        probably will fledge very soon. Wind would not move the camera nor has the human intervention rescue done anything to the angle of the camera; just has enabled us to
        view these incredible birds with clarity not seen in a few weeks.

    48. Leanne August 1, 2015 at 4:40 pm - Reply

      I love how they flop down really low in the nest when Gracie alerts them to danger. They are such smart birds and have wonderful teachers in George and Gracie, who are still learning themselves.

    49. Deborah August 1, 2015 at 4:24 pm - Reply

      I am so glad you folks were able to help the chicks. To me the string and fishing line are not an act of nature, they are a manmade disaster. How many other nests are the chicks entangled and die because we have no clue? Great too the removal of the plastic bags. I wish we could eliminate such non-biodegradable trash. Siblicide is an act of the natural order of life this wasn’t. Kudos to everyone involved. I wish we could watch every nest.

    50. Liz August 1, 2015 at 3:41 pm - Reply

      After seeing the video of the wonderful rescue, I can’t help but think of little Pee Wee and wondering why he couldn’t have been rescued by humans before he was killed by his siblings. Why was human intervention ok this time, but not when Pee Wee needed his life saved?

      • nancy August 1, 2015 at 6:38 pm - Reply

        Yes I’m wondering that too. Just seems like they could have sent those guys up there to get peep and get him to a wild life refuge. Hope next year if that happens they’ll get the chick out now that they know they can get up there.

      • cloudymoor August 1, 2015 at 6:46 pm - Reply

        Dear Liz,
        I completely understand your view. I shed an embarrassing number of tears watching the little chick being brutalized, being flung and being starved to death.. I said it before and I’ll say it again. I’ll remember these painful images of him for the rest of my life.. The only explanation that makes mehandle it better was from another comment board. If the weakest is allowed to survive, those weak genes will continue into the next line. A stork nest just removed one of their chicks from the nest and according to the viewer, there wasn’t any real feeding issues—just didn’t need three chicks. They seem to invest everything on the oldest and everything else is gravy.

      • GinaM August 1, 2015 at 6:54 pm - Reply

        Liz, watching what happened to Pee Wee was the hardest thing in the world. But that was nature. Rob, the osprey expert explained it the best when he said if Pee Wee was the older sibling, he would have done the same thing. There was not enough food and too many chicks. Nature takes over to save the brood- not sure if ospreys are called a “brood” or not.
        The FISHING LINE was HUMAN. Careless, unthinking man, tossing bits of nylon overboard to be caught up in a nest. The tangled baby was not a natural cause- it was our fault. It is right to step in when humans cause the danger. It is a fine line to step in when nature is deciding, based on evolution, what is best to do.
        Believe me, I had to turn away and could not watch the last moments of that sweet little bird. But I do hold onto the wonderful and touching moment when both the siblings were sleeping and PeeWee had all the attention of George and Gracie and he stood between them as the sun set and both his parents took turns feeding him. That is how I choose to remember that sweet little baby.

      • CarolV August 1, 2015 at 7:03 pm - Reply

        Tho difficult, the decision was made to only intervene if threat was derived from manmade problem. Normal( tho seemingly cruel) animal behavior was not cause to intervene while entanglement in a manmade fishingline was.

      • Trinity August 1, 2015 at 11:29 pm - Reply

        It’s not an equal comparison, not even close. There were so many explanations as to why human interference wasn’t acceptable regarding little Pip. Read the two comments by Paul and Rob. Let’s not harp on the past.

      • susan August 2, 2015 at 7:25 pm - Reply

        Liz, I share your view. I don’t consider PeeWee getting killed wasn’t in part due to humans….the lack of fish and the trash, pollution, etc that also may have caused the unrest in the nest, wasn’t part of nature. I realize they all can’t survive but I felt that since this nest was being watched, PeeWee should have been rescued from the nest. He could have been taken to a wildlife rehab facility, fed, treated and either put in another nest if possible, or released into the wild once he was old enough to fish for himself. .

        • sue kue August 2, 2015 at 11:53 pm - Reply

          Susan, I agree with you 100%………………………………………

    51. Pat August 1, 2015 at 1:45 pm - Reply

      Just watched the rescue video. Happy that the babies are free. Thank you to all involved

    52. Diane S August 1, 2015 at 12:11 pm - Reply

      With the north wind today we should get a lot of face time with the Ospreys!!!

    53. marilyn August 1, 2015 at 9:10 am - Reply

      Latest delivery of fish about 10 min ago. When George landed he kept looking up towards the sky as if there was another bird, perhaps trying to steal his catch.

    54. Leanne August 1, 2015 at 8:55 am - Reply

      At about 7:25 cst George delivered another fish. Gracie fed both chicks and then left the nest to bring back some seaweed she had found.

    55. Trinity August 1, 2015 at 8:07 am - Reply

      Around 8:00am one chick is hopping around testing out their wings, looks just about ready to take off.

    56. Terri G August 1, 2015 at 7:49 am - Reply

      What a beautiful 1 page story in today’s Long Island Newsday !

    57. ospreyzone August 1, 2015 at 7:08 am - Reply

      Our Gratitude is again extended to PSEG, who graciously provided equipment and crew to make the rescue possible.

      I want to also thank our local organization, the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center http://www.wildliferescuecenter.org/
      They do great work, locally here on Long Island and were instrumental in arranging for our recent rescue to happen and are much appreciated.

      Jim MacDougall, who is a volunteer with the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center, heroically went up to untangle both birds and as a bonus to us all, cleaned the lens.
      .
      A recent quote concerning Jim, from a local media source:

      “I would like to thank him. Without hesitation, he went up and handled the osprey magnificently. Not only did he rescue the osprey but I want to thank him for cleaning the lens of the camera. It’s crystal clear now,” Henry said.

    58. CarolV August 1, 2015 at 6:55 am - Reply

      Gracie was yelling when I tuned in so I scrolled back to see if they ate yet. I saw George bring in a smallish headless fluke about 5:50amEDT. Gracie was facing into the camera as she did her “thank you, now go away” dance. Even funnier to watch from that angle!

    59. Sandy July 31, 2015 at 11:26 pm - Reply

      11:21 I have never seen such a beautiful moon lit sight of our osprey nest. The view is clear for this time of night. …good night little chicks, so happy your rescue was a success. Thanks again to All that made this possible.

    60. DianeNY July 31, 2015 at 11:19 pm - Reply

      What a beautiful sight watching the chicks sleep with the Blue Moon reflecting down onto the water.

      • Patty August 1, 2015 at 2:00 am - Reply

        Ditto to you, Diane, and watching Our Amazing Gracie still standing over.her chicks in the incredible light of the Blue Moon! Goose bumps happening so much now, thanking again and again, everyone who aided Paul & Tommy to give the chicks such a great chance to GO! Survive!

    61. Leanne July 31, 2015 at 11:04 pm - Reply

      What a beautiful night at the nest. I checked in at about 8:30 CST and there were some small fireworks being set off on the beach below. Didn’t seem to bother either of the babies. I didn’t see Gracie or George anywhere. Chicks took turns stretching, dancing and looking at the scenery. Sleeping at the moment. Peacefully. 🙂

    62. JP July 31, 2015 at 11:02 pm - Reply

      Paul, you probably know this info already from the Osprey project in NJ, but just in case….
      https://www.facebook.com/njospreyproject?fref=ts
      http://www.newsworks.org/index.php/down-the-shore/item/84291?linktype=hp_blogs?utm_source=down-the-shore&utm_medium=social&utm_content=test&utm_campaign=social-inbound
      I started watching the osprey cam at Island Beach the past few years since up until now we had no osprey cam on Long Island for a while. This seems to be the guy doing a lot of the work, along with NJ volunteers. ben.wurst@conservewildlifenj.org
      It would be nice if something similar were to pop up again here, it would be quite an undertaking, though. You might want to read about Project Red Band on the Osprey project FB page…

      Great job yesterday. Glad the birds seem okay, as well as the humans… No need to post this.. just passing on some info…

      • ospreyzone August 1, 2015 at 6:48 am - Reply

        Thanks for info. I was not aware of the NJ Osprey Project, full of good information and they are doing great work. Much food for thought here as we move forward and try to define future goals.

        I want to also thank our local organization, the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center http://www.wildliferescuecenter.org/
        They also do great work, locally here on Long Island. They were instrumental in arranging for our recent rescue to happen and are much appreciated.

    63. Coleen July 31, 2015 at 10:38 pm - Reply

      The full Blue Moon is keeping the chicks awake, they don’t know what to think of all that light at night. They have full crops so they should sleep well whenever they close their eyes.

    64. Linda July 31, 2015 at 10:05 pm - Reply

      Thank you for posting the rescue video and thank you to all involved!!! It was wonderful to see everything go so well with a good outcome.
      Thank you for all you do for this wonderful web cam site!

      I loved seeing the birds tonight under the Blue Moon.
      But I don’t think the birds were happy with the fireworks……….

    65. JB July 31, 2015 at 9:36 pm - Reply

      Oh no….why are fireworks going off at 9:35 pm….it is scaring the Ospreys!!!!!! 🙁

    66. CarolV July 31, 2015 at 9:35 pm - Reply

      I wish whoever is setting off the fireworks could see what it’s doing to these birds!

    67. gracey July 31, 2015 at 9:33 pm - Reply

      someone call the police….the fireworks are too close to the nest

      and the birds are scared…

    68. Jo-Ann July 31, 2015 at 8:37 pm - Reply

      It is 8:30 p.m. the chick are sleeping and the” blue moon” is reflecting on the water. What a beautiful picture!!!!! Again Thank you to everyone that made this possible.

    69. Dorothy July 31, 2015 at 8:36 pm - Reply

      Wow, it’s like being right there on the nest, so nice and clean….Wonderful job! And after watching the rescue, brings tears to my eyes….Fantastic!

    70. CarolV July 31, 2015 at 8:31 pm - Reply

      Somehow in all the times I watched this site, I missed the ABOUT section in the header next to Highlights. Worth checking out if you’ve missed it too. We tend to overlook Tommy because we rely on Paul for info. THANK YOU to Tommy for evolving this project.

    71. Monica July 31, 2015 at 8:24 pm - Reply

      I haven’t seen George in a long time.. Is he perched by the camera?

    72. guy Santo July 31, 2015 at 7:52 pm - Reply

      One of the chicks is holding its leg out on a angle…any residual affect from the string event?

      • Leanne July 31, 2015 at 8:09 pm - Reply

        I’ve seen them both do it before, especially Gigi who likes to stretch her right wing and leg at the same time. Wing usually goes right back but she likes to show off her leg. 🙂

      • CarolV July 31, 2015 at 8:25 pm - Reply

        No…they sleep like that sometimes..sort of a stretch

      • Rich July 31, 2015 at 8:36 pm - Reply

        When they are laying flat, legs are stretched out to the rear – sort of like a Golden Retriever’s “frog” pose.

      • Lyn July 31, 2015 at 8:48 pm - Reply

        Highly doubtful….Have witness this behavior many times before the string event. – 8:45 p.m. EDT – Both babies snuggling down for the night with full tummies, and with the BLUE MOON shining on the water in the background. Absolutely stunning!

        • Lyn July 31, 2015 at 9:20 pm - Reply

          Additional thought – I believe that both chicks are female. I may be wrong, but #1 is definitely a female. #2 is smaller, like a male, but it has the same chest “necklace” markings as Gracie. Gender neutral names should be selected, as we won’t REALLY know until they return in 2-3 years!

          • Leanne August 1, 2015 at 12:49 am - Reply

            I think both are female too.

      • sue kue July 31, 2015 at 10:48 pm - Reply

        guy, I don’t think so. It was the other leg that was tangled the right one……..That chick is just large, very healthy. Much larger then chick #2…………….must be a comfortable. position for her/him has large legs…………………………………………

        • guy Santo August 1, 2015 at 3:06 pm - Reply

          ok thanks Sue et al. glad they’re doing well now!!!

    73. Rose Petejan July 31, 2015 at 7:49 pm - Reply

      7:48 I don’t think I’ve ever seen the chick’s crops so full. That was a ginormous headless fish.

    74. CarolV July 31, 2015 at 7:32 pm - Reply

      Someone asked about sunset…tonight 8:07pmEDT with about 1/2 hr. twilight
      Moonrise tonight..full moon/ blue moon 8:08pm

      • Gamma July 31, 2015 at 8:55 pm - Reply

        Carol, yesterday I had asked what time it got dark out in NY, I don’t know if this was what you were refering to. My posts seem to take about 4-5 hrs before they show up on line even when it shows just the time difference. So I don’t post here much but was curious as to when the sun set versus our sunset. Probablly makes no sence at all but thank you.

    75. Leanne July 31, 2015 at 7:09 pm - Reply

      Around 5:00 CST George delivered dinner. Both chicks ate and Gracie even had a good meal. It is currently nap time.

      I am sooo glad that lens got cleaned and the nest is cleaner. Makes for such a wonderful view of the nest, water and boats. 🙂

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