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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
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osprey 07/11/15 squirt
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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Special Thanks to Tommy and Christina: George & Gracie’s Landlords
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.
IMPORTANT: Messages from osprey experts
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.
Paul 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.
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
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
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
Here’s the facebook page for the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center, formally known as the Wildlife Rescue Center of the Hamptons, if you would like to visit their page to thank them. They’re amazing at what they do for the wildlife on Long Island! ♥ https://www.facebook.com/pages/Evelyn-Alexander-Wildlife-Rescue-Center/281987004801
Thank you!!!!
i can’t see did mom or dad come back yet?
mom was back in the nest shortly after the humans left….
Mom was there about 2 mins. after the gloved hands left the frame. She must have flown in while the bucket truck and people were still close in the air.
Dear Paul, just saw the rescue video and my heart is so full of joy!! What brave people to do this work on such a windy day. Must be the windiest day of the summer, naturally. Luckily, the rain started shortly after they finished.
I, too, would be more than happy to make a donation for all that has taken place.
You sure wasted no time in getting the matter resolved. I would love to know where George and Gracie were — if they knew humans were up there with their babies. It brought tears to my eyes when I advanced and saw them both flapping their wings, just like old times.
Can’t thank you enough for all you have done.
P.S. Love the clean screen.
Trying one more time, well in my lifetime, there have been a few goose bumps emotional movies, Wizard, cindarella, Golden Pond, ET, Titanic, etc., but never had a recent happy, sad, hoping emotion escapade like this! Will be so very happy to hear the particulars! And just loved scrolling back to see a loving glove taking care of the chicks, the yuck in the nest and cleaning the screen! Will patiently await all the info… but another great big HUG and thanks to YOU, Paul & Crew! xoxoxoxox
I am still thinking about that wonderful rescue. It was so amazing. A few days ago I commented that it looked like George brought in a baby shark (it wasn’t) to the nest. I remember seeing a fishing line attached to it and got initially worried, but it broke off. I wonder if it was the same one. I love how they cleaned the camera and cleared out some of the plastic and other rope that was in the nest. I wonder where George is during all of this? Gracie took off a little while ago, or maybe she is on the perch. This was a GREAT DAY and I am so grateful to Paul and whoever that volunteer guy was who saved our little chick. He was so gentle with them. What a great idea to put a blanket on them.
THANK YOU AGAIN!
I rewound the video to THE MOMENT of the rescue!!! Amazing! Thank you so much! God bless you all!!!!
thank you everyone for helping the ospreys
The rescue guy was amazing! Such skill and confidence with every action. The birds did not even seem upset to have him there. How does one learn and practice these skills? He must have spent years watching osprey behavior.
Thank you for doing this.
Oh Oh, So very HAPPY to hear that help is on the way!! We all love you, Paul, and this wonderful group of Osprey fans! I’ll just bet that you had no idea what you were getting into, taking on this task! I am cancelling a few not so important stuff in my life to be glued here and hugging everyone and praying that it is a happy outcome for George, Gracie your team and all of us! And a most wonderful p.s., the cam is SO clean, just like the beginning! AND, hoping we will be able to see our full moon shining down on OUR FAMILY.Goose bumps and Don’t know what happened to posting another commentall right now, sending prayers …
What an education this whole thing has been. Thanks so much for making it available to us, for the incredibly efficient rescue, and for this forum. The Osprey – my new favourite bird.
To each and everyone responsible for the joy and happiness you have brought to all of us with your dedication and a job well done, I wish to express my deepest gratitude! Thank You and Bless You!
And thanks for the return of the wonderful clear window view on this lovely family’s everyday goings on! A welcome bonus!
Katherine
WELL DONE!!!! 🙂
Just checking in to see how they are all doing after the rain, and to my surprise the cam is crystal clear & the baby looks like he is free from the string !!! All is well ! Don’t know how it all happened but a big Thank you to Paul !
Hi Linda. You can go back up to 4 hours by sliding the red bar to the left. This way you can watch the “procedure” of freeing it from the entanglement. It was neat to watch. Thanks to all involved.
Wonderful to see the chick free. Our deepest gratitude to the brave ones that rescued the chick.
30 mins post rescue our little Birdasian was getting quite a workout wingsizing, hopping all of the place bumping backwards into other Birdasian sibling. You can tell he was very happy dancing around the nest. ..super cute.
Have not seen Mom..is there a problem?
Thank you so much now the baby is free and we can see.THANK YOU I am soooooo glad.
Hi my comment is. I am thrilled and so Proud of Dr. B. and associate,for rescue,and nest clean up, and of course the Cleaning of the cam!! You all were amazing!! Thank you Thank you.
who helped the baby, looked back and saw it was around 6PM..
Was hoping some food would show up before dark. The kids seemed to be cuddling closer, whether from the trauma or the rain. Have gone back to watch the rescue at least four times. Almost made it all the way last time before the video error occurred. I imagine it will be a highlight. And it is soooooo nice to see so clearly! Wonder how long the kids behave?
Wow! rolled the feed back and saw the fantastic rescue! so happy for the birds and big applause for their rescuers! this is great! I, too, will happily contribute toward whatever it may have cost. Bonus round: crystal clear lens again. Yay! Thanks again for the privilege of watching these magnificent Ospreys.
Approximate time of rescue was almost 6:30 pm this evening.
I just scrolled back and saw the courageous men that rescued our little chicks, amazing accomplishment…THANK YOU! And THANK YOU PAUL! for making this possible. Both chicks had tangles on their talons, thank you. They will be able to fledge without a hitch. Who were the rescuers? $$$ Support needed? I can sleep better now. Amazing how nature has touched our every day lives, God bless.
8:15pm EST and one chick is flapping those wings like a pro !
God bless everyone who gave their hearts and hands to help! Bravo! 🙂
THANK YOU !!!!! I was so happy to see the bird has gotten help!!! Thank you Paul and who ever else that
helped!!
Thank you so much for helping that poor chick and doing such a great job on cleaning up the nest and the camera. I had seen so much sadness this year at the Hellgate and Dunroven and Maine and Woods Hole nests that I could not bear another more.
If you are collecting donations to help pay for this excellent rescue and rehab job please send me an e-mail. I will gladly contribute. I help Cornell and I will gladly help you too.
I have been watching for the last two hours and it seems both chicks are able to walk around the nest and there doesn’t seem to be “any strings attached.” 🙂
Yippy! I think the chick freed himself or herself. BTW, does anyone know the gender of the chicks??? They look good to fly to me and I hope I’m right on this account!
What an amazing rescue!!. So happy and relieved to see the chick’s leg is free. Thank you so very much to all those who helped!!! Amazing!!!
What an amazing rescue! Thank you to you and your team along with the “man with the orange arm and gloved hand”. Looking forward to watching again in your highlights. Kudos to ALL of you!
Just scrolled back and saw the rescue. Great job. Was it on the news? And a clear screen to boot !
When we saw the PSEG trucks arrived below the nest, a number of neighbors gathered to watch. After the preliminary checking and test run, 3 men climbed into a bucket and were slowly raised about 100 feet. They wore hard hats, glasses, gloves, thick rubber vests and one had a boat gaff to ward off one of the parents who was swooping in in attack mode. One of the three men, a pilot and bird rescue expert carried a container with scissors, a blanket, windex, papers towels and other items. He place the quilted blanket over the babies and was able to cut and remove all the fishing line. It was quite a sight. When they all came down, we applauded and cheered. We were able to see all the fishing line (no hooks) and we were told the baby’s leg looked fine. The press was there and there should be some coverage.
A good day for the ospreys and a happy conclusion to this tough issue.
I just scrolled back to see the event of the men helping the little ones, thank you so much! They were so good, never moved and took a long time before they did, but no worse for ware. Great job guys!
Thank you for the on the scene view! Lucky you to be so close! Hope the Suffolk Times has a good article!
Maybe when the chicks make their flying debut you can let us know how they do? We will have such a limited perspective…..
Yahoo, a clean view. They look a little shocked but OK.
Oh Oh, So very HAPPY to hear that help is on the way!! We all love you, Paul, and this wonderful group of Osprey fans! I’ll just bet that you had no idea what you were getting into, taking on this task! I am cancelling a few not so important stuff in my life to be glued here and hugging everyone and praying that it is a happy outcome for George, Gracie your team and all of us! And a most wonderful p.s., the cam is SO clean, just like the beginning! AND, hoping we will be able to see our full moon shining down on OUR FAMILY.Goose bumps and all right now, sending prayers …
Evelyn Alexander wildlife rescue has untangled the chick!! check our facebook page ………………
Thank you for the rain storm, squeaky clean screen.
Rapture Rescue Rob , your the best… Jacquie from NYS Parks
Nice work guys ! The chicks are free and we have a clean lens to watch 🙂 Awesome to watch the footage. Thanks !!!
Kudos to the folks from the Wildlife Rescue Center in Hampton Bays and personnel from PSEG. Great job with freeing the young osprey from the tangled fishing line. May the osprey be forever wild and forever free.
Freed from bondage by huge aliens, pelleted by ice and now it’s raining! AND no food for many hours! It’s been a long hard day for the little guys! I hope they stick around for a couple of days more. We won’t see as much of them after they jump……
Amazing! I think the poor guy is a bit traumatised, but hopefully he’ll skake it off.
I stood on my chair and cheered and clapped for the rescue of the baby with the string and fishing line around its talon!! You guys are THE BEST and I love you for what you did!!!!!
And he even cleaned up a bit before leaving- I am so happy right now! thank you thank you thank you!!!
… and look at that sparkling clean camera shot with no more poop!!!! 😀
Just scabbed back to see the intervention happen, looks like between 5 and 6.. well done and thank you for going up there on such a windy stormy threatening evening!
Don’t think the chicks will suffer any ill effects from intervening at this point, they did what they usually do when they are banded in the nest.. they hunkered down and got very quiet.
Success!
Well done. Thank you for helping our chick……………………..
My husband just showed me the link from Newsday online that has a story and picture of the brave people who helped our little Osprey family. Thank you all so much! There is a still picture of the line being cut from the bird’s leg. We are all so grateful! It’s lovely that you brought windex to clean the camera lens too! Our heroes!
♥ Thank you to ALL involved in the untangling of George & Gracie’s baby!! 🙂 You are true Earth Angels!! ♥
Nice “rescue” operation. Quick and surgical. Glad they don’t appear spooked by the string detangling and trash removal. Onward to the fledging.
Thank you Rescue Rangers.
Thank goodness!!! The little osprey is FREE!!! Thank you so much for getting the help to free the little one.
and one more has #2 freed itself from the fish line?
I just watched the whole rescue and want to thank the very gentle people who filmed and actually cut the chicks free of their entanglements. Thank you so much!!
What did I miss……the camera lens is crystal clear……..’rain’ ??
I haven’t written a comment so far but just finished watching the rescue efforts for the babies. It was amazing, gentle and I, personally, am so thankful for all that was and continues to be done for this nest. What an education for both adults and children! Thanks also for taking the rest of the dangerous material out of the nest while you were there….Gracie might not like it but it appears safer right now. Paul, you have opened my eyes to another place of nature and I can’t wait to wake up in the morning and find out what is happening……it is addictive! Thank you.
So beautiful to see the “baby” finally free!!
Glad to see that both chicks are looking well. One looks like he wants to start flying off.
The camera lens is clean and it looks like our babies are moving around – has there been a rescue?! I hope that there will be a video up so we can see what was done if this is what happened. Thank you!
Absolutely amazing watching the rescuer work. He was thorough and gently and barely disturbed the babies. Kudos!
Missed the rescue. Thank you for saving the chick and cleaning the lens. Made my day.
Great rescue. The lens is clear, nest garbage is gone and the chick is free. Great care was given to insure as little stress as possible to Mom and chicks.
Wow. Is someone doing a happy dance! Including a lot of us. Thank you.
OMG! Whoever went up there in this wind is a hero…what an amazing rescue and clean up job….thank you thank you…you all deserve a reward!! And what well behaved chicks…they must have known you were there to help! Thank you Paul for arranging this.
Paul – Great job and thanks to you for us having the chance to see the rescue! Bravo to the rescuer, too. Who finally got up there? Hope you will fill us in with a post.
I was amazed at how calm the chicks were. Where were Gracie and George?
Is that great or is that great. I am so happy that everything went well. It looked that the other chick also had tangled.
-oh and the cam is clean, perfect Job ; )
Just about 5:53pmEDT the camera lens was cleared to show the chicks flatted to the floor as they do when under threat. They were covered by a blanket and gently inspected. The tied chick was carefully freed from the line and every bit of it removed. His leg was inspected and appeared in good shape. The heroes also removed those pieces of wire and some plastic. These guys sounded like they were really glad to be doing what they were doing.!
The kids had their mug shots taken and in all it took maybe 7-8 mins. Gracie was back on nest within minutes of the last hand leaving. The chicks may still be plastered to the deck in case the aliens return!
Thank you all so much for a job so expertly done! Especially the guy who lost his helmet! In danger and still did his job!
Is it possible those are tiny hail pellets @6:41pm?
I thought so too.
7/30 6:30 EDT
Kudos to you Paul, Tommy and all those involved with the freeing of both birds.
Thank you for the clean lens, and thank you for letting us watch everything. What gentle hands that person had. And the knowledge and expertise, of course,
Now if food comes before the forecasted T-storm, our day should be complete..
Thank u Paul u did an amazing job !!!!!!
I don’t think those 3 ladies have ever looked more beautiful than they do right now!
And………….then there is the sub-human dentist who killed a treasured lion for sport………..Shame on him and anyone else who would destroy such a beautiful animal. He should be forced to watch the video of the kindhearted person who helped our little chick and what lengths some will go to to preserve our earth and it’s beings. I cried happy tears and sad tears today……….
I agree Wendy…when i see the pictures of that beautiful majestic lion….I think, how could someone possibly kill him. WHY? It is such a shame.
What a relief, the chick is free, the camera is clean and the nest is clean of the debris that caused this who thing. Thanks to Paul and all his work. Now, someone please tell George to be more selective on his items for nest decorations. The chicks are pancaked in the nest trying to figure out what was that thing that invaded their home and is it gone. Mom is on guard and all is well with the world 🙂
5;40 watched as the string was removed and camera cleaned, amazing, thanks for helping the little guy
Nice job, guys!
God bless these amazing men who cared enough to save an ospreys life. I wish Cecil the lion could have been so lucky. Thank u for your compassion and love of nature ..that was an incredible rescue, I could only wish there were more people like this in the world.
I guess someone was at the nest the camera is clear and adjusted and I hope they helped the tangled chick