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osprey 07/11/15 squirt
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George and Gracie's First Baby
Eggs Over Easy
Changing of the Guard
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Upgrading
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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.
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
Just before 8:54 am, George returned to the nest, with a headless fish – could it have been the same fish he had left with over an hour ago? Gracie, lying on the eggs, did her begging calls while George looked around and grabbed more bites of fish. After a few minutes, at 8:57 am, Gracie stood up and stepped over to the left side of the egg bowl and George made his way to the eggs. Gracie then flew off, without the fish … and there it sat … She returned at 9:03 am with a 3-pronged stick, and after first going to place it at the right back corner of the nest, she carried it toward the right front of the nest, at which point George got up off the eggs to help her move it, each holding an end of the stick, and getting in each other’s way as each went to put the stick in the place each thought best. Eventually George let Gracie have the stick – “Okay, you brought the stick, you can place it where you want” – and so, without his help and after much indecision, she placed the stick at the back right corner of the nest, where she originally was going to put it!! After placing the stick, Gracie stood for a bit before flying away… Just before 9:26 am, Gracie hopped down from the perch, then sat on the eggs and George flew away, leaving the fish behind … George flew back at 9:35 am with a small clump of twigs and dried grasses, then stayed, standing next to Gracie for a couple of minutes while she lay on the eggs and did begging calls and he looked around. Off he flew at 9:39 am … returning at 9:42 am with a large clump of dried grass. He did a little tidying, then stood next to Gracie for a few minutes, looking around, deciding what he should do next and eyeing the fish, and then he flew away, without the fish … George was back at 9:50 am with twigs; while George placed the stick, Gracie got up off the eggs, made her way to the fish and then flew away with it and George sat … All of this was a apparently a distraction to keep us from looking at the eggs!! … but, ha, I did and unfortunately, they look the same as earlier – no noticeable pip or crack 🙁
6/3/2016 9:03am EDT
Another large stick added to nest. Both George and Gracie holding it and moving it around. Can’t decided where it should go. Names are so appropriate – a real comedy act! Both are staying close to home. Maybe keeping a fish around to have food for the new chick when it arrives. Doing a good job providing food this year so far
I see a bigger crack in the egg at about 7:39-40ish.
Gracie keeps getting up and looking at them.
Maybe today….
It can also be seen at 6:20? I think that is the correct time. Today will be someone’s birthday I think!
Your right..have been looking very closely to egg..Thanks for heads up about the star, really helped to focus exactly where to look..
Where, Gina, the egg on the right at 9:50:53? (While George is moving the stick and Gracie is standing just before she makes her way to the fish)
At 7:42 am, George brought a stick to the nest, landing in the right back corner. Then, he realized that the fish was still on the nest, so he made his way over to it, grabbed it with his beak and flew off, flying out toward the water and then gliding over it toward the left. … I can’t imagine it will be too much longer, maybe within the next day or so – Gracie has been putting her head down every few minutes this morning, as if listening … This is like watching the grass grow or waiting for water to boil!! 😀
For Betsy: I agree with you. It is taking so long for the eggs to hatch. On the other hand, it seemed G & G were late in getting their nest built.
Elaine: It’s seems to be taking an eternity!! 😀 I think I’m going to end up posting the Hatch Guess List for June 4th (and at this rate, LynD may just be the correct guesser of June 8th!! 😀 )
Carol and Rodee: I’m going to go out on a limb here and say I think the fish George brought this morning was a bluefish – when he brought it and put it down, the side facing up was silvery; when Gracie returned with it and then left it on the nest, the side facing up was blue!
Bluefish
Appearance: Bluefish are greenish blue on their back, with silvery sides and a large mouth filled with prominent, sharp teeth. (George ate the head, so we obviously can’t tell what its mouth and teeth looked like!! 😀 )
Habitat: Young usually are inshore during spring and summer and move offshore to join adults during fall and winter. Large numbers of bluefish migrate to Florida from northern stocks during winter. Anglers on the east coast catch larger bluefish than fishermen on the west coast.
I guess we’re going to have to educate ourselves!! 😀
More likely bunker
Friday 6-3-16 no sooner then I posted Gracie took fish and left she is back with fish just like yesterday. Geo looks so puzzled why did she not eat it and should I take the fish he decided he better leave that fish there awhile. I believe Gracie is doing this so when the first baby does hatch she will have food to feed and not have to wait on Geo. This is also why she is not staying gone long at all she knows they are coming anytime now. ( Human terms when she hears the babies and feels them its like contractions now the baby cracking the shell is like labor and who wants to eat while in labor not many, she just is anxious and wants that baby to come out now.) Poor Gracie no more sleeping nice and sound anymore just brief naps.
After flying around and over the nest for a minute or two (George watching her with puzzlement!), Gracie landed back on the nest at 6:38 am with the fish (I don’t know how much, if any, of it she ate – it looked the same to me as when she left!!) … she left it toward the left back side area, on the sticks, as she made her way to the eggs. After Gracie and George exchanged chirps, George got up and flew away, without taking the fish and Gracie sat.
6:23amEDT 6/3 George brings breakfast…using the lower right corner again, making visibility difficult, but it was a good sized headless fish.Gracie takes off into the foggy morning.@6:36..George was alarming..a minute or so later, he was carefully watching something , then, Gracie flew around and in to the nest, carrying the fish. She put it down, took her spot on the eggs, and George took off… Gracie is face to headless “face” with the fish….
As for the eggs, they are so splotchy, I don’t know that I would recognize a crack until the chick is sitting there like an Easter cartoon with the shell on its head like a hat.!Camera lens all foggy with moisture..DRY UP! We have important things to watch!
Cloudy with a chance of showers late morning…..forecast for the moment…and now the camera is stuttering again…..It’s a conspiracy !!! Chick watch so stressful !
@7:43..George came back and collected his fish..”Oh, is that where I left it?”
@8:07am Gracie fidgeting and stands up to peer at eggs..kids playing “Knock,Knock, Who’s There” …peck…peck who? peckin’ my way out to you, Mom……(what did you expect? no joke writers in an egg!!!!)
@8:16 Gracie squawking and standing to look at eggs ….. and I have to take car in for (overdue) inspection…bad planning..drats!
I know someone will get video if I miss anything…will check youtube and facebook
CarolV: You kill me with your comments! “… until the chick is sitting there like an Easter cartoon … ” 😀 Me, neither!! … I will try to get a video and I’m sure Leanne will also get one!! (Right, Leanne? 😀 )
Friday at 6:23am Geo brings breakfast to Gracie and like usual she takes it and flies off with it and Geo is on Egg duty. Looks like Geos old habits are back so we know the eggs are going to be hatching for sure. Last year once the babies were born a lot of the time he would fly in on the right side of the nest to drop off fish. We hated this since Gracie and Geo would have their backs turned away from the camera and some of the time out of camera view. 2 days in a row I seen him bring the fish to the far right side now. He is telling us the babies are coming real soon. I hope the baby in the egg that appears to be cracked finally shows his face today I got till 12 noon for my guess. I have been looking at all the babies in osprey land and it is driving me crazy I want our family to finally start,cant wait to see those bobbing heads and floppy bodies. Here is hoping all that rainy weather and the intruder will go away!
rjoneal: That’s interesting that he comes in on the right. What do you suppose is the reason why that he does that?
June 03- 6:37- Gracie is back and she brought the fish with her and I can only assume it’s the same one she flew out with just a little bit ago. She basically scoots poor George off eggs so she can again assume her position. George flies off. Intruder is still in area too.
Just before 5:13 am George came to the nest to check on Gracie, landing in the right back corner; he stayed for 1/2 minute while Gracie let him know that she wanted breakfast and then he flew off. He returned a 6:23 am with a good-size headless fish, landing in the right back corner (making it difficult for us to see what he brought!!). While Gracie was getting the fish and before George sat, there was a fantastic view of … sigh … 3 perfect eggs!! She flew off (interesting view of her wings flapping along the top edge of the camera view, sound effects included) and George sat.
June 03- 6:23 am- Breakfast is served but Gracie seems a little reluctant to get off eggs. Seems as though she wants to be fed but does finally grab fish and fly off. George takes his position on eggs, which to my untrained eye still seem to be intact. 🙂
Neither do I … we’ll join, with CarolV, the “I don’t see it” club!! 😀
That looks funny … we need an edit button!! … Let me try again: The eggs look intact to me, too 😀 You, CarolV and I can all be in the “I don’t see cracks” club 😀
5:50 Grace is sitting it raining can’t see the eggs no baby yet?
Not yet … hopefully soon, though! People have seen a crack on one of the eggs!
An update on Chesapeake Conservancy Facebook page:
“This just in from the Crazy Osprey Family…
At about 6:15 pm today, Audrey broke into the 3rd egg and consumed some of the contents and set egg shell to side of nest. … “
The last clear view I had of all the eggs was at 20:03:18 hrs … and all that I saw was that there were 3 eggs! 😀 After that, first because Gracie didn’t get up off the eggs all the way and then because of the moisture on the camera lens and the darkness, I saw zip! So, we can cross off June 2nd and move on to …
JUNE 3 “Guess for 1st Egg Hatch” list ?
Day #39 since 1st egg was laid
The actual time of hatching will be recorded as the very first time the chick is free and completely independent of its egg.
Rjoneal – between ? am and 12 noon
Leesa – 7 am
Judith – 7:50 am
Rodee Hansen – between 9 am and 3 pm
Laura – afternoon
Just for the cute factor … look at the leaf leaning on Gracie … don’t overthink this … all I will say is osprey don’t wear t-shirts.
https://youtu.be/EAzGg96Vu9w
@6:35pm 6/2 Dinner..hangin’ in the right corner….saw fish chunk? Off Gracie goes….George settles in..
Just got home, so have some catching up to do…weather here turning cool and overcast…
The first chick is coming Today, sometime tonight
Mike
Sad News for Neighbors
http://patch.com/new-york/northfork/osprey-nest-orient-causeway-catches-fire-police-0
John: Oh, how awful … that is truly, truly sad. I knew PSEG had been trying to place platforms near to where osprey have already built nests on top of electric poles to try to get them to move. I just wish, in the meantime, though, that after they migrate south and before they migrate north, PSEG could figure out a deterrent to put on top of the cross arms.
HEARTBREAKING. I hope the parents got away. Those poor babies.
rodeehansen: I don’t know the answer to your question about what kind of fish was brought to the nest – in my notes from yesterday, all I put was “large headless fish” 😀 CarolV asked once, on April 30th, if “any of our fishermen have opinions on type of fish being caught by George” AND NOT ONE PERSON REPLIED (I did, but I don’t count because #1, I really don’t know fish and #2, I try to reply as much as I can to people!) … so what do you say, everyone, about a little more back and forth?? A little more friendliness, perhaps?
Most of the fist I have seen brought into the nest look like bunker to me. They are the fish that bigger fish (Bass) eat.
I’m friendly! 🙂 I just have less time this year to respond as much as last year…
I believe the majority of fish are bunkers. They swim close to the surface in big groups. But I am not 100% certain.
Thank you SueB and GinaM for writing … sometimes, I read the comments and it’s almost like there is a total disconnect among everyone!!
The majority of the fish I see coming into the nest are “bunker”. They are in abundance in local waters. The proper name for these fish is “menhaden”. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_menhaden I also see an occasional “cocktail blue”, “bluefish”.
Lady Di: Thank you. It will be nice, at least for me, to know what G&G are chowing down on (although I’ll probably still use “silvery fish” in my comments!! 😀
Betsy, funny funny lol haaa!! that # of comments has always been there even last year just fyi
I am hoping my guess will be right and the baby will be hatched tomorrow on June 3rd
😀 I always saw #comments when I went to a previous page (this is how it looks in address bar after clicking below on “previous”: http://ospreyzone.com/comment-page-30/#comments … just never saw a figure!! — I guess it’s only on the latest (last) page after you click back!!
I just noticed in the address bar, that in addition to page #, there is “#comment – 15215” … when did that come about??
Hmmm, I must have just not noticed it with all the amusing things that G&G do!! Plus, peering intently at the eggs any time George or Gracie have gotten off of them over the last couple of days!! 😀 (rjoneal, now my eyeballs are really killing me!! 😀 )
May 2 @ 12:18 p.m. Egg roll time. All 3 eggs intact.
At 10:18 am, George flew in on a stick, which he left alongside Gracie on her right, then he did a little housekeeping, including s t r e t c h i n g w a y o v e r the tail end of Gracie to re-position another stick way on the left side of the nest!
Paul or Aidan: This is in reference to the ospreyzone April 25, 2017 at 8:02 am comment. I’ve been spending time viewing another osprey webcam (but only after dark 😀 – and I feel like a traitor!! 😀 ). They use a system over there for comments called DISQUS (http://disqus.com/). After your OZ comment was posted, there was viewer discussion and I believe a lot of people enjoy the way the system is set up here on OZ. The DISQUS is set up in a way very similar to how it is here now with comments and replies, but with extras: an edit button, capability for viewers to post pictures (and, from reading the comments here, I know there are a LOT of those!) and videos (which we can now, and I thank you!) … and the best part is it’s free (although there is no such thing as a free lunch! 😀 – “Our platform is supported by advertising. We make money through your use of Reveal, the native advertising system as part of the Disqus platform. That means we take a share of the earnings that Reveal generates on your site. … If you are a personal or not-for-profit site, you can opt-out of Reveal.”) I don’t know how the moderating end works when DISQUS is used, but I doubt that it could be any more difficult than what you go through now 😀
Thanks for the input. We’ve been trying out several different comment systems, including Disqus. I think we will make a change at some point, but we want to be 100% confident before we decide. When we do, we’ll let everyone know before we switch.
Thank YOU for all that you guys do!
6/2/2016 u:op am EDT Alarming on the nest in full defensive mode wings outspread and flapping. Large bird passed nest to left, looked like another osprey from the tail. Noticed George and Gracie trading egg tending duties frequently this morning. Maybe we’ll see a little one today (Hope, hope)
if you are able to stop frame look at time 7:30:23 and zoom in on egg..Where Gina said yesterday star is now a cracked….
clarity on this I stopped frame,took picture opened in preview then zoomed in and saw it..
june c: After I saw your post, I went to that time … I think you are right!!! (I wish we could post pictures 🙁 I did post it on Boulder to ask their opinion [they’ve been through this 4 times!!], so if anyone wants to look … )
At 4:54 am, George flew to the nest; he landed all the way over on the right edge of the nest out of camera view, so I couldn’t tell if he came with anything. He definitely didn’t come with a fish, because, we know Gracie — she never would have been quiet if he was coming in with a fish (well that’s not entirely true … she has been quiet when he’s come with a fish — sometimes, if it hadn’t been that long before that she had eaten – but she is most definitely NOT quiet when he brings the first fish of the day in the morning!) She flew off and George sat. … Gracie was back to the nest at 5:45 am, landing in the same area George did (maybe this is the landing spot of the day!). George continued to sit for a bit longer, mostly looking out over the water … it didn’t look as if he was in any hurry to get up! Gracie walked to the eggs and sat, but decided after a few seconds that she had to move a stick out of the way before sitting again! She’s been on the eggs since, turning herself and the eggs periodically … and alarming just a few minutes ago (her quick excited kyew kyew that she does when someone is really really close to the nest – like landing close! 😀 … You know I’m only writing all this because I don’t see any pip or crack in any egg … and absolutely no chick! BTW, has anyone been keeping track of which egg is which?
At 7:19 am, Gracie began doing her begging call … George flew in with a headless fish (landing on the back right edge of the nest), she took it, flew off and he sat. … Oh, just as I was about to post those prior couple of sentences, I looked at the screen and I saw the fish on the nest, where it was when George brought it. I rewound to see what I had missed while I had been typing … So, here is the story: At 7:24 am and again at 7:27 am, George on the eggs, started alarming(? – I still am a little shaky differentiating alarming and calling – read on, he was alarming! ); then he did the rapid kyews; Gracie landed in the nest with the fish at 7:28 and then she and George both alarmed; an osprey flew near the nest, seen in the right upper corner of the camera view; Gracie left the fish and walked over to stand next to George; at 7:30 am, George got up and flew off and Gracie sat on the eggs … George flew back at 7:39 am to retrieve the fish and flew away.
I went back to the time frame of Gracie’s “quick excited kyew kyew that she does when someone is really really close to the nest – like landing close!” because I wasn’t watching, I was only listening as I was typing (they alarm so much, I just sort of tune them out now 😀 ) and this is what I missed:
https://youtu.be/35p1FqKQ04I
At 8:55 am, George came with fish for Gracie … I couldn’t tell if it was a new fish or the remainder of the earlier fish – George landed in that right back corner and then left it there with just a sliver of it showing … then when Gracie took it, George was in the way, and when she flew off, she flew directly up! 😀
wow she was really spooked just now.
@4:54amEDT 6/2 Early start to the day as George comes in to relieve Gracie..he felt the need to move a stick around before he settled in…Eggs still look like eggs…
Little bit cooler this a.m .50s…. Brisk breeze making the water choppy…Mid 60s predicted…
Gracie’s back @5:45am
Betsy I see you are all over the Boulder chat and videos there too. Glad to see you have nothing but good things to say about Osprey Zone.
I started commenting over there just a couple of days ago – after I read your hatching process post (I’m thrilled that you posted it — the process is so interesting! BTW, their 4th egg hatched during the night — so much for eggs not hatching at night that I had read 😀 ) and decided to really check out the site. You know I love this site, though! I’m glad you posted to me, rjoneal! 🙂
Phil K I just realized you were talking about Boh & Barb not the other family hopefully not what happened to the other little one.
Just learned that Boh and Barb lost one of their babies to a predator bird. The 3rd egg has not hatched and now probably now too late. Very sad but the lone survivor looks very healthy.
PhilK: Tom & Audrey are the osprey pair (at an undisclosed location in the Chesapeake Bay). It was one of THEIR two chicks which was taken by a predator bird (probably a great horned owl) and today, Audrey, the mother osprey, broke into the 3rd egg and consumed some of the contents and set egg shell to side of nest.
Boh & Barb are the falcon pair (in Baltimore); they had 4 eggs, but one eyass died shortly after hatching and the 3 remaining chicks are alive and well.
Phil K Answer on what happened -On Friday, May 27, 2016, Tom & Audrey welcomed their first chick of the 2016 season, followed two days later by the second chick. Sadly, one of the chicks has been taken by a predator bird.
9:52pm 6/1 Mike Martin…I checked facebook page for CCcam..It’s reported that, on reviewing Tues. night footage, a large bird, prob. owl, knocked Audrey almost out of the nest..She pulled back in, looked around and started squawking….Tom didn’t appear..she settled back in nest. Only one chick in a.m. Sad…..
I’m pretty sure we don’t have large owls here on L.I., but I’m gonna have to check on that…we don’t need more to worry about……
So sorry !!! I meant answer for PhilK…and I think you were talking about their osprey nest….hope I didn’t screw that up too!!! Only excuse is tiredness….
10:49pm As “research” I sat and watched Verizon nest ( from below of course) and in that short span of time, an intruder flew in and hovered about 3ft, above the nest…with all the expected commotion….the adult on nest alarmed, but the adult on “eating” post barely said a squawk…And this isn’t even, what I would call, prime real estate….So it must just be standard fun and games for unattached birds….
Can’t tell if there are chicks here yet..
JUNE 2 “Guess for 1st Egg Hatch” list ?
Day #38 since 1st egg was laid (and the average length of incubation)
The actual time of hatching will be recorded as the very first time the chick is free and completely independent of its egg.
Lucie Pecor – 2 am
JuneC – between 8 am and 11 am
Kathleen – 5:30 am
Marlene – in the morning
Isobel – between 3 pm and 5 pm
PattyK – afternoon
omg 16:08:02 she sees the camera
i changed my name its Danny
I was watching the Chesapeake Conservatory nest last night when “something” attacked Audrey. She screamed for a long time. I only saw one baby after the attack. I had turned on the computer about one second after the attack when Audrey was climbing back into the nest so I did not see the bird. They do not have rewind capability on that site.
Getting Back to OZ, I missed the date for the first egg – guess everyone is still laying odds on their dates.
Mrs. Stefanak i ment
HI MRS. STEFAN ITS DANNY! I get a close view of the birds from home!
Gracie doesn’t look well. Mouth agape, breathing quickly and a small bit of saliva drooling from her mouth. Maybe George should let her take a break and get some water, etc… It’s starting to get hot in that sun…
John: She’s fine … birds “pant” when they are hot — similar to dogs!
Hi everyone did you all catch at lunchtime when Geo brought in the fish he did a flyby around the nest as if he was bragging look what I caught honey it was awesome I got lots of pictures He has proven to be such a good provider I hope he continues to have success when the babies are born and the fish are plenty. Trinity glad to see you’re watching our babies will be hatching soon and to all the others who have started commenting Any day now and we will have a baby!! Maybe we should take a guess on if all three eggs will hatch or only two for our next adventure?
Betsy do you want to do a guess list on how many eggs will hatch ? You seem to have more time than I do so I thought I might throw it out there at you just a thought.
Rjoneal: Sounds good to me … too bad we didn’t think to make the guessing as a trifecta!! 😀
I (emphasis on I) think it’s a great idea … but, I posted that question on May 31 and not one person replied!! So, I guess not 🙁
I should have started my last comment with “After mulling it over, I (emphasis on I) …”
What kind of a fish did George bring in at 11:59 am Wed June 1st ?????????? Different !!!!
Just before 11:31 am Gracie, on the eggs since 10:23 am when George and she switched, started alarming, and then she stood up over the eggs in defense mode – another osprey was just passing by overhead toward the water, carrying a HUGE clump of grasses … I wonder if George has ever flown over someone else’s nest looking like that!!
11:39 George brought in a very large headless fish..he did a fly by with it before landing with it..
10:47 Intruder close to nest.. George was on perch Gracie in nest..George came down both screaming at intruder…So close give the family a break..
Anybody keeping up with Bard and Boh (Chesapeake Conservatory)?? There were 2 babies yesterday and today I only see one. Also, sadly the third egg has not hatched. The first hatch was 6 days ago.
I’ve been watching the Osprey cam from the Chesapeake Conservancy (their names are Tom and Audrey – the Falcon couple is Boh and Barb). I was watching yesterday evening as two chicks were being fed and they still had an unhatched egg. You are correct, I just got a good look in the nest as one of the parents stood up. Only one chick in there now and still an unhatched egg. Sad. I wonder what happened to the other chick? I have watched the Falcons grow and they are close to fledging. I was worried about the youngest/littlest one of them, but I did see all three of them yesterday evening. Much of the time they are out of the camera view.
PhilK: Do you mean Tom and Audrey? (Bard & Boh are the falcon parents). I pop in periodically and I know CarolV does, too. I just went to the site, here’s the notice that was on the webpage at 6:08 pm: “On Friday, May 27, 2016, Tom & Audrey welcomed their first chick of the 2016 season, followed two days later by the second chick. Sadly, one of the chicks has been taken by a predator bird. Stay tuned for more exciting action and to see if the third egg hatches.”
At the Chesapeake Conservancy, the falcons in Baltimore are Boh and Barb, and they had, as of yesterday, three eyasses. A fourth chick died shortly after hatching. The ospreys are Tom and Audrey and it appears that a great horned owl (certainly some large bird in the night) took one of the two chicks. As of today, the third egg still had not hatched. Hoping for better for this nest, although, one has to consider that the owl probably has babies too.
One of the eggs, on the right of the pile, seems to have a little hole poked through it. It is not smooth like the others. Just a little chip of shell jutting up……… do we have a baby????
Oh baby!
Gracie looking very restless. Keeps poking eggs and changing positions.
George brought Gracie a big headless fish for breakfast at 6:03 a.m. It’s amazing how she knows he’s coming from quite a distance. Most of George’s meals have been big fish. Let’s hope that continues. She returned after breakfast around 7:08 and either her talons or the nest was a little slippery. She came in with a slide and moved one of the eggs, but it was okay. I think Betsy is correct when she mentioned the eggs are easier to turn as they age, because it looks like the parents are having an easier time of changing their positions. It’s getting close . . .
@7:18am Warning calls..Gracie looking skyward and George on perch backing her up…..”Go away,pest…I need my snooze!”
5:54amEDT 6/1 Welcome, June !!!!! Gracie is up and down and restless..calling for breakfast, I think…even squawked at eggs !
@ 6:04am…George brought a good sized headless fish…Gracie loudly thanked him and took off…..George was doing some loud chirping as he settled in but calmed gone and began his usual sit and fidget session,
7:07am Gracie’s back,,,first to perch, then skidding in to nest…another beautiful morning…sun and low 70s with some clouds this afternoon….
9:22pmEDT This is the only time I can bear looking at “The Snarl”! Glowing from the lights below…..I so hope, each time I check in, to see a big wad of seaweed draped over that mess! But then, I wonder if that would just make it more dangerous, as a hidden snare…conundrum….
JUNE 1 “Guess for 1st Egg Hatch” list ?
Day #37 since 1st egg was laid (and the average length of incubation)
The actual time of hatching will be recorded as the very first time the chick is free and completely independent of its egg.
Leanne – early morning
GinaM – ? time
Marian K – 6:30 am
Yipes – 38 days is the average length of incubation!! Sorry!! Guess I’m trying to hurry things up!! 🙂
I have read that osprey chicks don’t normally hatch at night – not they would hatch tonight since there haven’t even been signs of pipping and the hatching process could take 24 hours or more.
7:55pmEDT Checking in and catching up on comments..@ 7:43, Gracie stood up and eggs looked intact,,I had noticed the ease of egg rolling yesterday, Betsy, and imagined little talons assisting from inside.
.hungry cats objecting to my neglect..apparently they should be fed before all else (got home later than usual) Finish catching up later……
As I was leaving work, Vic,(of the Verizon nest ospreys) was on his pole, with a fish, glinting in the sunlight as it struggled ; Vera, his mate, sat in the nest, yelling like Gracie…And just like George, Vic flew to the nest, said” You wanted to see it?” and flew back,with fish, to his post ! Same game as George…!!!!!!!
George sounds like he’s up on perch…and chirping right in to mike….@8:41pm, Gracie took a quick jump up there and back to nest…. Some other bird has been singing in the background..I don’t think I’ve noticed so many birds, singing and calling, before…..adds to the beauty of the experience
CarolV: re birds singing … Now that we are (or, at least I am!) all trying to listen for any chirps coming from inside the eggs, I think all the birds took to using megaphones!! 😀
Just before 11:31 am Gracie, on the eggs since 10:23 am when George and she switched, started alarming, and then she stood up over the eggs in defense mode – another osprey was just passing by overhead toward the water, carrying a HUGE clump of grasses … I wonder if George has ever flown over someone else’s nest looking like that!!
Oops, sorry … didn’t notice I was still in reply window! (Got sidetracked when my epileptic kitty just had a seizure!)
9:01pm…watched the scroll back..Gracie does seem to be up and down and off the eggs a lot more…warmer temps. or someone knocking from inside ??????
I really don’t know what to make of the way G&G were acting this morning; I don’t know if it was heat related – although the humidity was high, the temperature wasn’t – or if they feel and hear the chicks (all I could see when they were off the eggs is that the eggs were there and all I could hear was either the wind, Gracie’s begging call or Gracie or George’s warning or calling calls! 😀 )
The rest of the day, up to now, was mostly routine as far as regularly switching to incubate the eggs: After Gracie sat back on the eggs at 12:54 pm, she sat until 1:43 pm when she flew away after standing to stretch her legs and wings, and then, a half minute later George jumped down from perch to take over … At 2:06 pm, George got up from eggs and flew up to the perch and almost a minute later Gracie hopped down to sit … At 2:25 pm, George, after circling around the nest, landed on it with a small stick; Gracie left and George sat … At 2:37 pm, George flew off and Gracie hopped down from the perch to sit … At 3:40 pm, George brought a HUGE headless fish, then sat after Gracie took off with it … At 4:32 pm, George got up and flew up to perch, then Gracie hopped down to sit … At 6:11 pm, George showed up at the nest with a nice-size headless fish, but after he stood at the front of the nest looking all around and basically ignoring her, Gracie, laying on the eggs and doing her begging call, realized George was not going to feed her; so she got up from the eggs, took the fish from George and flew off … At 6:41 pm, Gracie returned from dinner, landing on the perch and staying there until hopping down to the nest at 6:49 pm after George flew up to the perch.
Betsy, it wasn’t necessary to apologize about guessing a hatch date lol but thanks 🙂
…
I am now calling the piece of clothe Gracie has chosen to bring to the nest the first baby’s blanket lol she has been using as some type of security for quick softness in case nest is a little to hard or dried up and has no fresh soft seaweed when time comes hehe just a comical thought
Bre: And, after the babies are given names, we can get it embroidered with their names!! 😀
Hi I hope all had a nice holiday weekend. Just wanted to say that I did respond with a time guess, but it never posted. Anyhow, I’m guessing this week now and anxiously awaiting!
Watch for a baby- she’s listening & I believe I hear peeping & she’s squawking at the same time.
No baby yet…any day now. Just hope the weather holds out in NY. East coast is going to be soggy all week into next.
June 01- 7:18- I have been watching Gracie this morning and I have to agree, I think she may be hearing her chick. Every once in a while she glances down at the eggs, almost looking surprised by what she may be hearing? Chicks soon and I cant wait 🙂
There was an astute observation made on another webcam site, which I found very interesting, and after reading it, I noticed it, too, with G&G’s eggs: that the nearer they are to hatch date, the easier they roll! The analogy was made to spinning a raw chicken egg on a flat surface vs spinning a hard-cooked egg … the raw egg “is very sluggish, will barely spin, and quickly comes to a halt. This is due to the viscous nature of the albumen, or egg white. Now try it with a hard-boiled egg. It will spin easily and quickly. This is because the egg is solid inside and has none of the resistance to motion caused by the thick liquid egg white. Likewise, as our osprey chicks develop, the eggs become more solid and will roll more easily.”
That is really interesting to know. Thank you for passing that along, Betsy.
You’re welcome.
A12:42 PM George brings Gracie a nice headless fish..This AM after 6:35 feeding Gracie was gone for long time..does anyone know when she came back?
see she was gone for almost 3 hours..long time
After I posted earlier today, I saw a whole bunch of comments pop up!! (I checked periodically during the day yesterday, but apparently our moderators were off enjoying the day – they had some nerve!! 😀 )
So, Robin – I see your answer, but it’s now 5/31 … sorry, what can I say!
Watch, we’ll all be wrong & there will be a hatch on June 6th or 7th – dates no one picked!! 😀
And, what do you all think of doing a guess for hatch #2 (date/time) … after whenever the 1st chick decides to make its appearance??
Ooh, gotta go … I hear Gracie — George must have just brought a fish for her!!
I scrolled back … George flew off at 11:46 am and Gracie hopped down from perch to sit … Yes, I see George brought Gracie another large headless fish at 12:42 pm; she went, he sat 🙂
At 12:54 pm, after some back and forth “talk” between George on the eggs and Gracie on the perch, George flew off and Gracie hopped down to the eggs to sit … she must have really inhaled down that fish!!
Just replayed the tape … Gracie flew back to the perch at 12:53-&-change, before hopping down. I was just curious about how long she had been on the perch after returning and then hopping down … it was about a minute!
I’m just now noticing, while Gracie is on the eggs, that her crop is bulging … so she did eat!! 😀
Just an FYI Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge on the NJ shore has a osprey cam.. The chicks must have all hatched over the weekend because their are 3 little heads in the nest… won’t be long now till these guys hatch..
At 9:25 am (yes – that’s 9:25 … almost 3 hours after Gracie left with her fish!), George – apparently seeing Gracie and then calling to her – got up and flew off, leaving to the right as he took off and circling around behind the nest to fly up on the left side of the nest before landing on the perch (“pooping” after he was up there – you could see it go flying by along the left edge of the nest! … that seems to be the general direction that G&G face when “pooping” – it sure must be a mess down on the ground there!! 😀 ). Meanwhile, just as George was taking off, Gracie flew toward the nest from the left over the inlet(?) mouth, first flying in front of and lower than the height of the nest before circling out over the water and flying up to the nest on the left side. George stayed up on the perch and he and Gracie warned away the interloper as it apparently circled around nearby and overhead, attempting to, unsuccessfully, pay them a visit. After he gave a warning again to the intruder several minutes later, George left the perch, returning just before 9:38 am with a small twig. He then practically pushed Gracie out of the way in his eagerness to sit on the eggs and she flew up to the perch, having egg sat for a mere 11 or 12 minutes. (Something we should be keeping an eye out for, George? 🙂 ) Then after he himself sat for only a few minutes, George flew up to the nest at 9:45 am and, after G&G had a “conversation, Gracie hopped back down to sit on the eggs, only to fly away at 9:56 am. George hopped down from the perch a minute or two later to sit, where he remains as I post.
PS-They seem to be behaving a little out of the ordinary today … and is it my imagination or just wishful thinking, but did Gracie, when she was last briefly sitting on the eggs, seem to be listening?
Betsy
I remember from last we were all concerned about the black plastic in the nest. Last year it was incorporated into the Nesting material. After the Eggs hatched and the chicks got older, I would say that the G’s would use it to cover the chicks and to keep the Nest dry during Rain Storms
And this year, the black bags showed up as nesting material. I’m far from an Osprey expert but there has to be a reason in back of the black bags
Mike Martin
Mike: On April 19, 2016 at 1:58 pm, I had posted info I saw on another site regarding plastic, that “according to Dr. Spitzer, ‘Ospreys often line their nest with a plastic bag, which suggests they have figured out the insulating and moisture-conserving value of sheet plastic.’” To me, it’s a little unsettling seeing all of the plastic in the nest (although it does make for some amusing posts! 😀 ). I think what I was trying to get across, more or less, is that the G’s bring so much garbage back to the nest (not only the plastic bags, but other things, such as long plastic strips, last year’s windshield wiper, fishing line, and ribbon, etc.) compared to other osprey webcam sites (including other suburban areas), that we, Long Islanders, must just throw our trash wherever, willy nilly!
Hi, don’t know if anyone else is experiencing viewing problems this morning besides me. The live feed is very fuzzy, so I rewound the four hours and am experiencing the same thing. The video is very hazy. Don’t know if it’s because of the weather. Also, when I went back the four hours, it’s taking a few seconds to be able to view the video. It keeps “circling.” Maybe this is due to the weather — not sure. Thanks, and I’m counting down the hours! The sun is trying to break through. Let’s hope it continues.
My picture was clear this AM.when that circle thing keeps happening your better off just to re-start your computer
There is a new restlessness among G&G… I think they are feeling some movement beneath them…. some little peepers soon!
Good Morning All OZ Family! Well, this a most exciting week;All eyes will be on the lookout for the first hatch. I have this site on 24/7 and don’t post often but I so appreciate all the great posts and info given! Happy times to all!!
I pop my head in occasionally to view other osprey (and eagle) webcam sites. I have to say, G&G’s nest is one of the worst in so far as plastic goes – either we, Long Islanders, are a really messy lot or the osprey in other areas are more selective about what they bring back to the nest!! 🙂
8:45amEDT Gracie’s been out for awhile…guess I’m gonna miss her homecoming…Everyone have a good day!!!!!
She’ll prob. pop in right after I post……….
George flew to the nest between 5:36 am and 5:37 am. Gracie, who had seen George flying around, had started intermittent begging calls for almost a minute before he arrived, and then she continued, nonstop, for almost another minute while he stood on the nest scanning the surrounding area before flying off. He returned almost an hour later, just before 6:34 am, with a good-size headless fish, and Gracie, after securing it with her foot, left. George is presently awaiting Gracie’s return.
Just an aside: The sparrows are just so cute standing on the sticks extending from the nest and chirping.
5/31/2016 6:35 am EDT George arrives with a really big headless fish for Gracie. She grabs it and takes off. George settles in on the nest with some rearranging. The patience these birds have is amazing.
I don’t comment often but I watch daily. Can’t wait for the babies to be born! I have been pleasantly surprised at how many Osprey nests I have been seeing while out on our boat on the south shore. In the Long Beach-Freeport area I spotted over a dozen occupied nests this weekend with mating pairs sitting on eggs. It wasn’t like that 10 years ago. It’s a WONDERFUL thing! Thank you too all involved in keeping this site running!!
@6:05amEDT 5/31 Gracie was up and doing wing stretches, then some nestorations…she settled back in and was chirping off and on, asking for breakfast…the neighbor stopped in to say good morning, and the family appeared off and on flitting in the background…
@6:34…George brought in a BIG one, nicely cleaned, making Gracie a happy bird…off she goes…
it’s a grey morning, some fog, with temps. mid 60s..hopefully some sun later today, with mid 70s this afternoon..