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Connecticut Audubon Society OSPREY CAM
Osprey have been returning to our Coastal Center at Milford Point's nesting platform since 1997. It's located in a terrific spot, the 840-acre Wheeler Salt Marsh, with an abundant variety of fish for them to eat.
The male has an all-white breast; the female's is streaked.
More info about Ospreys.

2010 OSPREY CAM SEASON

Photo © 2010 Kevin M. Doyle.

Aug. 19 -- While kayaking in the Wheeler Salt Marsh at Milford Point, next to our Coastal Center, Kevin Doyle took some great photos including the one above -- "Taken last Friday the 13th, I believe the 4 chicks warning of an intruder" -- and below: "2 chicks fighting over a fish one nearly pushed the other off the nest."
Photo © 2010 Kevin M. Doyle.

Aug. 12 -- Sorry for the long silence, but you may have read or heard about (or seen for yourself!) the "other" exciting bird news at Milford Point and Stratford Point that has been keeping us hopping. A White-tailed Kite (it's only the 1st-ever recorded sighting in the state!) was spotted Aug. 1 and it's still hanging around! Then on Aug. 10, a Brown Pelican ("exceptionally rare and a notable state record") flew right by a dozen or so birdwatchers who were hoping to catch another glimpse of the kite -- whew! Check out our BLOG for great videos of the kite, great photos of both and a sense of all the stir these incredible birds have caused. OK now back to Osprey news: yesterday I was able to snap the 3 chicks in their rather empty-looking nest except for the very large fish that one of them was providing for lunch. My colleague Miley Bull picks up the story: "The fish is a Menhaden, a type of filter-feeding herring abundant in LIS during the warm months and one of the primary prey items of coastal Ospreys. Loaded with Omega-3 and other fatty acids, Menhaden are a great source of nutrition for predatory birds and fish alike. Fortunately for Menhaden, their strong taste and abundant bony structure render them unpalatable for humans, but are still made into fish meal. The young Osprey will likely frequent their natal area until later in September, then begin a southerly drift to the Gulf states and Florida." So now that you know more than any human should about Menhaden, rest assured that our Osprey chicks are likely to stick around for a few more weeks. And sorry, I have no idea what that annoying black splotch on the right side of the Osprey Cam is; I cropped it out of this photo.

July 21 -- Empty Nest Syndrome (don't worry, this isn't The Long Goodbye). Got an e-mail around 3 PM from Dave Pattee: "They’ve gone; hopefully all went smoothly and all are hunting well. Thanks for the camera!"

You're welcome Dave, and thanks for alerting me. For the first time since April 6, when first egg was laid, I saw the nest completely empty and caught a photo of it -- with all 4 chicks out and about, doing their Osprey thing.

Then I waited for several minutes and watched one chick and then another as they came back home.

In 2009 the last chick left the nest for good on September 4 so hopefully these Osprey chicks will be with us for a while longer.

Took group photo yesterday. Not easy to get them all at once any more! They are just beautiful.

July 15 -- Osprey Cam lens is about 75% clean and so we are back in business! We also believe as of today that at least 1 or more of the chicks have fledged! Here's quick sequence I took this morning, starting with 3 then 2 and then I Osprey left in the nest. What's hard to know, because the left side of the lens is still fogged (and has been cropped out by me in all 3 pix) is whether or not the Osprey have flown off the nest or are perched on top of the Osprey Cam or the post that holds the camera in place. But eyewitnesses Sherri Daniels and Carol from CT DEP were at the Coastal Center today and "for sure one or more have fledged" says Sherri.

July 14 -- Hard rain yesterday and today cleaned off some of the Osprey Cam lens but we're not at 100% yet. On July 7 Kevin M. Doyle took these 2 photos and many others. Here's Kevin's story:

"I stayed out in the marsh until the rising tide covered my boots and I thought better of pushing my luck any further. Upon arrival I noticed one bird on the guard post and one on the brace … it wasn’t until I moved onto the marsh that I saw the bird on the post was a chick. Did it fly today for the first time? I don’t think so. I believe it had a couple days' experience flying especially when it comes to landing on the brace … but I’m almost positive 2nd chick did … the way they flexed their wings, hovered, helicoptered over and over finally gaining lift with a push off and solo over the marsh not far from the nest … awkward flying but when they lost control they corrected themselves … low passes over the water and grass and very smooth landings. Chick 4 was being encouraged by its siblings and mom but prior to my departure hadn’t soloed … he helicoptered and had nice height numerous times but never flew. But he made it to the farthest point on the nest and I am willing to bet ya he did after I left. So a very good day for me, and mom & dad osprey have successfully completed 95% of their goals … now get them to fish on their own and few more osprey life lessons and south they go."

Both photos © 2010 Kevin M. Doyle. 

July 6 -- The lens didn't stay clear for long! Whether it's the humid temperatures or something else, the lens is a bit fogged, we'll need another rainstorm to break this humidity and to clean off the lens. What is clear, however, is that things are getting pretty crowded at the Osprey nest: space is at a premium as everyone keeps growing.

June 24 -- That was some wild rain, wind & thunderstorm that just blew through this afternoon! I checked on the nest and all Osprey big & small are soggy & a tad ruffled but otherwise OK. Chicks are sticking close to the female.

June 23 -- I'm sounding the "all clear" as our Osprey Cam lens comes back into focus!

Last night's hard rain washed away most of the you-know-what that was completely clouding the lens. (It's tight quarters and not much privacy in the nest these days.) So we're back in business with our Osprey family. In Sherri Delaney's photo, above, see how big the chicks have grown in the 2+ weeks since the photo below was taken!

June 17 -- some of us are having serious doubts that p_ _ p is the problem with the Osprey Cam lens.

So with no good news on that front, I can at least share two of the gorgeous photos that Kevin M. Doyle took today at the Coastal Center with his very clear lens.

The adults are magnificent and the chicks well-behaved and big as little buckets.


Above, the male is feeding the chicks while his mate looks on (approvingly, don't you think?). But intruder activity continues (photo below) and the adults and chicks are on high alert much of the time.

Will post more photos when I get back June 22.

Both photos copyright Kevin M. Doyle.

June 15 -- I was waiting to post glad tidings and sound the "all clear" as in: there's no more p_ _ p on the Osprey Cam lens and we can all see the chicks clearly. But the p _ _ p (which is what we believe it is) is still clouding the lens and frustrating you and us. But there's nothing we can do to clean it because we can't disturb the chicks -- and you don't want to ruffle an adult Osprey's feathers! But this photo taken today by Kevin M. Doyle (and cropped by me) should reassure you that all's well at the nest. If forecasts are correct perhaps rain in next few days will clean off the lens. What a pain!

June 7 -- Growing like weeds! Photographer Kevin M. Doyle took this fabulous shot today -- the chicks are almost unrecognizable from how they looked a week ago. Or as Kevin puts it: "Count 'em 4 healthy and vibrant Osprey chicks. Not very attractive [some of us beg to differ] but give 'em another week . . . they're already exercising their wings and very inquisitive . . . looking and observing all over and when they're hungry they let Dad know very cute . . . more to follow."

June 4 -- "Growing Osprey chicks had a little visitor."

Photo and commentary
by Pat Mishico.

A very brave or curious House Sparrow is perched on nest's upper left hand corner, seemingly unnoticed by the much larger Osprey female & chicks.

May 24, 2010 -- It's absolutely not over until the 4th Egg Hatches!

We have conflicting reports about

WHEN it actually happened (Sunday, Saturday or even last Thursday) but the fact remains that the 4th egg reappeared as if by magic and one fine day last week it became the 4th chick -- very, very exciting!

These are clearest photos to date of the 4 chicks. Top photo was taken by a Coastal Center visitor on either May 22 or 23 -- aren't those chicks magnificent!.

Photo at left was taken May 23 by Sherri Delaney; the 4th chick is right behind the middle chick and its head is between the middle chick and the chick on the right.

May 23 -- In addition to reading the Sunday paper, the family had a flounder dinner courtesy of the male (another Sherri Delaney photo).

Thanks to everyone who has e-mailed me sighting reports and sent photos.

Last Friday, Kevin M. Doyle captured a lovely shot of the male Osprey feeding pieces of fish to the female who in turn fed their 3 (or 4) chicks.

May 19, 2010: And now there are 3 . . . Osprey! My buddy Sherri Delaney sent me an e-mail and this photo at 7:45 AM: "There is at least one more .... we couldn't see anything much yesterday due to the Mom keeping them covered in the rain so hard to tell when hatched. I can see at least 3 in this picture..I'm having a hard time seeing the 4th egg if there is one. Will be watching for when she gets up again." Can you see the 3 little heads amid all the twigs, logs, flotsam and jetsam and what looks like a flattened beer or soda carton? And did you check out the Female Osprey vs. Great Egret turf fight as chronicled on our blog? (See May 17 entry.)

May 17, 2010 -- a Doubleheader!! 2 chicks have hatched today. 1st report & photo of 1 chick hatched came at 7 AM from Sherri Delaney, who at 9:53 AM was also 1st to report 2nd chick hatched & send photo (see 2 little heads?) at left.

Pat Mishico also sent photo (see 2 little heads?) of first meal for babies.

We're not happy about the orange plastic bag that's new to the nest and hope it will blow away.

Another photo by Sherri Delaney, of both chicks being fed.

Hooray! Now let's keep thinking positive thoughts about nice, temperate weather and no big winds.

May 13, 2010 -- False Alarm. According to Carol D., who visits our Coastal Center weekly (she monitors Ospreys in our area for CT DEP), at about 1:30 p.m. today the female got up off the nest and Carol got a good look -- and there are no babies! (So my photo below truly is of an ET, real or imagined.) Carol also saw only 3 eggs, so she thinks one egg may not have been viable. (Photo taken by Pat Mishico on May 11; only 3 eggs are visible -- oh dear!)

Carol also said that today is just the beginning of the “window” where one would be ready to hatch. Since my math is different (based on 28-35 day incubation range) I'm asking for more information. And now I have the answer: the actual incubation period is 32-41 days and I had it wrong -- sorry! 

May 11, 2010 -- Hatchling? At least one of our frequent Cam visitors thought she saw a chick on Monday, and today my Coastal Center colleague Frank Gallo said: "We think there is a chick because of the way the female is sitting tight to the nest. As far as I know, we haven't actually seen a baby, but it's likely there is one." I've spent some time looking myself, and have gotten photos from other viewers, but none that are cut-and-dried. So keep your eyes peeled and let me know if you spot something -- and be ready to snap away!  (I'm probably imagining this but do you see the little Yoda-like head and ET-long neck about 1 inch below the adult's tail feathers? I took this shot today)

May 3, 2010: Turns out Friday was a very busy day at our Osprey nest. Photographer Kevin M. Doyle witnessed an intruder trying to land on the nest 5 times, plus the resulting chase sequences, and he got some awesome photos! I'll let Kevin take it from here:

"The nesting Osprey is physically chasing the intruder after it attempted to land on the nest ... for a short period the 4 eggs were left unattended since its mate was out doing what Ospreys do."

Photo by Kevin M. Doyle

"Here's one a little too close for the nesting Osprey's comfort ... an aerial pursuit soon followed!!!"

Photo by Kevin M. Doyle

"The mature nesting female is on the right chasing the immature."

Photo by Kevin M. Doyle

(but cropped by me).

"Check out the look of the mother on the nest [hard to see at this size -- sorry about that -- but it's a cold, hard glare] as the intruder attempts to land ... the next shot was attack ... very privileged to have witnessed this event I believe 5 times. Seeing it once would have been special but multiple times what can I say!!!

Photo by Kevin M. Doyle (cropped by me).

This was one persistent uninvited nest guest!

"The 4th try at reaching the nest!!!"

Photo by Kevin M. Doyle

"Another chase this was the third one of the day!!!"

Photo by Kevin M. Doyle

"I had a great day and the birds put on a special show and what a privilege to have witnessed so much defense for lack of a better word by our bird!!!"

Thanks very much, Kevin for terrific photos and narrative.

May 3, 2010: What's the green thing in the nest? Glen thinks it's a shoe sole insert. Claire suggested a child's flip flop, squashed small-sized green plastic soda bottle, fishing lure, toy, or just some run-of-the-mill garbage before deciding on flip flop.

Now Rhonda Dalkin's photo from Friday suggests to me that our Osprey likes to nibble on the green thing, floss with it, or feels a need to re-decorate now that a blue thing has appeared in the nest.

April 26, 2010: It's a bit of a dreary day, even for an Osprey, and the Male (I believe) looks like he's ready to take a good, long nap. Not sure what the jade-green object is -- looks too thick to be a leaf. Any ideas?

April 20, 2010: Sorry for the delay in updating this page; having some tech hiccups, but NOT with the Osprey Cam, which is working fine (KOW). The 4th egg was laid sometime around 1:30 PM on April 14; Sherri Delaney took the first photos that same day. Below is Pat Mishico's photo, taken April 17, which is the clearest look at the 4 eggs at this small size.

So now it's time to do the math: the incubation period for Ospreys is between 28 and 35 days. The 1st egg was laid April 6 so that means May 4 is when we might expect hatching to begin if all goes well.

The 3rd egg was laid Sunday, April 11, sometime before 2:24 PM according to my colleague Louise Crocco at the Coastal Center. Below is the clearest shot I've gotten of the 3 eggs at this size, taken April 11 by Sherri Delaney.

April 8, 2010, just after noon:

We have 2 eggs, 1st spotted by Helen Kalis (see her photo at right).

Here's a later shot, taken by Sherri Delaney. Many others have sent e-mails & pix about the 2nd egg -- thanks! I'm back on Monday so let's see what next 3 days bring!

April 8, 2010, 11 AM: Still only 1 egg as far as we can tell. We at CAS can now see the Osprey Cam and enjoy it along with you. Let me correct what I said previously: CAS staff laid new cable (in the Wheeler Salt Marsh) and attached the new camera to the existing armature that is affixed to the nest. So new camera is in the same place as the old camera, but it's a newer and better model. And all comments I've gotten about picture quality have been positive. Photo taken this morning by Pat Mishico.

April 6, 2010: Good News! Our "Plan B" -- to have some of our intrepid staff mount a new camera on the armature that is attached to the Osprey nesting platform (which is surrounded by the Wheeler Salt Marsh) -- is working! So our website visitors have been able to watch the Osprey adults since last Thursday night (April 1) and, starting at about 6 am today, their first egg. Here are photos taken today by Sherri Delaney:

However, we at Connecticut Audubon Society can't see the Osprey Cam from our computers -- we're working on fixing that little glitch. So please let me know what's happening and send me your photos: click here to send me an e-mail.

Wed., March 24, 2010, Report from Sherri D. of Bethel:

I was

Tues., March 23, 2010: My colleagues at the Coastal Center in Milford spotted the male Osprey this morning. We hope/expect the female will appear shortly.

Click here to read a re-cap and see photos
of the 2009 OSPREY SEASON.

Below: read a re-cap and see photos of the
2008 OSPREY SEASON

when a record-breaking (for our nest)
4 eggs hatched & all 4 chicks fledged!

OSPREY NESTING at MILFORD POINT
2008 Highlights & Photos

Sept. 2, 2008: It's not over yet! At least one Osprey chick is still hanging around the nest (see photo at right, taken today). We believe the 2 adults and its 3 siblings may have already departed on their southbound migration.
Aug. 13, 2008: One or more of the adults may have departed for points south, but we believe all 4 chicks are still using the nest. In this photo you can see the shadow that a fourth Osprey (adult or chick?) is casting on the nest as it sits atop our Osprey Cam!

July 16, 2008: Not To Worry -- all 4 chicks are fine!
Since the weekend I've gotten e-mails from many Osprey Cam viewers (including a Nova Scotia resident) who are worried because they can't see all 4 chicks in the nest. But all 4 are fine: they are starting to explore beyond the nest's confines, sometimes sitting on top of the Osprey Cam Itself (you may see a chick's or adult's shadow) and in some cases taking very short flights (mostly straight up and down) off the nest. Photo below of all 4 chicks was taken yesterday. Today our Coastal Center staff confirms -- looking out their picture window at the nest and through spotting scopes -- that all 4 chicks are fine. Photo by Mara Neville

July 1, 2008: One of the chicks is getting an Osprey-eye-view of the camera we have set up to record the comings and goings on the nesting platform. Many people have noticed lots of wing flapping activity among the chicks, so we're waiting for next big step: short solo flights off the nest. The 4 Osprey chicks have gotten so big that often the female adult has to perch at the very edge of the nest to feed them! Photo by Mara Neville.

June 28, 2008: On Saturday night we found our Osprey family polishing off the last of their fish-and-chips dinner. (In second photo below, the adult at right is standing on the fish head.) Both photos by Deb Michalowski.

June 16, 2008: It turned out to be a wild and stormy weekend with lots or rain, thunder and lightning. But the Osprey nest proved sturdy and all 4 chicks are fine.

June 14, 2008: It was nap time for 3 of the Osprey chicks on Saturday at 2 p.m. while the fourth chick (and one of the adults) remained on guard duty. Maybe they sensed the storm approaching. Photo by Deb Michalowski.

June 11, 2008: With the intense heat of the last several days, the adults have been using their bodies as an umbrella to shield the four chicks from the sun. We've also seen the adults skimming the surface of the water to wet their breast feathers and return to the nest to cool the chicks down. Today's 3 p.m. snack was a lovely flounder (the adult is standing on top of it), which was enjoyed by all.

June 3, 2008: The chicks are getting bigger and so are the portion sizes they're being fed! One of today's snacks appears to be a bright orange Koi. Photo by Deb Michalowski.

May 22, 2008:  Crowded House at CAS's Osprey Nesting Platform. Sometime before 7:22 a.m. today the 4th of 4 Eggs Laid Hatched --a first for our Milford Point nest! Click here to read our press release.

It's Not Over Yet -- Third Chick Appears! For the first time in at least 3 years, a third egg hatched today (Monday, May 18 at around 2:30 p.m.). In 2007 only two eggs hatched of four eggs laid. In 2006, only 1 egg hatched of 4 eggs laid. In Deb Michalowski's photo below, all three chicks seem to be staring intently at their parent as if to ask: "okay, we're here and what's on the menu?" 

Wasting No Time, Two Chicks Hatch in Two Days! Busy, busy, busy doings at our Osprey nest starting Friday, May 16, 2008, when sometime before 10 a.m. the first chick hatches (In Deb Michalowski's photo, below, chick is to the right of the clutch of eggs and staring straight at the camera.) 

The second chick hatches sometime before 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 17, 2008. In Deb Michalowski's second photo, below, follow the yellow brick road -- I mean ribbon -- to find both chicks nestled near the adult Osprey at right. Thanks to everyone who sent photos!

April 15, 2008: Now there are 4 eggs! And Theodora Baker was first to let us know. (See her photo, taken at 8:15 a.m.) Our Osprey couple is 4 days ahead of last year, when 4th egg was laid April 19.
April 12, 2008: And then there were 3 . . . eggs! Third egg is laid sometime before 8:15 a.m., spotted by Kathy Doonan (see her photo). In 2007 the third egg was laid April 16 or 17 so we're ahead of schedule.
April 9, 2008: Second egg is laid! First to spot it was Theodora Baker at 7:12 a.m. It wasn't easy to get a photo -- the adult was staying very close to her eggs and rarely moved position.
April 6, 2008: First egg is laid! And first to spot it was Osprey Cam viewer Frank Pascucci (around 9:20 a.m. on Sunday, see his photo, right) followed by viewer Mary Gillette and many other Osprey Cam watchers.
March 23, 2008: Female Osprey returns!March 21, 2008: The male Osprey returns! (Photo taken March 25.)

Read our press release about the Ospreys' return.

March 19, 2008: We turned our Osprey Cam on today and await the return of our nesting Osprey Pair. It could be any day now.

OSPREY PAIR AT MILFORD POINT
2007 Highlights & Photos Click here to read our March 22, 2007 press release about the Ospreys' return and Connecticut Audubon's Osprey Cam.

Tragedy was averted on June 16, 2007! The Milford Fire Dept. came to the rescue, helping CAS volunteers and staff free an Osprey chick entangled in bubble wrap. Read the Connecticut Post story.

Sept. 4, 2007: Our Osprey Cam link has not been working for the past several days and we are investigating the problem. We are having new computers installed and it's possible the Osprey Cam has been de-activated accidentally. However, my colleagues at our Coastal Center at Milford Point -- who can actually see the nest from a telescope in our Nature Center -- report seeing the smallest hatchling today still hanging around the nest. The adults (and, we believe, the larger hatchling) have left the nest and are heading for points south, somewhere between Florida and Venezuela. But it is not unusual for this remaining Osprey chick to elect to stay around the nest (even up until mid-October)-- hunting, honing its flying skills and fattening up before beginning its southward migration. Photo below was taken Aug. 23, 2007 of the remaining Osprey chick.

July 23: For past 10 days each chick has been observed flying from the nest and returning. Don't worry -- they haven't left permanently yet. Photo below was taken July 22, 2007 by Debra Michalowsi as the two siblings sharing a sushi lunch.

July 13: First flight off the nest for one of the Osprey chicks, observed by CAS staff at Milford Point and several Osprey Cam viewers.

July 8: Finally! A good strong rain this weekend cleaned off the lens of our Osprey Cam and we can see the growing chicks in good, sharp detail. See photo (below) taken July 8 by Debra Michalowski.

June 26: Compare foggy photo taken today (below) with photos taken May 29 and May 31. The chicks have grown enormously.

June 25: Why has our Osprey Cam live footage looked so "cloudy" in recent days? According to my colleague Frank Gallo at our Coastal Center at Milford Point, our Osprey Cam gets fogged when one of the adults sits on the camera and defecates across the lens, and there's nothing we can do about it until it rains and washes away. It usually happens at least once each summer.

On a brighter note, even though the last two eggs never hatched, our 2 chicks are doing quite well, getting fed daily and growing rapidly. Hopefully a nice cleansing rain will fall soon so I can post new photos (that are not foggy) of the chicks, who seem to have have tripled in size in the last two weeks.

June 16: Thanks to quick action on the part of an Osprey Cam viewer in Maryland, the Milford Fire Department, CT Audubon staff and volunteers, one of the Osprey chicks that had become entangled in plastic bubble wrap (brought to the nest by one of its parents, we believe) was freed quickly and is OK. Click here to read the Connecticut Post story.

May 31: The 2 hatchlings are getting bigger and hungrier. Both adults are increasingly busy with nest duties and bringing home the fish.

May 29: In photo below you can see both parents feeding the 2 hatchlings. (Just above the center of the photo you can see the backs of the hatchlings' heads, very close together.)

           2 Osprey hatchlings and parents. Taken May 29, 2007 by Mara Neville.

May 25: Hatchling #2 appears sometime before 11:45 a.m., according to my colleague Louise Crocco at our Milford Point Nature Center. We now have 2 hatchlings and 2 eggs remaining -- and are definitely in a better place than last year, when only one of four eggs hatched. In photo below, taken May 26 by Chris Swindal, a parent is feeding one baby while another (near top center of the nest) waits its turn.

May 26, 2007, 2 hatchlings and 2 eggs remaining, by Chris Swindal.

    First hatchling being fed by its parent. Taken May 23, 2007 by Dave Carey.

May 22: 1st Osprey egg hatches sometime after noon. Soon thereafter the hatchling is eating a fish provided by its mother!!

May 15: Down for 2 days, our Osprey Cam is now up and running as of 11 a.m.  First egg hatching expected "any day now."

April 19, from Diana Beeton: "YES! (4 eggs) --
and photo from my friend Linda Chandler." (See below.)

                          Photo by Linda Chandler of 4 Osprey eggs, on April 19, 2007.

April 19, from Diana Beeton: "Looks like four!" (See below.)

                     Photo by Diana Beeton of 4 Osprey eggs, taken April 19, 2007.

April 17, from Diana Beeton: "She was on the nest all day yesterday (April 16) when I looked. This morning she was off and there were THREE eggs! Don't know when they were laid, but they're there now! (I see the decor has changed from denim to purple!)" (See below.)

                                Photo by Frank Pascucci of 3 eggs, on April 18, 2007.

April 15, from Frank Pascucci: "I have not noticed an update of the commentary regarding a SECOND EGG! The snap has the date and time I caught it." (See below.)

                         Photo by Frank Pascucci of 2 eggs, taken April 15, 2007.

April 11, sometime before 7 a.m., First Osprey Egg is Laid! Spotted by Diana Beeton of Burr Elementary School in Fairfield.

March 29: Our Osprey pair are also famous. Channel 8's Matt Scott arrived in Milford at 5:15 a.m. today to interview CT Audubon's Ken Elkins and film the Osprey pair, which was featured during most of Matt's weather segments from 6-8 a.m. Re-broadcast scheduled for noon today on Channel 8 and possibly during tonight's news. You can see a portion of this morning's filming online at www.wtnh.com (on the home page, in their Top Video list, select "watching Ospreys with the Audubon Society -- by Matt Scott") Thanks Matt!

March 22: They're Baaaaaaaaaaaaack!!! Examining the nest, sitting on top of the Osprey Cam (according to CAS Coastal Center staff who are also using binoculars) and flying away for long periods of time. Believe they want to re-decorate; they've already added some darker sticks to the nest (upper left). Last year's blue teddy bear is long gone.

Connecticut Post story:
"'Osprey cam' leads to rescue"
by BILL McDONALD bmcdonald@ctpost.com
Article Last Updated: 06/16/2007 05:40:03 PM EDT

MILFORD — It wasn't exactly like rescuing a cat from a tree for the Milford Fire Department, but it was close.

Or call him one lucky baby osprey. This bird's particular problem was first picked up by a Connecticut Audubon Society "osprey cam" watcher in Maryland.

"We do cats in trees, swans on ice. We take care of animals," said battalion chief Brad Ross. The fire department's rescue unit provided a ladder long enough Saturday afternoon to rescue a month-old osprey entangled in bubble wrap in its platform nest near Milford Point. "We got a call about bubble wrap stuck on one of the babies," Ross said of the 1 p.m. report. "We called in a ladder truck to bring in an extra long ladder, and it did the job. I didn't know you could see this bird from all over the world."

Ken Elkins, director of education at the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center at Milford Point, said he got a call from a Maryland resident who saw the bird's problem on the Internet. A small television camera shows real time activity on the nest both through a television monitor at the center and on the Internet (www.ctaudubon.org/action/osprey.htm). "He said he tried e-mail in the inquiry but the mailbox was full," Elkins said. "We hear from people all the time who like to watch the nest on the Web."

Ospreys are also called fish hawks and are slightly smaller than eagles. Like eagles, they were an endangered species in the 1950s and 1960s due to DDT spray causing fragile eggs to crack when females sat on them. But the birds have been making a comeback since DDT has been banned.

Two young birds on the osprey cam nest are being cared for by a mother and father osprey that circled nervously during the rescue operation but returned to them once it was over. "I ran back into our TV monitor and saw the problem," Elkins said. "The bird somehow got tangled in bubble wrap and kept falling every time he stepped on it. We weren't sure if he was being strangled but we had to do something." The center did not have a ladder long enough to reach the platform, so the fire department was called.

The rescue operation consisted of two canoes from the center pulling a rubber Zodiac boat carrying the 20-foot ladder 100 yards out to the platform nest perched on a small island. Matt Hoyt, former CAS animal handler helping as a marsh canoe trip volunteer, climbed the ladder and cut off the offending wrap in several seconds, all covered on the osprey cam TV monitor. "It was uneventful," said Hoyt, a science teacher at Wilton High School. "The bird was entangled and was exhausted by stepping on the wrap. It definitely looked relieved after I cut it." Frank Gallo, CAS coastal education director, said a dozen calls came into the center from Internet watchers, and he appreciated their concern. "We certainly thank the Milford Fire Department and the people who took the time to call," Gallo said."

OSPREY FACTS 2006

March 26: Male Osprey returns. March 29: First sighting of female Osprey in the nest. April 11: First Osprey egg appears in the nest. April 14: Second Osprey egg appears in the nest.
April 17: Third Osprey egg appears in the nest. April 19: Fourth Osprey egg appears in the nest. May 31: First egg hatches. June 6: Three of the Ospreys' four eggs failed to hatch this year, due in part, we believe, to a long, cold wet spring.

July 28: Baby Osprey takes its first solo flight. All went well, ending with Baby's safe landing back in the nest.

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Check Out Rare Purple Martin Cam in Westport, CT!

Visit one of the nests located at "Purple Martin Acres by the Sea" via Gazebo Phil's 24/7 webcam, "an equal opportunity community where all are welcome as long as you are purple."

A long-time friend and supporter of Connecticut Audubon Society, Gazebo Phil has erected the equivalent of a Purple Martin condo complex in Westport. At last count Gazebo Phil's 48 nests had yielded a total of at least 166 chicks!

One of the nests is equipped with a 24/7 camera. CAS Senior Director of Science & Conservation Miley Bull provides the commentary.