Nickname
055-A-004 (Bellis Rd Tower)
Coordinates
(40.6127, -75.1523)
Substrate
Transmission tower
Description
Gilbert to Martins Creek Spans 69/70 Tower 018 (GIL-MCRT_018) -75.15230174, 40.61266643 This is on the corner of Shire and Bellis Rds
Followers
None
Monitoring groups
What to look for
Review All Observations
2023 - CyclistBarb2022 - CyclistBarb2021 - CyclistBarb2020 - CyclistBarb2019 - ENSP Osprey
aAdult Arrival3/28/22
aOccupiedYesYesYesYesYes
aActive
bEgg Laying4/22/224/12/20
bIncubation Initiation4/22/224/12/20
cClutch Hatching5/27/225/17/20
dNestlings23332
eFledglings23332
eFirst Chick Fledging8/10/208/4/19
fChicks Last Observed
xNest Failure
xReason For Nest Failure

Select Seasons

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

Activity reports

2019 Nest Activity Report by ENSP Osprey
Adult arrivalNestlings2
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings2
Nest Active First chick fledging08/04/2019
Egg layingChicks last observed
Incubation initiationNest failure
Clutch hatchingReason for nest failure
2020 Nest Activity Report by CyclistBarb
Adult arrivalNestlings3
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings3
Nest Active First chick fledging08/10/2020
Egg laying04/12/2020Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation04/12/2020Nest failure
Clutch hatching05/17/2020Reason for nest failure
2021 Nest Activity Report by CyclistBarb
Adult arrivalNestlings3
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings3
Nest Active First chick fledging
Egg layingChicks last observed
Incubation initiationNest failure
Clutch hatchingReason for nest failure
2022 Nest Activity Report by CyclistBarb
Adult arrival03/28/2022Nestlings3
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings3
Nest Active First chick fledging
Egg laying04/22/2022Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation04/22/2022Nest failure
Clutch hatching05/27/2022Reason for nest failure
2023 Nest Activity Report by CyclistBarb
Adult arrivalNestlings2
Nest OccupiedYesFledglings2
Nest Active First chick fledging
Egg layingChicks last observed
Incubation initiationNest failure
Clutch hatchingReason for nest failure

Photos of this nest

Nesting Diaries

08/02/2023 by CyclistBarb
10:00 a.m. Neither the adults nor the fledglings were at or near the tower.

07/27/2023 by CyclistBarb
1:23 p.m. One fledgling was on the nest self-feeding while the mother looked on from her perch on the rung above the nest. The other fledgling was not present nor was the male.

07/23/2023 by CyclistBarb
10:55 a.m. The nest was empty. I believe that both chicks have fledged.

07/17/2023 by CyclistBarb
1:30 p.m. The two big chicks were sitting upright, tall, and showing off scalloped feathers of mature nestlings. The parent was perched on a post of the tower near the nest.

07/08/2023 by CyclistBarb
1:25 p.m. The two fairly mature chicks were sitting up in the nest. I did not see a parent. The temperature is very hot today--high 80s--but at least it is mostly cloudy. This gives the osprey some relief as they are quite exposed up in these tower nests with no shade except what the female provides with her body.

07/05/2023 by CyclistBarb
11:30 a.m. I saw two chicks sitting up tall in the nest with the adult (presumably the female) perched on the structure above, keeping an eye on the chicks. Based on the maturity of their plumage, I would say these chicks have been in this nest during the last 3 visits at least. I thought I saw a wing stretch the last time, but if the chicks lay very low, I could not see them in this tall tower nest until they were larger and more active.

06/28/2023 by CyclistBarb
10:44 a.m. The male was perched on the structure and was vocalizing rather constantly. I saw the female's head in the nest when she looked up. Otherwise, she was either way back in the nest or way down. Could she still be incubating? I might have seen a chick's wing stretch, but I can't be sure. At 10:49, the male flew off but returned to his perch in less than a minute with empty talons. The family seemed rather inactive at this time.

06/03/2023 by CyclistBarb
12:30 p.m. An adult was sitting up high on the nest. I did not see the mate. I also did not see chicks or any activity by the adult that would indicate nestlings are present. Wait and see. This is usually a productive nest.

05/28/2023 by CyclistBarb
1:00 p.m. There was an adult standing up in the nest. It lowered its head and appeared to either be rolling eggs or arranging the bottom of the nest. It is slightly possible it was feeding a newly hatched chick.

05/05/2023 by CyclistBarb
12:40 p.m. I could not see any incubating bird although this nest usually does lay eggs in late April. I will keep an eye on this nest.

07/22/2022 by CyclistBarb
10:27 a.m. There was only one big chick on the nest when I arrived. The others have ledged sometime during the last 10 days! No surprise as they looked ready when I was here on July 12. Mom was perched above on the structure. I heard calls. Mom flew off. No way to tell for sure if this third chick has also fledged, but I would guess that it has. The other two did not return while I watched. I did not see any other osprey flying around the area.

07/12/2022 by CyclistBarb
2:20 p.m. Three big chicks were eating/self feeding when I arrived. Mom was perched above the nest on a horizontal bar watching her chicks. These chicks look almost ready to fledge as do chicks in other nests the area. It won't be long now.

06/29/2022 by CyclistBarb
One adult (female) was perched on one of the tower posts. Presumably the male was soaring over the ridge in the general area of the nest, toward the river. Three 5 or 6 week old chicks were vigorously wing flapping in the nest.

06/21/2022 by CyclistBarb
11:50 a.m. The male was on the post above the nest. The female was on the nest making soft vocals. Then I saw (through my scope) a third adult hovering very close, right over the nest! The female immediately hopped to a post next to her mate and the warning vocals continued. The intruder circled around above the nest a few times but finaly headed north, out of sight. Mom then returned to the nest. Dad remained on the post watching to the north, apparently guarding his family. The chicks stayed down this entire time--normal defensive behavior for osprey nestlings.

06/17/2022 by CyclistBarb
3:50 p.m. I saw what I assumed was the male soaring high over the nest. The female was feeding three chicks. 3:51 p.m. the male flew into the nest with nesting materials, arranged it, then flew to the post above the nest to perch. The female was eating while she was feeding nestlings.

06/06/2022 by CyclistBarb
1:18 p.m. The adult female sat up tall at the side of the nest. I saw one chick sitting up high with its head held way above the nest rim. It looks to be perhaps 2 or 3 weeks old. This was a very hot day. The chick(s) stayed low out of site and inactive most of the time while I watched. The female was also inactive and seemed to be shading the young osprey from the sun.

05/11/2022 by CyclistBarb
10:25 a.m. One adult, probably the female, was still sitting low on the nest incubating. I didn't see the male. He was probably off fishing in the Musonetcong in the valley below!

04/23/2022 by CyclistBarb
1:33 p.m. The male was perched on a rung of the tower next to the nest. His mate was sitting low on the nest apparently incubating.

04/04/2022 by CyclistBarb
2:00 p.m. As I drove up Cyphers Rd I noticed they are installing a gigantic solar farm on both side of the road in the valley! I also saw there was an osprey perched on top of the tower structure. When I got to the parking place on Shire Rd an adult was sitting in the nest. I am not sure whether this was the same bird or whether I saw the pair and one flew off.

07/30/2021 by CyclistBarb
12:20 p.m. When I arrived, two big chicks were sitting up tall. The head of the third was just visible. At 12:30, the chick to the right side of the nest as I look was self feeding. The other two were still sitting. At 12:35 I noticed two birds which I believe were the parents, soaring on the considerable breeze high above the nest. The chicks noticed and began loud, excited calling! The third one, who was self-feeding, wasn't as interested and kept picking at his food. I have posted 2 photos that clearly show the three chicks.

07/23/2021 by CyclistBarb
11:25 a.m. I was happy to see a lot of wing flapping and two healthy looking chicks sitting next to a parent on the nest. One parent flew in and landed on the nest, another flew off and around the nest. Not sure which was the male and which ws the female. As I was watching I realized there were actually THREE big chicks! I took a video that clearly shows all three, especially after the second parent flew off leaving the chicks alone on the nest!

07/04/2021 by CyclistBarb
1:05 p.m. I haven't been to this nest for two months! Happily I found a female with two, big, healthy looking chicks. At first the chicks weren't active, but eventually one awkwardly started wing flapping and moving around the nest. Then I saw a poop shoot from a different place and knew that there was a second. Then the second did a big wing stretch and eventually both were up and visible.

04/23/2021 by CyclistBarb
2:40 pm I am happy to find an adult apparently incubating on this nest.

08/15/2020 by CyclistBarb
3:00p.m. We drive by the tower after our bike ride in this area. I don't see any of the osprey family on the nest or perched on the tower. I am estimating that the chicks fledged on 8/10 since they looked ready on 8/5!

08/05/2020 by CyclistBarb
1:10-1:20p.m. I am doing very quick checks of as many nests as I can after yesterday's tropical storm Isaias. The severely high winds took down many trees and could have blown nests and chicks down. I am happy to find this nest safe and intact. Three big chicks are safe also. As soon as I get my equipment set up, an adult flies in. I can't tell what it has in its talons, but from the amount of excitement it creates among the 3 chicks, I suspect it is prey. There is a flurry of wings and mantling and finally the adult leaves, and the three are left to deal with whatever was delivered!

07/24/2020 by CyclistBarb
11:30 a.m. Two of the chicks were "branching" and the third was sitting in the nest. I didn't see the adults who were probably both off hunting. These chicks will fledge very soon.

07/19/2020 by CyclistBarb
3:05 p.m. I saw 3 big chicks on the nest when I arrived. One on the left was eating, one in the center was preening, and the chick on the right was just standing there! All three were standing up in the nest. At 3:18 p.m. a parent flew into the nest. Its arrival was announced by loud vocals from the chicks, and the parent apparently brought in prey because all the chicks appeared to self feed after that. I saw a lot of wing-flapping. These nestlings are close to fledging. The parent was standing behind the 3 large off-spring, and not very visible most of the time.

07/09/2020 by CyclistBarb
4:40p.m. I arrived just after Dad brought in a fish for dinner. The entire family was on the nest: Mom, Dad, and 3 chicks. Dad didn't stay long in this crowded nest, but flew to a pillar of the tower overlooking the nest, and eventually flew off. Mom was busy feeding the chicks the entire time I was watching. One to the far left seemed to get most of the meal while the other two, perhaps fed earlier, didn't seem to fight over bites. Both the chick on the far right, sitting up tall, and the chick in the middle, toward the back, were both seen wing flapping (photos). When I left after about 30 minutes, the female was still feeding and nothing much had changed.

06/30/2020 by CyclistBarb
2:00p.m. Because of the rain, the light is not great. I have not observed this pair for almost 4 weeks. Today both adults were sitting tall on the side of the nest closest to me. One (the female I believe) was eating the entire time. The mate sat still beside her. In the background I could see movement of more than one eyas, but the parents blocked the view! I will have to return soon and try to catch meal time to see if I can get an accurate count of chicks.

06/04/2020 by CyclistBarb
2:30 p.m. I noticed that no one was "following" this nest so I decided to see if I could locate it and determine the status. I met a few walkers from the neighborhood who told me this nest always has "a couple" chicks. Apparently they don't know about Osprey Watch. The male was perched on the tower near the female, who was sitting on the nest. I assume she is probably incubating eggs. I will try to check again to see if there are hatchlings.

08/05/2019 by ENSP Osprey
Reported by Kevin O'Connor, JCP&L