Osprey Cam
September 20, 2018 – The Ospreys at Milford Point successfully fledged one baby in 2018. The camera is off til they return next spring.
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2018 Season Review
August 16 – Carol Dunn, who observes the nest diligently at our Coastal Center, reports that the nestling fledged two days ago, on Agusut 14! It hatched on June 20, so if we’re adding right it took 55 days.
July 21. It’s been a bit of a tough year for the Ospreys at the Milford Point Coastal Center. The first two hatchlings died and for a while things looked dicey for the third. But it survived and is now almost adult-sized.
Keep reading to see how circumstances and outlook changed for these birds as the weeks passed.
July 7. About the comments: we definitely what to read what you see and think. But be patient. To avoid spammers, we review and approve all comments before they show up on the page. But depending on what else is going on – dinner, sleeping, a good ballgame on TV – we don’t always get to it right away. Thanks!
July 1. News of the third hatchling’s demise has apparently been greatly exaggerated, so the camera is back on.
June 30. The third hatchling is either dead or about to die. We made the decision to turn the camera off. Thank you for watching and keeping track for us.
The third egg hatched at midday on Wednesday, June 20. The second egg hatched Monday afternoon, June 18. After the first hatchling perished, we’re hoping for the best with the other two.
The first egg hatched at 6:18 p.m. on Saturday, June 16. Unfortunately by Monday morning, June 18, it was clear that the hatchling did not survive. Although this makes for grim viewing, it’s not that unusual. Mortality in nature is high. We suspect that the female is inexperienced. Two observers emailed us to report what they saw in the hours after the first egg hatched:
“I watched for many hours yesterday … and neither parent brought any fish back to the nest until late in the afternoon…and then it was the female who I never saw feed the chick. Even though it was ‘asking’ for food. I would suspect that the poor thing starved to death.”
“[On Sunday, one of the observers] was monitoring it for hours and the female left it out in the sun instead of protecting it. Then, hours went by and it didn’t get any food so it was probably dehydrated. She left the eggs all of the time instead of sitting on them in the cold weather. I know this stuff is happening all over the place but when you can actually see it, it is heartbreaking.”
We don’t disagree.
Connecticut’s Original Osprey Cam is Back!
For 2018 we’ve installed a new, high definition, solar-powered camera, with wireless internet, supported by Canaan Technology.
Each year we provide live streaming of the Ospreys that nest in the marsh at the Milford Point Coastal Center.
The female lays eggs 1-3 days apart. The first egg was at least two weeks later than usual this year — about May 10th. By May 18th, there were three.
Incubation begins with the first egg and takes 36-40 days; the eggs hatch asynchronously, each hatching in the order laid. This gives a distinct advantage to the older chicks in years with meager food supplies. If the weather is bad, all may not hatch. Generally, two or three babies fledge annually.
Ospreys were driven to the edge of extinction in the 1960s and early 1970s because of the widespread use of the pesticide DDT. They were listed as endangered and protected by the Endangered Species Act. After DDT was banned, the Osprey population began to thrive.
81 Responses to “Osprey Nation – Osprey Cam”
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The family all sitting together on the perch, very sweet.
Well the Adults sure won’t get high marks for “Paretning”…but…they are really good GARDENERS!
What a beautiful job they have done landscaping the nest. Some nice ground overs…a few well placed shrubs…and the start of what looks like a beautiful little tree. Could they be into Bonsai by any chance? 😉
Chick has fledged!!!
Looks like the chick’s flapping has changed the camera angle.
Chick doing lots more flapping and appears to be a male.
Chick flapping wings strongly
Especially considering that people thought (and we announced) that it had died!
It’s amazing how that one surviving chick grew into this big beautiful bird!
Chick again eating on its own. Female in nest.
Wow. Been a while since I’ve been here … what a handsome lad / beautiful lass! Has it been determined?
The chick (who I’ve informally named Lazarus) was feeding himself this morning from a fish carcass left in the nest. Neither parent was visible.
anyone know what kind of bugs are all over the nest? They have the bodies of earwigs, but I can’t zoom in enough to identify them. Not concerned really, I’m sure they’re a beneficial “cleanup crew”, just curious more than anything…
Jr is almost as big as Dad! How awesome is that??
linwhit@optonline.net
Isn’t (s)he handsome/pretty all dressed up in his/her new feathers?
Have loved watching baby and parents grow up together.
Thank you for the camera and education.
I feel bad that I started to doubt this Mothers ability to nurture her offspring to fledge. She’s actually really good at it. Mother Nature was an obstacle, but she has persevered! I love how proud she looks as her (little😄) chick tries to settle in under her.
OK…so I want to know just WHERE these birds are catching these fish! I know it has taken the both of the parents a while to “get with the program”…but really?
Right now…the female is feeding a very nice Striped Bass to “Junior(ette?)”. A bigger Striper than I EVER was able to catch. I tell you…it’s just not fair! 🙁
I was just outside and I heard the Osprey calling. (I live on Housatonic Drive on Milford side) They usually don’t make that noise unless there is an Eagle in the tree across the street, (its a territorial thing) so I got concerned and checked this site. Seems like all is okay and she is feeding baby, —-but I REALLY wish people would stop using lawn Pesticide just to get a “golf course lawn”. There are so many people who own homes along the river that apply Pesticides once or twice a week and that leeches into H River. Please stop as it could also effect this baby’s life, as well as parents. It can’t be good.
Interesting behavior. Mom appears to be fortifying the nest. She’s made several trips, returning each time with a large stick (as long as she is) and placing each stick on the perimeter of the nest (particularly on the left side). Is this to prevent baby from wandering off the edge of the nest?
Beautiful site this morning (7/6/18 7:43am) Dad feeding the chick and Mom!!!!
Aahhh…more like “Lucky” I would say. 😉
….and they named the baby Lazarus.
Chick looking good. Mom & Dad taking good care of it. Had a full crop this morning. 🙂
Please be aware that the chick is not dead nor is it in process of dying. The chick had just been fed a large meal and got flipped over on its back. It had a huge crop and belly which likely prevented it from getting back on its feet. Hence, it was perceived as struggling which it was, but not because it was dying. It finally righted itself and was moving around just fine.
Hopefully camera can get turned back on so we can hopefully watch this family progress. There were at least 4 fish brought in today — two of them quite large. Female doing a great job doing a lot of the fishing. Our male is getting old and wondering whether his eyesight is compromised so she is doing a lot of the fishing. Just a thought.
Per Sherri D. the chick is very much alive. It had been flipped over on it’s back and was struggling to right itself and eventually did so. As of 9:51PM now, chick is alive. Please turn the camera back on.
6:50pm 6/30 Dad is feeding mom right over their struggling baby – and they are totally ignoring the poor thing. So sad!
It’s heartbreaking to see the mom and dad eating and totally ignoring their struggling baby! So sad 🙁
The chick doesn’t look too good 🙁 How come it can’t get up?
Chick had a fairly full crop around 1:15 PM today and was fed again between 3 and 4PM.
Unfortunately no. Not with one baby in the nest. It’s also in the middle of the marsh and entails a canoe trip timed to the tide, securing a ladder in the muck, and then climbing up there while the adults go crazy trying to drive you away. If it needs to be repositioned, we’ll do it for next season.
The cam is off center. Any way it can be rotated back to the center of the nest?
Thanks
I have yet to see the chick get fed a lot. Maybe I just miss it. But I have not seen a nice crop on the chick. Has anyone else?