This pair of ospreys, whom Tommy named George and Gracie, reside on the North Fork of Long Island during the summer. They were first spotted in 2014, perching on top of an old television tower located on Tommy’s property. Tommy had a wooden platform installed on the top to encourage the pair to build a nest, and sure enough, it worked. He also set up a video camera to be able to get a unique, up-close view of the birds in their nest.
George and Gracie, in their adolescence, spent the year building up their nest, then flew south for the winter, to return in the spring. In May, they laid three eggs. Tommy and his friends began to watch often as the couple took turns going to hunt for fish and tending to the nest. The amount of interest inspired us to broadcast the stream to the web. Since then, the stream has become incredibly popular, even being picked up by several news sites.
This site is still in its infancy, and we hope to have much more content added to it, including highlights, blog posts, and more. It was very exciting to watch the babies grow up into another generation of these remarkable birds. Over the course of the summer of 2015, we polled our users to come up with creative names for the babies. Click here to find out what our viewers came up with.
9-23-17 The Nest is Empty, George & Gracie have left to Florida
Great Season 3 started with camera down, thanks to all followers who lived nearby especially Holly and her son reports of our family were there as scheduled.
George brings in 2 fish at the same time which he had never done before. We had our usual Guess 1st Egg laid and Hatch. 3 eggs laid one did not hatch and was known as Egbert, the babies used as a Yoga ball, and Bean Bag. Egbert remained in the nest unbroken and buried in the end. The first fledge was our baby 2 named Eclipse. We had our 1st Baby Naming Contest voted by Followers, we joined with Fb Followers thanks to Nita and Shelli, we got our official names Solar & Eclipse, since we had a Total Solar Eclipse Doris and a few others entered the names which got the most votes. We had our usually worries with trash, ropes, balloons, twine, plastic, but no rescue needed. Our 2 Juv Intruders made themselves right at home even ate some fish at the nest. Goggles were brought in and we all had fun with that.
It would not be the George & Gracie’s Nest if we did not mention Thank You to Tommy and Christiania our Landlords, Paul Henry & TRS whom the site is sponsored by and Aidan who has really put up with a lot this year from us. We welcome our new moderator Shelli at the end of the Season. OF COURSE THE STARS OF IT ALL, A BIG THANK YOU TO GEORGE & GRACIE for returning home safely to the nest and starting their 3rd batch of young.
We all know our CarolV who uses her sense of humor being our spokeswoman posting her comments and pictures and news weather reports. Bre who gave us her beautiful poems again this year, all the followers who posted and gave us pictures of ospreys nearby. We all supported each other during the bad times including our Sweet Rodee who is still fighting but will win. The medical issues, floods, hurricanes, and all the tragedy’s life threw at us we were here for each other. June C did post some anatomy pics of Ospreys and more voice recordings along with some pics. Betsy was with us again and posted info and kept us all updated on events along with the babies progress as they were growing. Michael G.Martin who is still doing his projects. Bob and his wife was with us again, ******* We had so many followers post for the 1st time this Season to do the Baby Naming Vote and was so good to hear from them. I cannot post everyone’s name and what they contributed but I want to say EVERYONE is what makes this site our HOME. Thank You for being here with us again as one Big Osprey Family as we observe, learn more and new things every year.
The George & Gracie Nest gave us all a break from all the things we couldn’t control in our life a sweet, peaceful moment of happiness. Memories we will always have deep in our hearts.
Our Handsome, slender, brave, strong, protector, great fishermen, our one and only Stud Muffin, George made us aww with amazement the way he bonded with Gracie and always did his part. He is an equal partner when it comes to incubating the eggs sometimes he liked it a little too much and Gracie would have to push him off. He loved to feed our sweet Gracie and the babies. Always showing Gracie he will do his part. He made us all laugh at all his wonderful but sometimes crazy behavior especially when he wanted to move Gracie décor around. Now we come to our Precious, Sweet, beautiful, gentle, and very smart Gracie. Such elegance, beautiful posture, wonderfully groomed, good instincts and very protective as well. She sits on her eggs in all kinds of weather and chases off anyone who gets to close. She loved to be pampered and feed by George but when she wanted control of the fish she took control. Gracie did move out of the nest this year which she had never done before. She relocated and gave the nest to the babies who handled it well. Gracie made rare appearances but when she did she brought a fish. Gracie was watching her babies grow from afar. Maybe she was hoping they would mature faster or maybe this will be Gracie routine from now on. We will have to watch next Season so we can learn. She bonds every year more and more with George and together they make a great team raising wonderful baby ospreys. We all love to see and cherish the precious moments when George would be right by her side and together they would make little coo sounds to each other. Our Cutie Pie Baby 2 Eclipse was always proving he/she wanted to be the older bird and be the 1st to do everything. Eclipse wanting to get out of the shadows and not have to wait its turn anymore, to be free and independent as soon as it could fly. How we will miss Eclipse screeching calls and sideways landing in the nest, the selfies, close-ups we got. Together Solar & Eclipse bonded and we got to see the aww precious moments as they laid tucked and curled next to each other. At the closing of Season we had our Nester Baby 1 Solar who just did not want to grow up and took a little longer for her/him to realize it was time to migrate. We will miss Solar’s dives into George or anything that got in the way of fish. How Solar loved to be at the nest and how excited and vocal she/he would get. The beautiful poses she gave us especially how she mastered mantling, and protecting the nest, although at times it seemed to be missing Eclipse. Daddy George took real good care of her/him until she/he was ready to go, and now they are gone. Off to a new land, new trees, and maybe taste different kinds of fish, they will call it home for the next 2-3 years. George and Gracie are in their usual wintering spots which is usually in different areas but we say they have left for Florida. Don’t worry us Floridians keep our eyes to the skies and say a little prayer that George & Gracie are protected in Florida until it is time for them to come back home to Long Island. This is a well-deserved break for them after raising 2 wonderful Ospreys. I end this Season with my favorite saying which is on the Family Tree I made ( Love does not claim possession but gives freedom ) by Rabindranath Tagore
See you next year Season 4
Love Our Osprey Family & Followers ( below is 2 babies from Season 3 that fledged successfully Solar & Eclipse )
thankyou for your wonderful summary of the season. I have enjoyed watching from New Zealand. We are in FLorida next week-I will keep an eye to the skies and wonder if I see an Osprey or two if it might be George & Gracie!
cheers
Robbi
9-27-17 reply Robbie S.
You sure are traveling a long way,
Be safe in your travels. I am thankful you and your family were able to experience this Season 3 with us as we watched Georg & Gracie begin another batch of babies. Thank you for your kind words and posting. I don’t know the weather were you live but as you probably know it is hot,humid, and sunny here in Florida Lots of Florida still doing repairs from hurricane but to me it is still beautiful Florida.
See you next Season and if you can drop a line once your back home safe.
Love our Osprey Family &Followers
Watching regularly from Ontario, Canada.
Thanks very much Tommy
Happy Spring 2017!! Hope everyone is doing well. I was wondering when the LIVE camera feed will be on LIVE again for this year. I was hoping to see them build the nest. Please get it up & running soon. BIG fan here in Huntington, NY!
Are you offering this view again this spring of 2017 to the viewing public and if so when does the live camera start please?
2016 Tommy,thank you for another wonderful season with George and Gracie.
Season two was a great success against all odds are baby three was 4 1/2 days younger managed to survive and all three babies fledged successfully.
We were all surprise of your secret invention and we can’t thank you enough. How wonderful it is to know that you took so much time to try and create something to give us a 24 seven live view of our ospreys. Without your cleaning invention we would’ve missed a lot of precious moments.
I think George and Gracie knew what they were doing when they landed on your property. They knew they finally found a place they could call home.
Here’s to season three can’t wait for George and Gracie to return in the year 2017 were keeping an eye to the sky.
Big Osprey hugs to all
I have loved watching afar from Christchurch, New Zealand. Thanks so much! Looking forward to next year. Where down South do they head now please?
You’re a wonderful man, Tommy. Isn’t it a treat to have such an enormous raptor so close to us all the time? The love affair with ospreys exists because they are so intertwined into our habitat, and seem somewhat ok with sharing all kinds of waterfront property with humans. Most birds want to be secretive about their nest, and their hunting, stalking about in the trees, but the Osprey is always out there, hovering over open water… snatching up fish alongside us. Nesting in our light posts, and fishing boats. They lets us in, more than eagles or falcons or owls. They make themselves so available to us, obliging to suggestions for nesting in our structures, and seem to welcome the addition of cameras to perch on. I think it’s what you’re able to appreciate with your massive undertaking. It’s an amazing gift you’ve given to viewers, the fact that all your hard efforts were worth it, and are appreciated by the ospreys and by people everywhere. It allows us to connect with wildlife in a way we might never have known, and the osprey pair got themselves a sturdy platform to build their dream nest in the spot they wanted, with added camera perches! The perfect win-win. And it is much respected. Thank you!
So appreciative for this peek into our local wildlife, thank you Tommy.
Tommy, thank you for all your effort in providing both the birds and us with your wonderful gesture.
Thank You. Thank you… We have a nest here in Croton, NY.. Its in a celll tower, in the middle of one of the largest passenger rail yards in NY. The tower and nest are 1000′ feet away. We have no cam, But I have a telescope that i set up every morning.. And like you I did not realize the inpact of sharing my passion with others..We have been watching them now for 3 years.. The RailRoad shop i work in is a mix of City people, suburban and rural folks.. They all know about bluejays, crows and pidgeons.. Nobody knew about Osprey. Now they DO. We wait for their arrival to mark the Official arrival of spring..We wait paitently for the little guys to pop their heads above the net to get a head count.. 2 in 2015, 3 in 2014, and 3 in 2013. We cheer when we get to witness the first wobbly Flights. We are sad when thay leave.
I have shared the link to your feed on the Croton Harmon Opsrey Facebook page.. have told everone that this is what is happening in our nest… By the their Names are Betty and Ira..two great railroad people.
Very excited.
So excited about the beginning of the new season!
I had hoped for a different camera to be installed -pan/tilt zoom. I know these cameras are very expensive and Tommy and Paul should ask for donations- I am sure they would gladly receive them from their loyal fans! Also the camera angle needs to be adjusted to view the entire nest. And..at the current position, the lens will soon be obscured by flying “presents” from the birds.What about infrared? ( I am not too demanding, am I?) I live on Long Island- Syosset – and would happily donate my time or money to the nest.
Hi Tommy:
Love the site! Would you mind sharing tech info? Camera you are using, software, streaming info?
Best, K C
Aug. 14: I am beginning to feel sad. I have been diligently watching and reading the comments every day. This morning the nest has been mostly empty, except for probably Sandy. I fear that it is almost time for them to abandon their home and head south. I have so enjoyed this website and have spent many hours watching all summer. Hopefully, we will see them again next year. Many kudos to Tommy and Paul for this wonderful experience and to those great rescuers who freed both birds from their lines. I feel a void coming when I sit down at my computer. It’s almost like losing a pet.
0630 8/7, 2015 We have a fledge!
did you know the theme song to the Burns and Allen Show was called ‘love nest’ !
I thought it was pretty appropriate considering your love of both ospreys and
george burns … Thank you so much for this fantastic site !
At about 505am, one of the chicks was trying to push the other out of the nest. A lot of crying. Parents not in nest. Tough to watch.
This is a wonderful website – thank you so much. Yes losing the little one was very sad but this website teaches us the ways of nature which can be heartbreaking as well as joyous. You have done an important service in bringing this to us.
I want to thank the experts for putting things in perspective. I was having a difficult time watching not that I like what’s happening any better but It is the way nature works,
I would also like to thank Mr Henry and Mr,. Aprea for providing me with this wonderful opportunity.
Did the little one make it through the rough treatment of its siblings?
The two were attacking the little guy and throwing it like a rag doll.
It was so hard to watch ….. I had to close it down.
The little one is still trying to fight off the other two but they seem to be getting more and more aggressive. The adults only feed him if he gets close enough which the other two are trying to prevent. I also have to turn it off b/c it is heartbreaking to watch. I even yell at the screen trying to stop it. I know it’s nature but still…hard to witness.
I live in East Marion and since last night, every time I go to check in, I just get a blank white space. No live stream. I can read the comments but cannot see the Osprey nest. Any idea what is wrong? Anyone else have this problem?
Just went back to the live feed and the streaming was there.
Maybe the camera is not fitted with a light at night. We put up a camera on Dennis Puleston’s platform (see http://puleston.osprey.bnl.org/) and we discussed whether a light would dissuade the nesting ospreys. Someone recalled that one osprey pair nested on a light stanchion which was on all night in a super market parking lot and that light which was very bright didn’t bother them so we added a small light sufficient to allow viewing at night. Folks at Post Morrow Foundation in Brookhaven have the details. Best, Art
So happy when I saw the article in Newsday yesterday(6/25). Literally dropped the paper and loaded the website.
Love the love shots with sound. Over the years of road trips on LI especially toward Montauk Pt., I’ve spotted several osprey nesting sites and even once had my camera and was able to get a shot of a pair lifting from their nest. They are magnificent in flight, second only to an bald eagle soaring in the air(on my bucket list).
Please keep up the great work of explaining why birds are worth saving!
I’ve been watching a mated pair of bald eagles that for 2 years now that nested in 2012 on the campus of Berry College. The miracle of birth and raising the hatchlings is beautiful. The best part is when they start fledging!!! Best show on earth.
Thank you for doing what you do!!!
I am soooo addicted. Got out of bed very early this am because “the birds were calling me”. Thank you so much for this wonderful first hand look at nature.
Great job Mr. Aprea. Great contribution to wildlife. I live near Sunken Meadow State Park in Kings Park and have been watching to population of these wonderful birds grow over that past few years, but not up THIS close. Keep up the good work, really appreciate your efforts and that of your sponsor.
Thank you for such a wonderful opportunity to watch this family raise their babies. I love watching them. Nature is truly amazing!!!!
Thank you for providing a nice reality show! I am entranced.
Wonderful!! Love watching George and Gracie! The film was very enlightening. Thank you for sharing this experience!
I read this story in the Newsday on the LIRR this morning. Now I can’t seem to turn off the webcam. This is wonderful and exciting and pure. What a great way to start my day. Thank you so very much.
Wow…love this, been checking the family out on and off all day!!!! thank you
We are greatly concerned about the welfare of the nest after the storm this evening, June 23, 2015. The cam went out and the nest was lifting. Please let us know the nest is ok. Thanks in advance. Lin
Everything is fine! I was very concerned myself. All 3 babies are alive and being well fed.
Mr. Aprea, Thanks so kindly for producing Windsong Osprey nest cam. You are a remarkable man to take time and share your loves for these birds and Long Island area. I grew up across the water from this site, became an archaeologist and moved to Pennsylvania. Thank you!
Compliments on a well crafted website.
I look forward to visiting Long Island. Later this summer a sviewing some of these magnificent birds.
I LOVE this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Awesome to watch – I am on the east end and love the video
I absolutely love to watch these birds. I am privileged enough to live on the water in Maryland and have ospreys all around me to watch, along with several eagles. Whenever I hear about a live feed such as this, I love to watch them. Congratulations to George and Gracie for their first born this morning. I was lucky enough to turn to this while it was happening… Thanks Tommy for having a camera to film them….. Hope the rest go well. I’ll check back from time to time.
Wow, a baby is born! One of the three eggs has hatched and the little guy is there waiting for the rest of his family! Great coverage!