Nickname
Capt. Mac's Fishhouse
Coordinates
(38.4577, -75.0766)
Substrate
Osprey Nest Platform
Description
Osprey nesting platform behind Capt. Mac's Restaurant. There is a high-resolution camera mounted above and to the side of the nest. There is a separate perch to the side and above the field of camera view.
Followers
None
What to look for
Review All Observations
2024 - Fenwick Marsh Hound2023 - baygirl2023 - Fenwick Marsh Hound2022 - baygirl2022 - Fenwick Marsh Hound2021 - baygirl2020 - baygirl2019 - baygirl2018 - baygirl
aAdult Arrival3/21/245/25/233/12/233/19/223/16/223/25/213/24/203/28/194/2/18
aOccupiedYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
aActive
bEgg Laying4/11/224/11/224/12/21
bIncubation Initiation4/11/224/11/224/12/214/3/204/12/194/20/18
cClutch Hatching5/20/215/14/205/26/195/29/18
dNestlings3333
eFledglings3332
eFirst Chick Fledging7/18/217/11/207/12/197/27/18
fChicks Last Observed9/2/218/19/208/15/198/14/18
xNest Failure5/11/225/11/22
xReason For Nest Failureadult abandonmentadult abandonment

Select Seasons

Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018

Activity reports

2018 Nest Activity Report by baygirl
Adult arrival04/02/2018Nestlings3
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings2
Nest Active First chick fledging07/27/2018
Egg layingChicks last observed08/14/2018
Incubation initiation04/20/2018Nest failure
Clutch hatching05/29/2018Reason for nest failure
2019 Nest Activity Report by baygirl
Adult arrival03/28/2019Nestlings3
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings3
Nest Active First chick fledging07/12/2019
Egg layingChicks last observed08/15/2019
Incubation initiation04/12/2019Nest failure
Clutch hatching05/26/2019Reason for nest failure
2020 Nest Activity Report by baygirl
Adult arrival03/24/2020Nestlings3
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings3
Nest Active First chick fledging07/11/2020
Egg layingChicks last observed08/19/2020
Incubation initiation04/03/2020Nest failure
Clutch hatching05/14/2020Reason for nest failure
2021 Nest Activity Report by baygirl
Adult arrival03/25/2021Nestlings3
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings3
Nest Active First chick fledging07/18/2021
Egg laying04/12/2021Chicks last observed09/02/2021
Incubation initiation04/12/2021Nest failure
Clutch hatching05/20/2021Reason for nest failure
2022 Nest Activity Report by baygirl
Adult arrival03/19/2022Nestlings
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings
Nest Active First chick fledging
Egg laying04/11/2022Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation04/11/2022Nest failure05/11/2022
Clutch hatchingReason for nest failureadult abandonment
2022 Nest Activity Report by Fenwick Marsh Hound
Adult arrival03/16/2022Nestlings
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings
Nest Active First chick fledging
Egg laying04/11/2022Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation04/11/2022Nest failure05/11/2022
Clutch hatchingReason for nest failureadult abandonment
2023 Nest Activity Report by Fenwick Marsh Hound
Adult arrival03/12/2023Nestlings
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings
Nest Active First chick fledging
Egg layingChicks last observed
Incubation initiationNest failure
Clutch hatchingReason for nest failure
2023 Nest Activity Report by baygirl
Adult arrival05/25/2023Nestlings
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings
Nest Active First chick fledging
Egg layingChicks last observed
Incubation initiationNest failure
Clutch hatchingReason for nest failure
Nest Activity Report by Fenwick Marsh Hound
Adult arrival03/21/2024Nestlings
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings
Nest Active First chick fledging
Egg layingChicks last observed
Incubation initiationNest failure
Clutch hatchingReason for nest failure

Photos of this nest

Nesting Diaries

03/28/2024 by baygirl
hoping this pair can nest successfully this year as it will be their first full season together, assuming its the same 2 ospreys as last year, original male and new female

09/07/2023 by baygirl
if this was a pair they spent very little time bonding or at the nest this season

05/30/2023 by baygirl
Same female has remained at nest site so I am marking this platform an active nest site for the MBTA, male has shown signs of attempted copulation, has brought fish and reluctantly given it to female-though he is still mantling and she does too, he has been bringing in some nest material and testing out the sparse nest bowl. With the busy tourist season starting and dining deck activity, the female may need time to acclimate to disturbance near nest.Many other nesting pairs already have chicks. Sure hope there are no eggs laid this season as it is too late for safe chick fledging.

05/25/2023 by baygirl
female remain on nest this morning, with male attempting early touch and go and copulation on her back, no new nest material brought by male, nest is sparse. It's look promising for a new pair bonding

05/24/2023 by baygirl
female back at nest today, male coming and going and he finally shared a very small portion of fish with her at around 3:05 pm today.. if she stays through tomorrow I will consider this nest active. Active means no one can access the nest or cam

05/23/2023 by baygirl
new female at nest with resident male around 10:30 this morning, female has medium necklace and white gap on crown markings, male brought nest clump, I will not mark this nest active until confirm the pair remains together at nest. Hoping not egg laying this season as it it now too late in season for safely fledging young. Most nests in area now have nestlings or soon to hatch

04/14/2023 by baygirl
2 of the other empty nest cam nests in the area finally have new pairs interested at those nests so I am hoping a sub adult pair or new young pair will claim this nest this season. they will need to acclimate to the close human activity.

04/12/2023 by baygirl
1:00 pm- crows have picked nest apart again, best no one fixes the nest, Ospreys are excellent nest builders and will remodel themselves if they choose the nest this season

04/10/2023 by baygirl
male O has been visiting nest past few days, cam has been off on occasion, earlier today it was off, then now it appears the nest material has been rearranged.. doesn't appear an osprey rearranged the nest material.Grass clump no longer in nest and bare spots filled in....hmmm. "Ladder like structure" that holds nest camera is still attached to nesting platform. Hopefully no one is approaching nest at this time of the season.

04/10/2023 by baygirl
at about 2 pm today a crow brought in an egg, possibly duck egg, and dropped the shell in nest

04/06/2023 by baygirl
male brought clump of salt marsh grass to nest mid day, 4-5-23, no female seen, today around 3 pm a female arrived, was at nest calling then took off as a male landed, have not seen a pair together at nest yet, nest can not be considered occupied or active until a pair is invested in nest and showing bonding behaviors

04/04/2023 by baygirl
only one adult seen now and then appears to be female, not active at this time as theres not a pair on nest

10/01/2022 by baygirl
original male remained at nest during season, a new female was seen on occasion

06/09/2022 by Fenwick Marsh Hound
To clarify an entry made by another volunteer on 5/23/22: The cam is NOT attached to a predator ladder. The cam is attached to a completely separate pole and is to the side of the nest. It does NOT interfere in any way with the nesting pair. Secondly, DE F&W as well as USFWS have spoken with the property owners of this location multiple times and have repeatedly praised the fact that the area is protected and a nesting platform has been provided for several years. Neither of these agencies has expressed any concern about the structure, the platform, the camera, or a so-called "predator ladder." If it's such a concern to any of these agencies, (or to this other volunteer) why would there be a suggestion to adjust the viewing area of the camera so more data can be collected? The property owners have only received praise from wildlife agencies regarding the conservation done with the wetlands in this area and the provision for a nesting platform. With the constant destruction of wildlife habitats to residential communities, it's getting more difficult for animals to find shelter and safe nesting oportunities. This platform provides a stable and safe environment for the birds and should be praised, not criticized. As for the concern that the female will need to acclimate to activity close to her nest, that's exactly correct. It's up to THE BIRDS to choose their location. If they feel this isn't a good location, they will go elsewhere. The building is more than a safe distance away from the nesting platform. To clarify, no human is climbing on the platform to adjust the camera because that WOULD interfere with the birds. Everything is done remotely. If this camera is so objectionable, why is it constantly being referenced in other volunteer reports? This isn't a "bad example" of a nesting platform - it's a good example of local people attempting to protect wildlife from continual encroaching development. The point of this platform and the camera is to bring awareness to our community about animal welfare and conservation. Comments such as those below do nothing but dilute the importance of providing stable and safe nesting environments for Osprey. We should all be working together to encourage others to provide safe habitats for animals, not criticizing people for providing a safe and secure nesting platform.

05/30/2022 by baygirl
female at nest today, no reason to stay long but the male brought her the tail end of a fish around 6 pm, great sign things are looking like bonding..maybe next year this pair will have chicks but this female will have to acclimate to quite a bit of activity very close to her new nest!

05/23/2022 by baygirl
New female seen at nest off and on past few days. 68, hazy sun, 11 mph N winds this morning, around 7 am the male (Johnny) on nest with new female ( not June!) He landed and was in the mantling posture for a few minutes then stood next to her for awhile. I believe we have a new pair bonding! Just a hunch but I think the female may be a younger female... she has a beautiful white rounded head, light necklace. shes a pretty girl! Cam is very close on nest making it impossible to see the top edge of nest and perch which would give more information about the pair. IMHO as well as DE F&W and USFWS, the fixed structure that holds the cam, appears to be a ladder, and should be removed. This is a highly unusual and suspect way to attach a nest cam. It creates an unsafe "leg up" for any ground predators and sets a bad example of how nesting platforms should be built. While no predators have climbed into the nest, it is proven that they can take eggs and chicks. See Alan Poole's research. The frame of the nest has changed since the season began, if this is done remotely, perhaps the camera could zoom out..remotely only.. to show the perch.

05/20/2022 by baygirl
69, sunny, 7 mph S, day break male was at nest, around 7 the interloping female seen at nest off and on past week showed up calling for fish, I believe the male brought her a fish although it could be a different male my hunch is its the original male by his behavior and head markings. later he brought in nest material. he fended off one osprey on quick fly by at one point so we may have 2 males coming and going but definitely a new single female easily identified from the original female that disappeared.This female is smaller with a rounder light head.

05/20/2022 by baygirl
9:30 am ish the male landed on new females back for a brief bonding moment,

05/18/2022 by baygirl
male on nest briefly in the morning, he is guarding his territory but no new females have arrived for him...

05/16/2022 by baygirl
male on nest this morning for sort period of time, around 1 pm I passed by the restaurant and the male was on his favored post out in the marsh, no other ospreys around, the duckblind pair does not appear to be incubating eggs but both were on the duck blind

05/15/2022 by baygirl
After heavy rain and dense fog yesterday we finally have calm weather today, I'm hearing ospreys singing all over the inland bays with males bringing in fish! sunshine, light breeze, 8 mph SE, 68 degrees. I have reports that the male from this nest is still on site, mostly perched out on his favorite marsh pole, I did see what appeared to be a male osprey on the nest around 6:30 and then 8:30 ish pm this evening. Not sure its the same male, if it was, he was definitely showing alert posture and did not look relaxed. I do know there are a number of osprey pairs close by, with at least 2 that could be checking out the platform as they are both attempting to nest out on the islands, one pair on the duck blind and one pair nesting directly in the marsh grass. This is also the time of the season the sub adults arrive to find mates and a nest site so its any ospreys game at this point.

05/14/2022 by Fenwick Marsh Hound
Lots of activity at the nest today. A male and female were spotted taking turns in the nest and on the perch. Not sure if it's the same female - this one looks a bit larger. Photo number 7 uploaded of today's pair.

05/13/2022 by baygirl
dense fog all day, NE wind 8 mph, temps low 50s, no activity at the nest or reported near the nest all day, 6:20pm ish this evening one osprey arrives to nest and warily moves a few sticks around, it is not the male from this nest, and I do not think it was the female from this nest either, head whiter, I think it was just a lookie lou who left after a few minutes

05/12/2022 by baygirl
eggs remained unattended all night making them no longer viable. at 7:11 thru 7:16 this morning a Herring Gull arrived and took one egg away from nest, returned and ate second at nest, crow then arrived and took one piece of egg shell and then another hybrid looking Herring Gull took the last piece of egg shell. Until we see the pair return to nest we can assume either the female has left the nest area due to weather and or not enough fish delivery from her mate, or something happened to her yesterday-5-11-22. The male stayed to keep the eggs warm for almost 12 straight hours yesterday but would not stay on nest at night which is normal for males, they rarely incubate at night. this protracted stormy cold weather has been hard on a number of local nests thus far with numerous snag and power line nests down and adults abandoning nesting. If the female does not return we may see a new mating or new pair but it is now very late for a second clutch of eggs, not healthy for chicks to fledge in September. 52 degrees, 13 mph NE, heavy fog, rain earlier, rain expected again tomorrow morning. This long weather pattern makes it extremely difficult for males to catch adequate amount of fish.

05/12/2022 by baygirl
10:50 am male osprey returns to nest for brief visit, then appears to fly to the perch that is not visible on this tight cam shot. I had noted the female appeared very lethargic on the eggs this season. often sleeping during the day and tucking her head. I hope she returns and is healthy

05/12/2022 by Fenwick Marsh Hound
There has been no sign of the male or female since earlier this morning. The nor'easter has caused white capping in the bay for the past 6 days so catching fish has been extremely difficult. We've had unseasonably cold, windy weather added with the difficulty in catching fish probably contributed to the failure of this nest. Since the eggs were laid, this pair has endured two lengthy nor'easters which is an unusual weather pattern. Since osprey lay eggs up to the end of May, maybe this pair will try again.

05/11/2022 by baygirl
nor easter storms since Saturday May 8, temps in low 50's, heavy rain and wind, most days the ospreys were on this nest, today female left nest around 9 am, male took over incubating duties and remained on the nest all day, flew off nest at 8:32 pm leaving eggs unattended for the past hour...female has not returned to nest and eggs

05/04/2022 by baygirl
possibility the third egg blew out of nest or was buried, I missed it whatever occurred but did confirm the 3rd egg being laid... eggs surely can get blown or pushed out of a nest, my observation of the female is she does seem to be sleeping more deeply than most females during daytime incubation and she looks fluffed up. hopefully she is not sick and just tired. the male does enjoy incubating and will come to her even when its not time to share a fish. 2 chicks is a nice safe number so hoping this is a healthy nesting season for the entire family.

05/02/2022 by Fenwick Marsh Hound
Observed the male and female taking turns on the eggs. Confirmed two eggs in the nest.

04/27/2022 by baygirl
high winds again today, 17 mph NW with gusting, 55 degrees, sun and scant clouds, female leaving eggs for a break but not to go eat.. surprised to see just the 2 eggs were laid, unless a third blew out of the nest when nest unattended. there may be something stressing the female- activity at the business or animals in marsh or nearby raptors

04/25/2022 by Fenwick Marsh Hound
Today it appears that there are two eggs in the nest. The female left the nest unattended last night which was unusual. Uploaded photos.

04/24/2022 by Fenwick Marsh Hound
Got a chance to visit the nest in person today. The male arrived at the nest with a fish. The female took the fish and flew off to a neighboring property to eat while the male protected the eggs.

04/18/2022 by baygirl
nor'easter whipped through from 4 pm deep into the night, heavy rains and high winds NE 24 mph with gusting, 46 degrees

04/17/2022 by baygirl
8:10 am, fish delivery, male takes over incubation duties on 2 eggs, 52 degrees, sunshine with some hazy clouds, 10 mph N winds, high winds on their way again...

04/17/2022 by baygirl
3rd egg laid around 9:23 this morning

04/17/2022 by baygirl
48 degrees this evening, coastal flooding, noreaster started around 5 pm, 23 mph NE winds with gusting, ospreys trying to keep the eggs warm and dry, this isnt their first rodeo, they should be ok as tmr will be a clear day

04/16/2022 by baygirl
63 degrees, haze clouds, 11 mph SW winds, as of 9:30 am just the 2 eggs, incubation continuing normally

04/14/2022 by baygirl
beautiful morning with clear blue sky, 70 degrees going up to 80 today, 13 mph winds SW. still one egg as of 8:15 am.

04/14/2022 by baygirl
I cant confirm but think there is now 2 eggs...? she is hovering over them so tightly its only brief glimpses..

04/14/2022 by baygirl
yes second egg was laid around 8:45 as seen in females body language, second egg seen at 9:20

04/12/2022 by Fenwick Marsh Hound
The Female spent her first night on the nest protecting her egg. I posted a photo of the speckled egg from this morning when the male returned and she stood up to stretch her legs.

04/12/2022 by baygirl
still the one egg in nest today, beautiful day, 72 degrees, strong NE winds at 15 mph with gusts, sun and clouds, female took some incubating breaks due to warm weather.

04/12/2022 by baygirl
this pair shows similar marking to Cape Henlopen pair, both males have more dark line feathering on heads, females less of a dark line.

04/11/2022 by baygirl
beautiful morning, clear blue skies, 43 degrees,warming to mid 50's, winds calmer this morning at 5 mph NW, nice deep nest bowl waiting for an egg, female on nest 8:15

04/11/2022 by baygirl
female appears to begin egg laying around 10:00 am as per her body language, egg visible soon after. FW considers adult arrival date when both ospreys at nest. last season first egg laid 4-12-21. nest marked active with egg laying

04/10/2022 by baygirl
47degrees, sun some clouds, gusty winds14 mph NW, male in nest testing out the nest bowl at 8:40 this morning, hoping for egg laying soon.

04/09/2022 by baygirl
DE Fish and Wildlife monitored history of this 5 year nesting pair: platform installed for the 2018 season, pair had 3 nestlings, one died at about 4 weeks, 2 fledged in 2018, then 3 fledged each subsequent year. no eggs laid as of this morning, there has been regular rain past few days. hoping this pair lays eggs soon to sty ahead of the summer heat.

04/09/2022 by Fenwick Marsh Hound
Male osprey was observed bringing trash to the nest this morning. The female eventually removed it. Both ospreys coming and going normally, with no signs of eggs yet.

04/09/2022 by Fenwick Marsh Hound
The camera is mounted on a perch to the side of the nest and is angled down. The resting perch (out of the camera view) was enlarged prior to this breeding season to allow space for both birds to sit at the same time. There is bracing on the post supporting the nest but it is not a ladder as indicated by another user. It simply provides support to the main post holding the nest.

04/08/2022 by baygirl
no egg laid as of this evening at 7:30 pm

04/03/2022 by baygirl
2 reports of calls to wildlife officer who then called Tri-State Bird Rescue today, one osprey reported with plastic bag on its foot, struggling to get up into the air, bird was straight out from this nest. extremely high winds, overcast, on arrival no plastic bag seen on any of the ospreys in the area, both ospreys coming and going to this nest, no osprey seen with plastic. quite a bit of trash was out in the marsh, numerous plastic bags retrieved. pair observed copulating

04/02/2022 by baygirl
nest bowl looks ready!

04/01/2022 by baygirl
gusts and heavy rain late yesterday, winds 21 mph out of the south, 61 degrees, both coming and going with female spending time at nest, this morning 54 degrees, light drizzle, winds 10 mph out of the west. more nest bowl soft materials being brought in, watch for lots of digging in the middle of the nest bowl that signals egg laying is approaching.

03/28/2022 by baygirl
extreme winds with gusts this morning, 36 degrees, winds WNW 10 mph gusts over 25 mph, sun clouds, around 7 am female in nest created nice nest bowl and was laying inside either to block wind or test out her nest bowl.

03/26/2022 by baygirl
Mixed bag of weather today, AM rain turned to hail, 49 degrees, 8 mph SW ( osprey migration winds!) then nicer, For awhile, in the afternoon with mixed sun and clouds, then more rain but increased winds gusting over 22 mph. Not much going on at this nest, male brought in a fish but female was off cam or away so he took his fish on the fly. Nest bowl starting to take shape with some nice marsh grasses. Nearby nests are filling in, let the osprey games begin. For best views visit the marsh from the perspective of Lobster Shanty parking area where you can observe Mac's nest along with the others in the bay, that's where you get the complete picture of the local osprey colony. For ospreys in peril call Tri-State Bird Rescue 302-737-9543 leave msg on Ext 103 if no one answers. There are volunteers trained in raptor handling and they hold the permits for capture and transport. All avian flu protocols strictly followed.

03/22/2022 by Fenwick Marsh Hound
Female was seen working on building the nest this morning.

03/20/2022 by Fenwick Marsh Hound
The Male was first observed on 3/16/22 and the female was first observed on 3/19/22. The nest cam is mounted above and to the side of the nest so it does not interfere with the birds. There is no predator ladder. Any predators in the area will be much more interested in the dumpsters from the nearby restaurants than attempting to climb a tall post to reach a nest. Predators will always go for the "low-hanging fruit" first which would be easily accessible dumpsters. However, there has never been a sighting of an osprey predator in this marsh.

03/19/2022 by baygirl
67 degrees, sunny, 15 mph SW winds, Both ospreys observed on nest today. Thank you for adding the nest cam!

03/16/2022 by baygirl
cam is live, have not confirmed the pair is at the nest, permanent ladder (Predator ladder) holding the nest cam is still attached to the nest platform.

08/25/2021 by baygirl
3 fish drops for #3 today, have no confirmation that she is fishing for herself at this point, 4 weeks flying

08/17/2021 by baygirl
#3 last fledgling coming and going at nest, attempting fishing from nest platform, adult male still making at least one fish drop per day,

08/11/2021 by baygirl
there was much fighting between all 3 fledglings this past week, twice 2 birds locked talons and went in the water, very few fish drops by the adult male was making for a worrisome situation, the youngest was learning how to defend for a fish drop. today just the youngest we nicknamed #3 was at nest attempting fish dives off the platform, could not tell if it was successful but it did get 2 fish drops from adult male and has been carrying fish off the platform and spending more time up on the now vacant t- perch. the other 2 seem to be off on their own now. adult female either not showing herself or long gone, the season is quickly coming to an end. as always this nest was difficult to watch knowing the proximity to crowds on the dining deck, the predator ladder that hopefully will come down in the fall and the adult males hesitancy to approach the nest when the business is open. But somehow the 3 chicks grew to fledge. Thats their destiny!

07/26/2021 by baygirl
#3 chick confirmed flying this morning, could not confirm yesterday altho may have flown then

07/16/2021 by baygirl
all 3 appear ready to fly, very active, all 3 heli up above nest, plenty of fish being left or fed, all 3 self feeding and pretty much sharing...its time

07/13/2021 by baygirl
one getting some height

07/13/2021 by baygirl
2 oldest chicks wingercising at 9pm, after dark, they are very active tonight, may be the heat or feeling of less heat once sun went down, not sure but I can see how chicks at time of fledging could attract a GHOW with so much flapping at dusk and after dark. Owl may think they are injured and easy prey which of course they are... hope they all fly soon, its very hot, 92 today with little relief from the breeze

07/11/2021 by baygirl
3 very large chicks in nest, one wingercising today

06/27/2021 by baygirl
observing the female leaving the nest for longer periods of time, both adults now bringing in fish on occasion with the male dropping fish and chicks trying to self feed

06/22/2021 by baygirl
past 2 days more fish dropped at nest, runt getting bigger and stronger and more assertive and savvy about how to get fed, heavy rain storm this afternoon, 70 degrees,NNW 13 mph, female trying to shelter all 3 , they are at 4 weeks and should be ok in the wet nest, # 3 staying deep in the middle of the huddle

06/20/2021 by baygirl
very hard to observe the nest cam knowing what is happening at this nest, today busy day on the dining deck that's so very close to the nest platform, male did not bring fish for 6 hours, chicks were very hot, female calling for fish all afternoon, at 7 pm busy time on deck with sunset and the last feeding of the day, the most critical, male brought just a portion of a fish, 2 large chicks were fed and #3 got no fish then a beating from #2 who hadn't gotten its fill. hideous scene caused primarily by human disturbance too close to a nest site. Is anyone else noticing this exploitation of ospreys? Shameful

06/14/2021 by baygirl
less chick aggression seen today, rain did not materialize thankfully! if it rains and no fish comes to the nest. or if there might be a crowd on the deck, the feeding schedule is off and the older chicks will bully the youngest. its pretty spunky so I hold hope it will make it

06/12/2021 by baygirl
very little fish delivery, older chick and second chick now pecking at runt any time runt lifts it head or tries to just get shade by the adult female, very hard to watch, will need to take a break from observing this nest

06/11/2021 by baygirl
more rain, did not see any feeding for 8 hrs prior to sunset

05/29/2021 by baygirl
runt just barely hanging on, not a lot of fish coming to nest, oldest chicks showing aggression to both younger chicks= not enough fish! possibly due to human disturbance on dining deck? heavy rain today and tmr will make it harder on the runt

05/24/2021 by baygirl
3rd egg hatched sometime between 4:30-4:45 ish. 4 days difference between the first and last egg, oh boy.

05/21/2021 by baygirl
2nd egg hatched sometime between 4:30 and 5:30 pm

05/20/2021 by baygirl
as per nest cam, between 4-5 am first chick hatched

05/19/2021 by baygirl
3 eggs visible in nest at 10:50 this morning

05/16/2021 by baygirl
moving into hatch range now, 3 eggs seen today on nest cam

05/14/2021 by baygirl
3 eggs still visible at 4 pm today, 68, sunny, SSE7 mph

04/26/2021 by baygirl
pair is incubating normally, can usually tell when the restaurant is open as the female has a hard time relaxing, she keeps her neck craned and eyes on the deck

04/19/2021 by baygirl
third egg was laid yesterday I presume, cam back up today. 3 eggs clearly visible, very rainy day

04/18/2021 by baygirl
was not able to check the nest cam till this evening and it is not online today.. so either a malfunction or something happened- turned off by owner? hopefully ospreys are ok.

04/17/2021 by baygirl
still 2 eggs today

04/15/2021 by baygirl
61, NW 7 mph, intermittent rain, 100% overcast, 11:45 ish , female laid second egg 3 days apart between eggs will be interesting to see the size of hatchlings.

04/12/2021 by baygirl
50, NNE 15 mph, 100% overcast, at 12:30 I happened to have the nest cam on and saw female fussing a lot in the nest bowl so I watched and at 12:45 she squatted down, stayed low and I just knew she was laying an egg. Her feathers were fluffing up and down and her body had a gentle heaving but she did not appear to be straining or uncomfortable in anyway. At 12:50 she stood up and started to dig under herself and in a minute or so I saw her beautiful clay marked egg. She immediately began incubating. An hour later her mate flew in with a piece of clear plastic and he really wanted to incubate, nudging her and finally she relented and got up, he incubated, she fluffed the plastic for a second and it blew off the nest..yay! I will just hope that the ladder does not attract any ground predators and this pair can raise a few chicks safely.

04/09/2021 by baygirl
egg laying watch... so far at 5:30 today no eggs however female is at nest most of the time, she has the whiter head, smaller head stripe, 55, E 8mph, overcast all day with off and on rain

04/02/2021 by baygirl
webcam straightened last 2 days, ladder still attached to pole, pair has been in residence for days and egg laying could occur within next week, need the predator ladder taken down before egg laying

03/28/2021 by baygirl
pair doing a nice job of nest repair, camera still upside down today and it appears the "predator ladder" is still attached to the nest pole

03/26/2021 by baygirl
82, sun and extremely windy with S 20 mph, pair coming and going, I assume they will keep the nest but I can see some extra evidence of tussling near the nest, cam still upside down

03/25/2021 by baygirl
webcam turned on today, camera is upside down, 2 ospreys on nest at #:25, not a bonded pair, some tussling and submissive behavior. I suppose the ladder will be put to use right away, 63, Hi 66, overcast winds south 8 mph

03/25/2021 by baygirl
appears the first bird on the nest today was around 11 am. one may have arrived yesterday in the rain and fog,

03/25/2021 by baygirl
at 7 pm pair on nest appear to be bonded

03/20/2021 by baygirl
webcam moved onto the top of the new permanent ladder for easy access during the nesting season. Hopeful that someone at DEFW, DNREC or USFWS recognizes this as harassment of osprey....

03/12/2021 by baygirl
internet discussion of new "predator ladder" placed onto platform pole. Assume to fix webcam though out the season.Webcams on nests may not be accessed when nesting is active. Migratory Bird Treaty Act.Poles should have predator guards, not a ladder to invite raccoons up onto the nest. Nests near food decks and dumpsters will attract raccoons and other animals that may prey on the eggs or chicks.

07/27/2020 by baygirl
all 3 chicks still visible around the nest area

07/07/2020 by baygirl
temp 82, SE 9mph winds, sunny humid, 5 pm, all 3 large chicks on nest with female, nest is beginning to collapse outward so I hope the chicks are flying soon. they are at 8 weeks tomorrow and should all be fledged within the week. the platform needs corner boards to keep the nesting material from collapsing and a predator guard is needed around the pole. nest collapse at this stage could be dangerous to the chicks that are not yet flying as they tend to stand on outer rim during very hot days.

07/06/2020 by baygirl
at least 2 chicks are wingercizing and getting ready to fledge the nest

07/02/2020 by baygirl
all 3 chicks visible on nest cam, older 2 starting to flap wings a bit

07/01/2020 by baygirl
this afternoon 2 of the chicks sparred over a fish, fun watching them take turns grabbing the fish until i think one of them dropped the fish off the nest rim, oops.

06/18/2020 by baygirl
chicks looking big now, getting feathers in nicely even the runt is finally getting some white on the head

06/14/2020 by baygirl
11:30 feeding today, runt did get fed

06/10/2020 by baygirl
5 pm feeding today, appears the runt was not fed yet again, its weak and unable to get itself into the correct position to get fed, plus the older chicks are pushy with it, not super aggressive but enough that it has learned to stay away while they get fed. i wonder how long it will survive, this is the second year there is a runt in this nest, too close to the restaurant, papa doesnt being in enough fish, he stays out on his perch deep in the marsh.

06/10/2020 by baygirl
observed feeding at 6:40, the 2 older chicks were still full from the 5 pm feeding and so finally the runt made its way ever so slowly to the correct spot next to momma and she fed it alone until it was so full it turned away. this is exactly why i try to educate people on staying away from osprey nests near sunset as it may be the only feeding of a runt all day. the baby can survive another day.

06/10/2020 by baygirl
yay, the business is closed today and thus a feeding at 8 pm and the runt getting fed again...happy day

06/09/2020 by baygirl
6 pm feeding time, older 2 chicks fed but didnt appear the runt was fed much if anything, hard to watch it crying and looking at momma wanting to eat.

06/08/2020 by baygirl
runt in nest appears to not be getting fed consistently but i dont see signs of sibling aggression so hoping it will survive and thrive

06/08/2020 by baygirl
around 6 pm per nest cam runt not looking well at all

06/07/2020 by baygirl
seeing 3 chicks at nest, one smaller than other 2.

06/05/2020 by baygirl
consistently seeing 2 hatchlings on nest cam, have not seen all 3 recently, one is smaller so cant be sure how it is doing without seeing all 3 at same time.

05/24/2020 by baygirl
things calm and normal at the nest today

05/21/2020 by baygirl
female with chicks today, nest cam off around 5 pm

05/20/2020 by baygirl
nest cam moved due to wind, back to the view from 5/16/20. we had extreme winds through the night, female appears to be on chicks this morning

05/19/2020 by baygirl
female doing well with 3 hatchlings, this pair getting a good start while the restaurant is not working at full capacity

05/17/2020 by baygirl
female spending quite a bit of time preening today with 3 new hatchlings.

05/16/2020 by baygirl
approx 12:15 today someone approached the nest and used a pole to reposition the nest cam camera, flushing the female off her 3 hatchlings. FYI to the owners of Capt. Mac Seafood-USFW and DEFW do not allow people approaching active nests to fix nest cams during the season. flushing adult osprey off nests for any period of time is prohibited without a permit.

05/16/2020 by baygirl
person used what appears to be a broom to move camera, mom off 3 hatchlings about a minute or so, last egg hatched in past few hours

05/15/2020 by baygirl
hatchling slightly visible on nest cam 11:45 today during feeding time

05/14/2020 by baygirl
egg shell visible via nest cam, hatchling is here

05/14/2020 by baygirl
female remaining on nest to eat, male spending time on nest rim past day, all sign of hatchlings although unable to see via the nest cam, the cam is improperly placed too close to nest.

05/14/2020 by baygirl
2 egg shells and one hatchling visible on nest cam by 1:00 pm

05/14/2020 by baygirl
hatchling visible on nest cam at 2:41 today

05/10/2020 by baygirl
should be seeing feeding behavior soon!

05/01/2020 by baygirl
one incubating with mate on nearby perch, very quiet at restaurant due to COVID 19virus shutdown.

04/14/2020 by baygirl
one deep in nest incubating today

04/13/2020 by baygirl
going to be a tough day for this incubating pair, wind gusts over 50mph coming out of the south, driving rain.

04/10/2020 by baygirl
webcam added this season. my incubation date is an estimate based on the 3 eggs currently in nest.

07/28/2019 by baygirl
purple ribbon and other strands of some material in the nest. adult male brought a fish and of the 2 fledglings on the nest, the smaller one got it but there was some squabbling. the one eating the fish was standing in the purple ribbon, i hope none get caught in it. 3rd fledge was out on a pole in the marsh, did not see second adult

07/12/2019 by baygirl
3 chicks have fledged, 2 are on the empty platform at the windows of lobster shanty, and one trapped on 3rd floor condo deck, perched behind a glass partition. no one seemed to notice it from the bar and restaurant, i was able to get homeowner to allow me to wrap the fledgling in a towel and take it down to the marsh where it flew back to the platform. this nest site is incredibly dangerous for the osprey. i wish fish and wildlife would make them remove both platforms, the unused one and Capt Macs, this sets a terrible example: commercializing osprey.

06/10/2019 by baygirl
3 chicks that all look to be same size

05/29/2019 by baygirl
90 degree temps today, female shading at nest, male on fave pole

05/20/2019 by baygirl
one deep in nest, did not see mate today

05/06/2019 by baygirl
just one osprey incubating at nest, did not see second today, deck had a few people eating

04/19/2019 by baygirl
male out on fave sign and female deep in nest, thankfully the business is not yet open.....

04/12/2019 by baygirl
female deep in nest, male on nest perch, business does not appear to be open ...yet....

04/05/2019 by baygirl
lots of trash in the nest, female on nest and male on favorite sign perch farther out in the marsh

04/02/2019 by baygirl
some plastic bag debris hanging off nest, female on nest, male out on his fave sign post, lots of maintenance activity at the restaurant, opening day is April 10. poor osprey

03/25/2019 by baygirl
female osprey on the nest at 5 pm today

09/09/2018 by baygirl
I am calling it a season for this nest site as I have not seen any activity although there may well be an adult male nearby during non business hours. Or even a random juvenile may be needing help from papa but they are smart enough to stay away from the deck. I surely hope osprey nests as commercial business lures are not a looming trend along the waterways of Delmarva. There isn't anyone minding this issue that I can see. Fish and Wildlife could pay attention to this possible trend?....

08/17/2018 by baygirl
passed by today and saw no osprey on the nest or out in the marsh area.

08/14/2018 by baygirl
Stopped by the restaurant today at 4:30 and just one juvenile was present on the platform perch, it was facing out to the water. I did not see any other osprey.

07/30/2018 by baygirl
I stop by briefly to check on the 2 fledglings. They are usually on the nest or roofs without the parents close by, the parents stay out on the pvc pipes and sign posts as the restaurant deck is always busy. Whenever I do stop people always want to ask me about the birds and I have not seen any update to the blackboard on the deck which still reads"first chick hatched 5-29". I hope the owners learn more about osprey for next season.

07/24/2018 by baygirl
late evening, 8 pm visit to see night time behavior at this nest. one chick was visible just at the top of the nest line, it was laying down, i could not see the second. both adults were out on the marsh, one on the sign post and one on a jutting piece of wood. i returned just after 9 pm and finally saw an adult, i will assume the female, on the platform perch. this is the first time i have seen her use the perch, something most adult females do most of each day during the later nesting season. if this female does use it i bet it is early in the morning before the business opens. the second visit past 9 pm also showed both chicks now up on the nest and it appeared they were eating. unusual to be fed so late but again with so much disturbance on the dining deck this family may do things differently. i will need to check back this week to confirm fledgling as these chicks are due to fly. there is now a commercial running on see.local tv advertising this business osprey pair, named johnny cash and june carter. did they name the chicks, did they name the smallest chick that did not make it? of over 30 nest sites with a third smaller chick in the nest past 3 weeks, only 2 did not live and both were on nests critically close to restaurants. i sure hope this is not becoming a trend. "osprey as entertainment"

07/09/2018 by baygirl
1:15, 79, NE 8mph, sunshine- no adult male in sight for my entire visit. I spent over 45 minutes observing the nest. adult female with very light chest markings off and on the nest, 2 growing chicks on the east side of the nest rim. no 3rd chick seen. i keep hoping it made it but not likely now. adult female flew off nest and spent the rest of my visit out flying over the marsh. i did not see any feeding.chicks should fly soon and i am concerned about the power lines close to the nesting platform as that may be an easy landing spot for the youngsters. hopefully they can learn to maneuver over the lines and use the trees across Rt 54, or the roofs of the 3 restaurants. they will need to return to the nest to rest and get fed for about 3 weeks after flight, so as with the Dewey beach bar nest, they could be too stressed to use the nest once they have freedom.

06/25/2018 by baygirl
3:20 pm today, I spent an hour watching this nest site. When I arrived, it was warm, 81, hazy sun, West wind, 9mph, good vis. The restaurant deck had 2 tables of diners. The owner came and went to their tables talking repeatedly about his osprey and gesturing out to the nest. At my arrival there was no adult female on the nest to shade the chicks. The male was out on his usual sign perch that is a very safe distance from the nest platform and restaurant. He did not have a fish. I did not see the adult female anywhere in the general marsh area. There were 2 visible chicks, positioned on far ends of the nest, one was very close to the rim, I assume trying to catch the breeze as it was panting with its bill open. On the other end a head popped up from time to time. I did not see the runt my entire visit. I think it may have died. Approx 20 minutes later the adult female flew to the nest. She looked somewhat wet, her chest was wet, she was carrying a partially eaten fish. As she arrived to the nest rim opposite the restaurant, she faced the deck warily and began eating. The osprey chick that was mostly hidden quickly made it in front of her and she fed him the largest amount of fish. The chick that was panting was not in the best position to be fed but seemed to try to get under her for shade. That chick received only a few pieces of fish. The adult female mostly fed the other chick and she herself ate a large amount of the fish. Once she was finished ( ate the tail) the well fed chick went back to the opposite side of the nest and the hardly fed chick dropped down where it was before her arrival. The female cleaned her bill on some sticks and then just stood and looked at the deck of the restaurant. She did not attempt to shade either chick.The adult male remained far out on his sign perch. I did not see the third small chick and doubt it is in the nest now. I do not know if the adult female caught the fish she brought but in my 6 years monitoring experience it is unusual for an adult female to be bringing fish to a nest when chicks are 4 weeks old, at the oldest 5 weeks. Its not unusual for the female to leave the nest for short periods when chicks are this age but I know that one of 2 things is happening, either the male is not catching enough fish, or he is not bringing enough fish to the nest due to the stress of human disturbance. This is a catching fish or bringing fish shortage. I have rarely seen the male at the nest during my visits and this is not generally the case at my many other nest sites. Often an adult male will bring whole fish, hang around awhile and then leave and get another fish that they will eat part of and bring that fish to the nest also. This is the sign of a mature and happy male osprey..... In my humble experience. Time will tell how these 2 remaining chicks do, especially once they fledge. Will they be fed properly by the adults for the first few weeks of their flying life, and if so where will that feeding take place?

06/25/2018 by baygirl
Notes on this nest- platform could benefit from corner boards as the nest material is collapsing over the sides. Braces under platform needed for longevity and a 400 + lb nest in years to come. Pole needs a predator guard. T perch would not hold up over the years as it is a snag branch. Adult female has a very light colored and patterned necklace with sparse flecking high up on the neck. Very pretty markings. It would be wonderful if the platform was moved out to the far marsh, but I won't hold my breath for that.

06/18/2018 by baygirl
New sign out front today. "Fly on in". It was hot and humid, 84, SSE winds at 6 mph, hazy sun. Female was on the nest shading what first appeared to be 2 chicks but I briefly saw a third so I waited patiently and soon I saw a tiny runt. And I mean tiny. It was half the size of the other 2 osprey. I stayed over 30 minutes but did not see the male arrive with a fish. There were 3 full tables of diners on the deck. My feeling is either the male is not bringing enough fish, he may be young, or he is bringing fish but eating more of it for himself as I mentioned in a prior post, or the female is too stressed to finish her meal and feeding due to human disturbance on the deck. Its probably more the later.The time just before Sunset is a critical time for osprey to feed their young and I know the deck gets very crowded at that time. Obviously the runt is not getting fed enough. I have seen many runts but none this tiny next to 2 other nestlings. There was some very loud hammering coming from an area behind the deck and the female osprey was fidgeting and craning her neck toward the deck. She flew off and came back with a large piece of seaweed to cool the nestlings. Every visit at this nest site I noticed the female was off and on the nest more than I normally see during incubation and with very young chicks. She is always craning her neck to see what is happening on the deck. I spoke with the owner of the business who did not know there were 3 chicks in the nest and did not know there is a runt. He said " they are great". I guess they ARE great at bringing in business. This is really sad to see osprey used for advertising in this way. I explained about the runt and he said its just nature. I said there isnt anything natural about a nest site being so close to a rowdy restaurant dining deck. I told him it was critical that the female be able to remain at the nest to feed every time the male brings fish. He said the "male brings lots of fish." If he didnt know how many chicks were in the nest I doubt he would know if the male was providing. What a sad situation to see osprey used in this way. I just pray the runt doesn't suffer but with hot days upon us it wont be an easy road for that little one. The sadder thing is the business owner wont even know if it dies.

06/06/2018 by baygirl
I returned at 2 pm today to observe the nesting pair during a quieter time of the restaurant and after about 35 minutes the male brought a partially eaten fish to the nest and the female ate ravenously for a few minutes and then she indeed was feeding at least one chick but I could not actually see it. The deck started to fill up with noisy diners again around 3:30 pm but the male was on the nest with the female when I left.With such young chicks it seems unusual for the male to not bring an entire fish for the female but perhaps he is a younger male. I often observe the older established males bring a whole fish for female and young then go get a second for themselves...

06/05/2018 by baygirl
The "Come SEE our Osprey" sign is down out front of this seafood house. Something seems off with this nesting pair. Today I arrived to see the female flying around the area attempting to pick up some pine branch debris from the marsh. She did carry a few pieces back to the nest and placed them in the middle of the nest. The male was perched on the nest also. Both osprey were very skittish and flying off and on the nest, walking into the middle of the nest bowl. There was a large number of people eating on the very close-by noisy deck and some people with toddlers were yelling on the ramp up to the deck. My first reaction was the nest has failed. The spreys flew off and on the nest for a few minutes then both left the nest with the male flying out to his fave sign post and the female leaving the area and the nest unattended. This is very unusual for a nest that would have eggs or hatchlings. About 5 minutes later the female returned, appeared to eat ravenously for a few minutes, with no feeding of hatchlings evident,then she fussed with some large pieces of nest material and then settled down again deep in the nest bowl. She remained there for about 45 minutes. The male flew away. This was around 6:30 pm. At sunset, as we were leaving a nearby restaurant, the male arrived, chased off another osprey and went to his sign perch. The female was up and down in the nest digging as if to turn eggs. I saw no behavior that showed signs of hatchlings and she would be about 47 days of incubation...so either I am way off or she is on un-viable eggs, or she has a hatchling that is fending for itself.. I will have to recheck this site in next few days but for now I feel this nesting has failed. The restaurant 2 doors down also has erected an osprey platform, it must be about 250 feet from the Capt Macs platform (too close as i feared might happen) but it is empty of course and the workers said DNR asked them to remove it. It is very close to their dining rm windows. This is a sad example of people not doing research before inviting the magnificent osprey to nest near their place of business. I will definitely watch and continue to report on this site as it is a prime example of unchecked osprey platform placement. This platform should be removed. This osprey pair and their future offspring are at risk.

06/03/2018 by baygirl
I am seeing hatching behavior from the female, very fussy and busy in the nest, but I have not seen her feeding. When I visit the male is not in site or I have seen him flying toward the north across Rt 54. The nest is very high which gives the female much cover that she will need to feed and care for her hatchlings nesting so close to the restaurant deck. What is concerning is the large street sign out front "Come See OUR Osprey". With the nesting platform so close to the trash bins, deck ramp with bar seats and sometimes busy dining deck the last thing the adult osprey need is more attention on them. I can only hope they are not so stressed as to not be able to bring fish to the nest in numbers large enough to feed their young properly. Osprey are not zoo animals. This nest site reminds me of a nest platform in Dewey Beach that is close to a bar. It was no wonder then when Last season the osprey family abandoned the nest as soon as the chicks fledged. They moved to a water tower and unfortunately the fledglings were not getting fed regularly. We do not know if the young female survived. The adult female migrated quickly leaving the male to feed 2 youngsters and after just a few days we only saw the young male at the water tower. Young flying osprey need about 3 weeks to be fed before they can be left alone. Human activity like we are seeing at this nest site is very concerning for the safety of the chicks.

05/19/2018 by baygirl
pair continues to incubate. I expect first hatchling sometime after may 24th. Today the female was deep in the nest and the male was patrolling the marsh and waterway near the nest and then he settled out on the white pipe at the far waters edge, one of his favorite perch sites.

04/25/2018 by baygirl
one incubating and one flying over platform area then out to water

04/21/2018 by baygirl
My dates for this new platform may not be exact but these are the dates I was at the site. The platform is very close to the outside eating area and ramp. So far the pair is incubating and only showing minimal stress to human activity. Dogs and people sitting at the outside ramp/bar stools may be problematic as the season's crowds arrive. Fingers crossed this pair can nest peacefully.

04/11/0023 by baygirl
male O at nest briefly again today, mostly blackbirds picking at the nest