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An Intro to OspreyZone

The Story of DDT

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Bald Eagles Visit Nest

Ospreyzone Highlights: May 21-29, 2020

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First Sighting

George and Gracie's First Baby

Eggs Over Easy

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Intruder

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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

    52,585 Comments

    1. JO June 26, 2015 at 4:44 pm - Reply

      Oh no, I think the lil baby is stuck under the net. I see the net moving up and down but I dont see him….is he under the net ????

    2. Rose Petejan June 26, 2015 at 4:33 pm - Reply

      It appears that the baby chick is caught in the burlap??????????

      • suzanne June 26, 2015 at 4:45 pm - Reply

        its netting!!!! oh no i see it moving too!

    3. Debra June 26, 2015 at 4:33 pm - Reply

      We’ve been out all day and just turned computer to the live feed of our beautiful babies! I don’t know if I’m just missing him, but I don’t see baby #3? Is he in the nest?

      • Jara June 26, 2015 at 4:45 pm - Reply

        He crawled under the netting. 🙁

    4. Cathy June 26, 2015 at 4:29 pm - Reply

      The little one is stuck under the mesh.Oh Lord I can’t watch….

    5. Dorothy June 26, 2015 at 4:27 pm - Reply

      So sad to see the baby struggling to get out of that net or whatever it is…..I’ll have to stop watching for awhile, breaks my heart…..

    6. JO June 26, 2015 at 4:08 pm - Reply

      Hi Rose,

      I read that post right here from the guy who goes by the name Paul and has his pic for his avatar.
      I do hope its true and someone is serious going to remove that net before something awful happens.I hope its soon!!

    7. JB June 26, 2015 at 4:06 pm - Reply

      I was just looking at another Osprey site on Audubon, where an awful fact of nature occurred. The two parents also laid three eggs about the same time as George and Gracie. Only two of the eggs hatched however, but both chicks were doing marvelously. Just minutes ago, the mother left the nest and moments later a large raptor of some sort, possibly an Eagle swept down and snatched one of the two chicks. If you go to the site it’s still possible to scroll back to see it.

      http://explore.org/live-cams/player/osprey-nest

      • JB June 26, 2015 at 4:09 pm - Reply

        The sadness of what can happen.

        https://youtu.be/YgrdrpATzZw

        • Dhenyce June 26, 2015 at 4:39 pm - Reply

          omg! The other one is gone now too! Empty nest!!

        • Heather June 26, 2015 at 5:17 pm - Reply

          Heartbreaking. They were both taken. :’-(

      • Cathy June 26, 2015 at 4:26 pm - Reply

        I dont think I want to see that…….:-(

        • andreaallennyc June 26, 2015 at 6:47 pm - Reply

          Yes. Can’t stand it when people post sad/tragic events in other nests. Watching means you risk seeing tragedies … But no reason to spread such disturbing news to others who may not need to know.

      • Jim June 26, 2015 at 4:28 pm - Reply

        Come on Runt – get the heck out from under that darn burlap!

      • Leanne June 26, 2015 at 5:22 pm - Reply

        I definitely don’t want to see that. 🙁

    8. Cathy June 26, 2015 at 3:45 pm - Reply

      Goerge is getting an earful! It’s 3:45 and no fish!

    9. Judy June 26, 2015 at 3:41 pm - Reply

      I’m happy to see George bringing more sticks! He’s making the sides higher so the chicks won’t stumble over the edge. This whole experience is captivating a whole lot of my day internet viewing..Lol! Love it!

    10. bean June 26, 2015 at 3:40 pm - Reply

      I have been watching George and gracie since day one it,s amazing to see up close what we think goes on with these beautiful birds to be able to see the young hatch and be fed .I just want to say thank you to everyone who made this possible and god bless

    11. RS June 26, 2015 at 3:01 pm - Reply

      I’m new to this wonderful site (thank you Newsday for the heads up). Why are some of the fish that George brings to the nest headless? Has he already partaken? Thanks.

      • cloudymoor June 26, 2015 at 3:16 pm - Reply

        RS that’s exactly right. The father usually eats the head before leaving the rest to the family. Apparently it’s very high in protein compared to the rest of the fish, which is important for him as he’s got to be able to continuously fish for his family.

      • Redkayak June 26, 2015 at 3:36 pm - Reply

        Yup. It’s like when you see a dad picking up a pizza and he get a slice to eat there before he goes home. It’s a very Long Island thing.

      • Mikw June 26, 2015 at 6:18 pm - Reply

        Seems like the little on is in a bit of trouble in that burlap bag……..

    12. suzanne June 26, 2015 at 2:50 pm - Reply

      Feeding time. about 2:50 PM in the east I think (11:50 AZ time). littlest one front and center. George is rocking this hunting thing! yay!

    13. Emily June 26, 2015 at 2:43 pm - Reply

      The last feeding at 2:30 p.m. was hard to watch for the little one.

      • Helen June 26, 2015 at 4:30 pm - Reply

        The tiny one is stuck inside the net!

    14. JB June 26, 2015 at 2:43 pm - Reply

      The little RUNT is doing a better job at getting to the food, but his siblings beaks are twice the size of his head. So, when a food battle ensues, he’s quickly shut out when they bite his entire head forcing him to the mat.

    15. Redkayak June 26, 2015 at 2:33 pm - Reply

      2:35 pm little Pee Wee Pip Squeak ate a hardy meal big chunks of fish bones and all!

      • Redkayak June 26, 2015 at 2:42 pm - Reply

        At the same time, George took off and the oldest Pip seemed to notice flight for the first time and was distracted from the feeding.

    16. IRJ June 26, 2015 at 1:29 pm - Reply

      1:23PM and George flies in with a huge branch. One baby is nearly ‘stuck’ between the branch and the nest. But then George and Gracie work together to move it about and stick it into place. Great teamwork. Amazing to watch the growth of both parents and babies (who, by the way, seem to double in size overnight every night).

      • Alethia June 26, 2015 at 1:54 pm - Reply

        Wow, I just watched that! Teamwork at it’s finest!!!

      • JB June 26, 2015 at 3:27 pm - Reply

        Saw that too! When he set the branch down, it wasn’t just a single straight shaft, but there was a crooked ‘branch’ in the branch. And, as you mentioned, one of the older chicks was pinned between it and the edge of the nest. Any extra push or shift in the wrong direction could have pushed the chick right over the edge. But, George and Gracie teamed up, with one on the left and the other on the right. They both lifted it together very carefully and set it where it appears now; on the edge closest the water. Quite an amazing feat of cooperation.

    17. Dorothy June 26, 2015 at 12:18 pm - Reply

      Just checking on the family and looks like it’s “food coma” time…Isn’t it funny, when they want to nap, they just plop down…They really are growing…..

    18. Elaine June 26, 2015 at 11:52 am - Reply

      I am so glad to see the whole family together. George is helping Gracie to feed the kids. How sweet! I wish George would pick up the net and take it away from the nest so no one gets tangled in it. I get nervous when I see the kids get too close to the edge . The kids are really growing. Even PeeWee looks a little larger and is more active, evening though a lighter color than the siblings.

    19. JB June 26, 2015 at 11:45 am - Reply

      The little one’s eyes are beginning to open wider and look more clear. He moved very close to the camera a few minutes ago and got a good look at them. Today has been his best day thus far. The first couple of days after birth he got very little food, which affected his growth and strength. He’s also getting a little darker and fattening up in the rump.

    20. JB June 26, 2015 at 10:08 am - Reply

      Watch out! Poop squirt at the camera from the port bow.

      • Cloudymoor June 26, 2015 at 10:48 am - Reply

        fish delivery at 10:29. The middle chick (in the foreground) seems to be sleeping through the entire feeding. Little one asserted itself admirably although was pinned down by the bigger one for a while.

    21. JB June 26, 2015 at 9:51 am - Reply

      One of the little ones has been mimicking his mother by picking up pieces of nesting material and moving them about. Also actually picked up a few pieces of dropped food during feedings. This is the first this behavior has appeared in the nest and the first sign of self feeding.

    22. Arlene June 26, 2015 at 9:49 am - Reply

      Notice how Gracie and George built up the sides of the nest since the little guys are moving around and sometimes getting closer to the edge.
      Mother nature is just so awesome. Thank you for letting me see it this close. I’m obsessed now checking in constanly. lol

    23. bunny June 26, 2015 at 9:47 am - Reply

      We named HER Brenda a while bavk, cause we have always felt because of her petit build she is definately a girl

    24. maryjo June 26, 2015 at 9:10 am - Reply

      Thinking about the severe windy storm that these ospreys endured a few days ago. Great job to the guys who built the platform for them. It is obviously a vey sturdy base and the railings helped secure the base of the nest. The rest is kudos to the osprey. Mother nature taught them well in building a safe nest. 🙂

    25. Helen June 26, 2015 at 9:10 am - Reply

      I think the little one is a female with a small frame and does not require as much food as her siblings. Even humans with large families will have a “thin one” among the hefty. It’a all about the genes.

      • andreaallennyc June 26, 2015 at 9:56 am - Reply

        FYI, as with some other bird species, female osprey are larger than male osprey, though I’m not sure how much difference there is in boning. The little one is lagging. You can see the feather development is more than 3 days behind. If the baby gets enough food going forward, it will be fine. That depends on there being enough food brought to the nest. It is difficult to raise 3 osprey. The pair in Maine, Steve & Rachel, have done it twice. This year they only have two eggs that hatched. They are a few days older than these and the male is already bringing 9 fish a day to the nest. Last year, with three babies, he brought as many as 14. All 3 were always well fed, but it was very hard work … by a more experienced pair. There should be enough fish available here, but George has to be a good fisher and know he needs to get a lot of fish. Early on, he did not seem to bring enough fish (based on how often I saw Gracie yelling for food). Things seem much better in recent days.

        • Redkayak June 26, 2015 at 3:29 pm - Reply

          I’ve seen George bring as many as 5-6 fish in one day, 9-5 and I don’t even tune in that early. In other instances, with other osprey couples, I’ve seen both parents fish when the pips were really big.

          • andreaallennyc June 26, 2015 at 10:42 pm - Reply

            As I said, he has been doing better lately and the chicks have been better fed … Crops fuller, in food comas, not calling for food as earlier. Do hope he can being enough, but he’ll need to bring a lot more if all three are to survive … And he really might. It doesn’t really matter if the male does the fishing alone or they both do it … Either way, one needs to stay to guard the nest at all times.

      • JB June 26, 2015 at 10:05 am - Reply

        With Osprey, the female is the larger. See the information contained in the following link, which provides more information than most care to know…

        🙂

        [QUOTE]
        DISCUSSION

        Our results indicate significant sexual size dimorphism in young Ospreys, with males smaller than females. Therefore, sexes may be separated by means of external morphometric measurements in an easy and reliable way

        http://www.researchgate.net/publication/233013597_Morphometric_sex_determination_of_young_Ospreys_Pandion_haliaetus_using_discriminant_analysis

        [/quote]

        • Jara June 26, 2015 at 1:44 pm - Reply

          JB, thanks for that information. I can never tell. And thanks to the creators of ospreyzone. It is awesome watching this little family interact.

    26. JO June 26, 2015 at 9:03 am - Reply

      Ospreyzone,

      Thanks for letting us know that its in the works to remove the netting! Much Appreciated !!

      • Rose Petejan June 26, 2015 at 12:40 pm - Reply

        Hi Jo
        Where did you read that the netting will be removed? I don’t see it posted anywhere?
        Thanks
        Rose

    27. Mimsey June 26, 2015 at 9:01 am - Reply

      Mom and Dad have been working on the nest this morning. Dad flew in earlier with a clump of seaweed, and both have been moving sticks around.

    28. Nancy June 26, 2015 at 7:45 am - Reply

      I seen on the internet that there is a storm on Saturday with thunder & lighting and winds at 21 mph is there any way anyone can put a wind breaker up for the babies
      not to blow away?

      • Cloudymoor June 26, 2015 at 7:56 am - Reply

        I don’t think that’s usually done. Ospreys like to deliberately have nests in open areas for visibility and ease of coming and going. Even though it’s perilous for the young.

      • Patty June 26, 2015 at 9:04 am - Reply

        It looks like the “blur”n bottom of screen is the darn ol’netting.

    29. Sheryl June 26, 2015 at 7:37 am - Reply

      Mama moved the netting out of the way; this bird couple are quite intelligent. It must be because they are New Yorkers!

    30. Kathleen June 26, 2015 at 7:15 am - Reply

      I was glad to see the little one getting his/her fair share this morning. Are they napping after breakfast? This is so beautiful – Mother Nature at its finest

    31. Misty June 26, 2015 at 6:47 am - Reply

      Good morning all!!! Looks like Mama is feeding breakfast! Pee Wee is getting his fair share this morning!! Does anyone know why the camera looks foggy this morning?? Maybe something on the lens? I hope everyone enjoys “my” birds as much as I do!! 🙂

      • ospreyzone June 26, 2015 at 7:33 am - Reply

        A little dew perhaps or it might have rained a little last night. Usually clears up with a little sun or wind.
        (I answered this before, just couldn’t find it, I apologize if it’s repeated)

        • Doug June 26, 2015 at 9:46 am - Reply

          I hope one of the impressive pop streams doesn’t hit the lens! You might only see white for awhile.

        • Cathy June 26, 2015 at 4:39 pm - Reply

          Baby is stuck under the burlap. Please help him..

    32. susan June 26, 2015 at 6:45 am - Reply

      Gracie is such a good mom! Feeding time and she is making sure all 3 get some fish! She tried to get that net out and now it is off to the side….hopefully it will be gone today!

    33. Rpse Petejan June 26, 2015 at 6:26 am - Reply

      It’s one thing to sit here and watch a chick die of starvation because the adults are new parents. It’s another thing to see a chick entangled in netting. Dr. Greene in Montana travels to different sites, (not on camera) and frees osprey entangled in mesh used for hay. There has been a lot of money used to set up this camera, I can’t imagine the sponsors sitting here and letting a chick die in front of our eyes because of some net in the nest. I am disappointed that our enquiries have not been answered?

      • ospreyzone June 26, 2015 at 7:24 am - Reply

        Good morning.

        I’m sorry but I just don’t see anyone entangled at the moment. Everyone is eating and there is no unusual excitement in the nest. We are monitoring the situation and we definitely care. We have seen several attempts to move the mesh towards the edge of the nest and hopefully out of the nest. We would be happy to consult any “experts” in the field, so please feel free to suggest any and put us in contact. Let’s stay calm for the moment. By the way, we think it’s a piece of a burlap bag.

        Thanks

        Paul

        • Rose Petejan June 26, 2015 at 9:53 am - Reply

          Thank you for your reply. I’m glad the situation is being monitored. Hopefully, they will remove it before it becomes an issue.
          I believe another viewer forwarded you contact information should you require it.
          Thanks again.

    34. JB June 26, 2015 at 5:01 am - Reply

      It’s just breaking dawn and it looks like it’s been raining. Gracie has just begun feeding the two older chicks. The RUNT is in the net.

      • JB June 26, 2015 at 5:02 am - Reply

        Correction. Something is on top of the net. It’s not the RUNT or another chick.

    35. Elaine June 25, 2015 at 9:59 pm - Reply

      Gracie looks comfortable. However, there is a thunderstorm in Washington DC right now. I hope it doen’t come where the ospreys are. It does sound windy right now, but Gracie does not look affected by the wind very much. I don’t currently see any lightning.

    36. Rose Petejan June 25, 2015 at 9:51 pm - Reply

      Ozzie from the Chesapeake Site was tangled in fishing line and someone went up to free her and remove the fish line. Again, will we see this net removed from the Osprey Zone site?

      • Sheryl June 25, 2015 at 11:08 pm - Reply

        I cannot speak on behalf of the site, but it makes sense to me that an intervention would be considered if a seemingly life or death situation arises, otherwise, why intervene? This is all but one osprey nest. What about all the other nests that don’t have cameras? Let this be a lesson to us all. The best thing we can do to prevent wildlife injury and death from plastics and pollution is to be more conscientious in our decisions as consumers, more responsible in our habits of disposing waste, and apply pressure to manufacturers to use sustainable materials.

        • Jo June 26, 2015 at 8:31 am - Reply

          Sheryl I could not agree with you more. The real hazard to wildlife is humans. I’m from a small town in Western Mass and we are “strongly” encouraged to recycle everything – and I mean everything. From bottles, cans and paper to furniture and household items to yard clippings and debris. If everyone could at least try to leave less of a footprint it would be great.

    37. Yasmain June 25, 2015 at 8:00 pm - Reply

      Does anyone know where George sleeps? *I-) sleepy

      • Redkayak June 26, 2015 at 9:33 am - Reply

        I think he sleeps in the near by tall trees, very very close to the nest. And other times when he seem to not be around, he’s sitting on the camera box. They pips are never alone.

    38. Doug June 25, 2015 at 7:59 pm - Reply

      The net bag seems a bad decorating choice – it uses up nest space. On the artistic side I see a scallop she’ll in the nest.

    39. Donna June 25, 2015 at 7:30 pm - Reply

      the yellow plastic piece just flew away, thankfully. don’t know what she plans on doing with the netting. Kind of hoping that flies away also.

    40. Dorothy June 25, 2015 at 7:07 pm - Reply

      That the baby in the middle of that pile of feathers, isn’t it? His/her Momma isn’t raising no dummy….Safest and warmest place to be, right now…..

    41. rebecca b June 25, 2015 at 6:50 pm - Reply

      OMG They grew overnight! They look bigger then yesterday! Mom is having a hard time sitting on them all now! #1 one is 2 weeks old today! and #2 tomorrow.

    42. Redkayak June 25, 2015 at 6:43 pm - Reply

      1010WINS just tweeted about Gracie and George

    43. Monica Alvarez June 25, 2015 at 6:18 pm - Reply

      I just started watching this because of CBS news. So, how many babies are there?

    44. Carol June 25, 2015 at 5:57 pm - Reply

      That netting in the nest is going to give me a heart attack! I wish it would blow out of the nest and someone would dispose of it properly. All sorts of birds and wildlife get entangled in marine debris and die. I am afraid for our babies.

    45. JB June 25, 2015 at 5:40 pm - Reply

      That piece of green burlap netting has got to go. We can only hope we all don’t have to witness a live on the air strangling of the young because they have become hopelessly entangled.

    46. Leanne June 25, 2015 at 5:26 pm - Reply

      So happy that Rocky got his belly full at this feeding. Gracie seemed to be giving him some extra love and attention. Keep fighting, Rocky. I think you’re gonna be just fine 🙂

    47. gayeise June 25, 2015 at 5:22 pm - Reply

      The little one is fine!! That netting needs to be removed, ASAP. This is the issue that should be of a concern to all of us that love watching this family.

      • susan June 26, 2015 at 6:30 am - Reply

        Gracie has been trying to remove the net this morning! She has managed to get it off to the side somewhat….Hooefully, she or George can push it out today! Our cam at the Bay Bridge run by the ,Chesapeake Conservancy, did help an osprey tangled in a net in the nest before….Is there a raptor biologist or bird rescue group in your area? Perhaps they could watch and help if needed;.

        • Lucie July 1, 2015 at 3:42 pm - Reply

          sad to see the little one laying there in the nest though

    48. JB June 25, 2015 at 5:15 pm - Reply

      During the last few days the ‘RUNT’ is obviously lagging behind his fellow siblings in strength and growth. When Mom (Gracie) attempts to feed the ‘RUNT’, she tears off a small piece and then offers it to him to take. However, he is far less assertive in taking it, and often it falls from his mouth, or he just doesn’t grab it from her mouth as the other two do. The two older siblings are quite aggressive now when Gracie has a piece of food, and there is not hesitation for them to extend their necks and reach for it and take it without a hitch. He’s going to have to step up his game.

      Just now, Dad (George) was in the nest when Gracie was feeding. For several seconds he had the burlap netting in his beak and seemed to be attempting to pull it over the little ‘RUNT’. Thankfully, he gave up and left.

      • andreaallennyc June 25, 2015 at 10:45 pm - Reply

        I’ve seen that at some feedings, but not at all at others. The little one is fed somewhat smaller bites, but that is necessary. If there are big fish, the baby gets fed well, if there is not enough, he gets less …. Unless there was a fish not long before and the big guys are sated. If there are enough fish, he will survive.

        Unless food is really abundant, parents will feed the stronger offspring first. That ensures at least some will survive, which wouldn’t be as likely if they spread limited food out evenly.

        Given that these are first time parents, they may not be as good at getting enough food. But they seem fine in terms of their nest behavior and treatment of the nestlings. They’ll need to increase the food a lot over the next two weeks or the little one probably won’t make it. Have to say that George has brought them some nice big fish in tne last couple of days. That is very encouraging.

    49. JO June 25, 2015 at 5:14 pm - Reply

      Babies have just been fed and it was great to see Spunky front and center holding its own. At least until the big ones decided to sit on him and hold him down. But everyone seems to have gotten enough to eat.

    50. Michele June 25, 2015 at 4:41 pm - Reply

      This is simply amazing! I’m telling everyone I know to tune in…now THIS is a worthwhile reality show! Thanks, Tommy and sponsor!

      • Judith June 25, 2015 at 6:07 pm - Reply

        Gracie seems to be using the burlap to help cover the chicks, now that their combined bulk is larger than her girth. Maybe she asked George to bring back a blanket.

      • Holyy June 25, 2015 at 6:32 pm - Reply

        Just saw this on the news. Grabbed my tablet and am in awe! My cat likes it too.

        • Holly June 25, 2015 at 6:35 pm - Reply

          Gotta get that netvoutta there!

      • Moe June 25, 2015 at 7:21 pm - Reply

        Of course you can’t clean the nest for them,hopefully mother nature will. They are trying their best,great parents! Just got over watching Duke farms eagles from eggs to fledgling,so I have new babies to have heart attacks over. Thanks Tommy and all!

        • andreaallennyc June 25, 2015 at 10:36 pm - Reply

          Actually, you can take the netting out … No reason you can’t.

    51. cATHY June 25, 2015 at 4:38 pm - Reply

      so happy to see the little one eating…

    52. robert June 25, 2015 at 4:38 pm - Reply

      It’s 4:37pm and baby is getting a good feeding!!!!!

    53. Rose Petejan June 25, 2015 at 4:31 pm - Reply

      That netting is a man made danger. I wish someone would respond to all of our enquiries. Will it be removed? If so, when?

      • Redkayak June 25, 2015 at 6:38 pm - Reply

        It can’t be removed its 80 ft high and George and Gracie don’t like company

      • suzanne June 25, 2015 at 7:33 pm - Reply

        hoping the wind will blow it off. it blew a plastic bag off last week. Pray! 🙂

    54. DianeNY June 25, 2015 at 4:14 pm - Reply

      Been out all day so I scrolled back the video to see what I missed. The family dynamics of these birds is amazing. George brought a headless fish But Gracie kinda ignored him. So he walked it over to her. The I saw the little chick pecking away at the bigger chicks. and stepped right up to be the first fed.

    55. Dorothy June 25, 2015 at 3:59 pm - Reply

      Where can I find the video of the storm or isn’t it out yet? I love this site and so happy to have found it..I’ve been an avid bald eagle watcher from the Pittsburgh area and this year wasn’t good for our eagles, the eggs weren’t viable…So, this is where I get my “fix”…Sure am rooting for little “Runt”…We had this same thing in our eagle nest last year but our “runt” proved to be a fighter and a great survivor….Hoping and praying all goes well with the baby…..Thanks again for making this all possible…..

      • ospreyzone June 25, 2015 at 4:12 pm - Reply

        We have it in the works, should be out soon.

      • JO June 25, 2015 at 4:52 pm - Reply

        Dorothy, I watched the eaglets in the Hanover, PA nest from the time they hatched until almost leaving the nest. There were two of them and it was amazing. However, one decided to sit on top of the camera when it started to fly from branch to branch and tilted it downward.

        • Dorothy June 25, 2015 at 7:46 pm - Reply

          Jo, I also watched that nest until the camera got so splattered it was hard to see, lol…The Hays nest is the one I’m closest to, but also got addicted to the nest in Ft. Myers with Ozzie and Harriet….Nature really does know how to put on a show….Much better than anything on TV…..

    56. shelgor June 25, 2015 at 3:43 pm - Reply

      scroll back to 7:12 on the live feed……..you will see my point

      • Eva June 25, 2015 at 4:29 pm - Reply

        I absolutely agree, that stuff is bad for the birds….we need a serious gust of wind to carry it far away! Is that brown papery stuff dried seaweed?

    57. emilie June 25, 2015 at 3:34 pm - Reply

      GO George!!! move that netting!

    58. misty June 25, 2015 at 3:08 pm - Reply

      Well that net is going to kill the babies!!! Lil one got stuck in it this morning!!

    59. Eva June 25, 2015 at 3:00 pm - Reply

      So good to see Little Bit has a full crop. That’s burlap in the nest; likely from a nearby nursery, and the flattened black tubing is drip tape from a farm or nursery. It is laid along side the crop and drips water to an individual plant. Saves a lot of water.

      • Patty June 25, 2015 at 3:34 pm - Reply

        OH! The wonder of it all! Nature at it’s bestest! Daddy George is trying to mat down the netting, looks at Gracie flying off, you can practically here the parents conversations!Truly blessed to be able to experience this site…Many, many thanks!!!

        • Patty June 25, 2015 at 8:57 pm - Reply

          oops, meant hear it, sorry, but , Really,really can see the communication between Gracie & George to have this new family work!Thanks again Tommy & Paul & the Osprey Family

    60. JB June 25, 2015 at 2:19 pm - Reply

      We have entered the most critical 2-3-week period that often determines the survival for our young Osprey chicks.

      Chick-1 Born: June 12, 2015

      Chick-2 Born: June 13, 2015

      Chick-3 Born: June 15, 2015

      Hang in there RUNT!

      • Judy June 25, 2015 at 3:19 pm - Reply

        These can’t be their birth dates. I have been wondering when there were hatched since I only started watching last week. I am totally loving this opportunity and watch as much as I can during the day. I am cheering for the runt also!

    61. Gayesie June 25, 2015 at 2:07 pm - Reply

      Thanks for this web cam allowing us to view the lives of these wonderful raptors. I am very concerned about the netting in the nest which is a terribly hazard for both the chicks and George and Gracie. I hope there are plans to remove it as soon as possible. Thanks for your attention to this matter.

      • Leanne June 25, 2015 at 2:19 pm - Reply

        I don’t think anyone can remove the netting. The nest is 80 feet up and I don’t think George or Gracie would allow anyone near it.

        • Gayesie June 25, 2015 at 3:47 pm - Reply

          There have been many documented cases where humans have gone up to Osprey Nests to band the chicks (in some cases taking the chicks from the nest to band on the
          ground), remove fishing line that was wrapped around the chick, or fish hook embedded in the chick, or remove other human related causes to the nest. Mom and Dad will leave the nest, fly around it and return as soon as the “intruders” are gone. I don’t know the logistics of this nest but there are cherry pickers that may have the height to get to the nest.

    62. shelgor June 25, 2015 at 1:53 pm - Reply

      I see many comments saying that ‘baby’ is being adequately fed……..but each time I take a look baby’ appears to either being ignored or bullied – sat on by her older siblings’
      It’s 1:40 pm on Thursday, June 25 and I have a clear perspective of the three being fed………and looking at baby, side by side to her siblings, she appears to be a ‘runt’ when in fact they are only a couple of (birthdays days) apart.

      • JB June 25, 2015 at 2:04 pm - Reply

        I’ve been reading that survival rates of Osprey brood are well-documented. The first to hatch has the greatest chance of survival to fledgling stage. The second to hatch survival rate in the 80-percentile range. For the third to hatch the survival to fledgling stage dips sharply into the 30-percentile range. Survivals are dominated by food stress, with the biggest problems evolving between two and three weeks of hatching.

        • catherine June 25, 2015 at 2:52 pm - Reply

          I hope the runt makes it. It’s so hard to watch.

    63. Cathy June 25, 2015 at 1:50 pm - Reply

      I feel so bad when the little is not being fed.. breaks my heart..

    64. Maria June 25, 2015 at 1:49 pm - Reply

      Truly amazing…, Thank you for sharing this video for all to see

    65. Leanne June 25, 2015 at 1:07 pm - Reply

      Will you be putting up any videos from the night of the storm?

    66. Elaine June 25, 2015 at 12:53 pm - Reply

      Looks like the kids have settled down for awhile. They appeared to be quite active this morning. I am concerned that they are so close to the edge of the nest. But Gracie looks as if she has everything under control.

      • suzanne June 25, 2015 at 1:43 pm - Reply

        it is freaking me out! one false step and they fall out! OMgoodness

    67. Leanne June 25, 2015 at 12:26 pm - Reply

      It’s lunchtime and the babies seem to be more interested in their surrounding than in eating. Gigi is so close to the edge! She’s making me very nervous. Rocky and Izzy are eating well and even Rocky seems more into looking around than eating. I just wish Gracie could scoot them back a little bit. 🙂

    68. Scott June 25, 2015 at 11:40 am - Reply

      As one of the first commentators on this osprey website, I am delighted about its rapid growth in such a short time. In today’s chaotic and confusing world, this site offers pure,innocent and educational entertainment for all. I now feel that not only am I a member of the George and Gracie Osprey Family, but ALL OF YOU are my family in this endeavor. We all sheer the joy, concern and suspense of our Family of Five whether it was concern and then relief that they survived the Tuesday night wind and rain storm or watching Gracie feed the babies a number of times a day.
      Gracie and George are wonderful parents, especially for first timers. #1,Ronnie is big and strong and tries to dominate the other two, but when Daddy George is around, he/she cowers. #2,Minnie tries to be a good sibling to the other two and is the most patient and thoughtful of the three. #3,Pee Wee,being the smallest, has developed the skill of pushing back when necessary and using his/her smallness to his advantage when he can.
      There was a moment at 5:50 p.m. this past Tuesday,just prior to the storm, which warmed my heart to the core. The babies were asleep under Gracie so she and George shared a few moments of affection together. George teased Gracie in a loving way and then held his beak on hers(like a smooch) for a few seconds. IT WAS PRICELESS!!!

    69. Lin June 25, 2015 at 11:05 am - Reply

      There is black mesh in the nest and the youngest got tangled and then untangled. It is right in the middle. Any chance of it being removed by a kind human. Thanks. Very dangerous for the chicks. Ospreys are notorious for bringing in the wrong kind of stuff.

      • JB June 25, 2015 at 12:30 pm - Reply

        The netting presents a very real danger to the nest.

        QUOTE

        “Entanglement Hazards
        Osprey will grab manmade objects floating in the water including trash, nets, and fishing monofilament. These objects can become hazardous to the adults and young. If you suspect an osprey has become entangled, contact your state or provincial wildlife agency office for assistance.”

        http://www.osprey-watch.org/learn-about-osprey/hazards-to-nesting-ospreys/

    70. JO June 25, 2015 at 10:58 am - Reply

      Someone brought home a piece of netting earlier and I spent anxious minutes watching as the little guy got caught up in it. The baby was on it’s back panting, flailing around and crying and you could see it’s little heart beating fast. Mom was busy watching the other two who were at the bottom edge of the screen pecking at each other. I thought the little one was a gonner, but that spunky little bird wiggled and kicked and twisted around until it got loose. It literally ran over to Mom and hugged her leg. Mom nuzzled it for a few minutes and it went to join it other two. Go baby.

    71. Elaine June 25, 2015 at 10:20 am - Reply

      Good morning! It is so amazing that when Gracie calls for George, he responds by arriving with a fish for everyone to eat. I love this site, and am so glad I found it. The babies look like they are getting a little larger. Gracie has her hands full.

      • Marsha June 25, 2015 at 11:17 am - Reply

        aww, so cool. Gracie reaching out to make sure her babies eat, especially the Peanut. I noticed George doing a fly-by. Looks like he’s going fishing in the bay. I love this site. I have my coffee and watch and I am automatically in “calm ” mode. Thank you so much for setting all this up.

    72. Rose Petejan June 25, 2015 at 10:13 am - Reply

      Is that fishing net going to causes problems. Will it be removed?

    73. Deirdre Dubato June 25, 2015 at 10:10 am - Reply

      I read about this site in Newsday this morning. So thankful two buddies put this together and we get to watch. Wow! I will check in daily to see if little Pip makes it — hoping so. When the time comes I hope to see them learn to fly too. Again — big thanks.

    74. Skip Edwards Telluride, CO June 25, 2015 at 10:03 am - Reply

      I have worked with banding bald eagles in the past with US Fish and Wildlife Service in Utah. We used a crane to get into the nest to band the nestlings. Someone needs to get up to the nest and get the net out before one of the adults or the nestlings gets tangled up in it. I just saw the female trying to get it out with no success but it worries me that her talons will eventually get tangled. Someone going into the nest at this stage of development of the chicks will not cause the nest to be abandoned by the adults. They are not going to like it and will dive on the “invader”, but as soon as the person leaves all will return to normal. Check it out with bird experts in NY, but this is my recommendation

    75. Peter June 25, 2015 at 9:40 am - Reply

      Unfortunately the runt seems caught in the mesh material…:(

      • rajojomanik June 25, 2015 at 11:26 am - Reply

        I believe all 3 are on the bottom of the screen, I could barely see #3. So it looks like they are all safe.

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