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2016 Observations
from the Chesapeake Beach Railway Trail Osprey Cam
March 17, 2016 - one osprey was observed on the nest platform
erected two years ago by Town Public Works personnel and
Chesapeake Beach Osyter Cultivation Society volunteers.
Ospreys have nested on the platform during both prior seasons.
Over the next few weeks one or more ospreys were observed
bringing sticks and other nest material to the platform.
March 28 and 29 - on various occasions the birds were
observed conducting "birds and the bees" activities...
April 14 or very early on April 15 - the first egg was laid.
She should lay 1-3 more eggs over the next few days.
April 18 - a second egg was observed.
April 21 - a possible third egg. It is difficult to
determine with certainty whether a third egg is present. He or
she doesn't stand up very often, and the eggs have settled
down in the nest bowl.
May 3 - incubation continues
following a night of 50mph winds, torrential downpours and
pea-sized hail
May 13 - 3 eggs confirmed
May 24
- second chick confirmed
May 25 - "mom" observed
feeding two chicks, with third egg in plain sight. Breakfast
appeared to be from the latter one-third of a menhaden.
May 25 - Recap -- Assumptions: First egg laid on or about
April 14. Adding 38 days (range is 38-40), the first chick
should have hatched May 21. Three days later (May 24), the
second chick hatched. Assuming 3 days between eggs (and
hatchings), the third chick should hatch on or about May 27...
Literature indicates that the first chick to hatch has a
higher probability of survival than subsequent chicks because
of their size advantage (having been fed and growing those
extra days).
May 26 - third chick confirmed!
June 5, 0715hr -- "Mom" was observed leaving the nest
unguarded for a few minutes occasionally. Of the three chicks,
two appear to have dark heads and one, the smallest chick, has
a clearly whitish head. A photo from another website showed
showed a chick with a whitish head next to two unhatched eggs.
Perhaps sexual dimporphism at an early age? The two dark
headed chicks are standing and taking rudimentary steps. "Mom"
has a brownish necklace across her chest, and "Dad" has a
solid white chest (consistent with the literature). This
morning he was observed bringing more nest material to the
platform and rearranging sticks and twigs while she fed the
chicks.
June 6, 0733hr -- The smallest chick with the
white head appeared motionless as "Mom" fed the other two
chicks. One of the dark headed chicks was basically sitting
atop the motionless chick for 10-15 minutes.
June 6,
0804hr -- "Mom" observed bringing larger sticks to the
platform and placing them around the wall of the nest, perhaps
to build up the rim of the nest to keep the chicks from easily
stepping off the edge. The third chick with the white head
appears to have died and is no longer visible in the nest.
June 6, 0930hr -- "Dad" arrived at the nest with a live
catfish about 12 inches in length. After a few minutes, he
flew off with his catfish...
June 10, 0730hr -- "Mom"
preening, both chicks napping.
Jun 20, 2016 -- The two
chicks continue to grow and appear to be about the same size.
Approaching one month of age, the next milestone for them will
be fledging, or attaining all the feathers necessary for
flight. Estimates vary and remember that the chicks hatched
about 3 days apart. Adding 55 days to the mid-point of
hatching among the two chicks, fledging should occur on or
about July 18. Expect short flights and rough landings ...
UPDATE: It was announced at the
July 22, 2016 Town Council Meeting that the osprey camera was
hit by lightning during a June storm. Because the young
ospreys have reached fledging status (ability to take flight),
a decision was made not to disturb the nest area to replace
the camera. Young birds face many challenges when they leave
the nest -- early flights and landings being high on the list
-- and we don't want to be the cause of premature flight
activity. |
