Nesting Diaries
Adult (male?) osprey present nearby and one osprey (female?) sitting in the nest; looked alert. Vocalizing frequently during observation.
After working on the nest repairs after Hurricane Irma and mating frequently end January-early February, the female Osprey laid the first egg and started incubating on Monday February 12, 2018.
The chick learned to fish and left the nest area on June 27, 2017.
This year's surviving chick (a female) has not followed the pattern observed previous years. She left the nest the day she fledged. She has stayed in the neighborhood and was diving for fish in the nearby bay 12 days after fledging. Both her parents have stayed around, now for 3 weeks after her fledging. She flies with one of them during the day and in the evening she returns to a roof nearby or can be seen scanning for fish at the sailing center pier (picture). She is a very different, brave chick.
One of the three hatchlings died at about 1 week, the second nestling died at 3-4 weeks. The surviving chick fledged at 8 weeks. It's a female who left the nest immediately upon fledging. It has been roosting and feeding on a roof next to the bay, about 500 yards from the nest, and is already diving for fish - only two weeks after fledging.
In November 2016 we collected funds, removed the failing nest platform and installed a safe, modern one. The couple, Sandy ans Stanley, accepted the new nest and are now happily incubating. Lots of pictures of the new nest, and weekly updates at www.tinylessonsblog.com
Sandy and Stanley had two hatchlings, but the second one hatched at least 5-6 days after the first one, and died at 2 weeks. The first born fledged May 19, became a confident flier very quickly and learned to fish for herself. Left the nest on June 20th. Now Sandy is babysitting the nest a few hours every now and then.
This couple, Sandy and Stanley came together at the nest for the first time in this season on December 29, 2015 after Stanley brought a fish to Sandy. They have started to repair the nest slowly but surely.