A lot of questions have been asked in the comments about ospreys and the nest cam. We’ve compiled this reference list to make it easy to find the answers, and we’ll keep adding to it, so be sure to check back. Thanks to everyone for the great questions!
[Note: Much of this was written during our first season (2022), so the dates about the eggs reflect that year.]
Questions about Ospreys in general and Rachel & Carson:
When will the eggs hatch?
The first egg was laid on April 14th and the incubation period is usually between 36-42 days. So that brings the expected hatch date of egg #1 between May 20th to May 26th. The others should follow 2-3 days apart in the order they were laid. Stay tuned, but if you miss it, we’ll try to post it on our highlights page.
Is there an easy way to distinguish between the male and female?
The female is larger and has a mottled brown “necklace.” She is also the one spending most of the time incubating the egg, but sometimes the male will take over while she is eating or occasionally leaves the nest.
How old are the ospreys?
We don’t know how old this pair is, but they typically live between 15-20 years.
Does the male sit on the eggs?
Osprey females do most of the incubation, but it is a shared responsibility.
Where is the male at night when the female is sleeping with her eggs?
The male could be in a nearby tree or even on the platform itself, just out of range of the camera.
I can’t see all of the eggs. Is one missing?
The eggs are well camouflaged and sometimes it can be hard to see them all. At times, the female puts some nesting material on top to obscure it even more.
I saw another osprey at the nest. Is some type of competitive behavior typical?
There have been times that other ospreys have appeared at the nest and Rachel and Carson sometimes seem surprised and flustered. Ospreys are territorial and will protect their nests when required. There was also an event where we think one of the visitors may have been an offspring of Rachel and Carson from a previous year (a “big sister” to the incubating chicks!).
Why are they chirping?
Sometimes she may be calling for her mate. There is another nest very close to this one and she may have saw another Osprey fly by.
This year, while enjoying the live video stream, you may hear a sound recording of osprey calls (but don’t worry, the ospreys can’t hear it). Next year, we will add a live audio stream along with the video.
Who was Rachel Carson that the birds are named after?
In her book Silent Spring, published in 1962, Rachel Carson wrote about the harm that DDT and other pesticides caused in ospreys and other wildlife. A decade later, DDT was banned and osprey populations began to climb back from near-extinction. Part of her research career was spent in Woods Hole, so she also has a strong Cape Cod connection!
Do they only breed when they are here? Or do they mate again in their other home in the southern hemisphere?
The ospreys on Cape Cod are migratory birds and breed only in the spring or summer while they are here. There are some ospreys that live year-round in warmer climates and would breed there.
I have seen them mating a couple of times. How soon should we expect eggs to follow?
Egg laying usually follows about 10 days after mating. Once the first egg is laid, it may be followed by 2-3 more, each between 1-3 days apart.
Do Ospreys get banded with tracking devices?
Some ospreys do but the pair seen at the nest do not have tracking on them.
Can you estimate the number of nesting pairs of Osprey on the Cape this summer?
The osprey population was nearly eliminated as a result of widespread use of DDT and other pesticides in the 1950s and 1960s. They have made an incredible comeback since the ban on these chemicals. We believe there are hundreds of pairs thriving today, but do not know the exact number.
When and how far do they migrate South, and how do they know which nest is theirs to be able to come back to that same spot?
We don’t know exactly where this pair spends the winter, but generally they migrate to either Central or South America, once they leave the nest in September or October. How they find their way back to the same nest is one of those great mysteries of nature!
How can one tell when the nest is done?
Osprey nests can be over 10 feet deep. They will add to it each year. Much of this nest was blown away over the winter so the birds have been rebuilding since they returned on March 21st. I suppose it won’t really be “done” until eggs are laid.
What size are the full grown ospreys?
Adult ospreys weigh only about 4 pounds but can have a wingspan of up to 6 feet.
How long do they stay at the nest and where do they go in the winter?
They will stay at the nest until the Fall, then fly to Central or South America where they spend the winter. They will return again in the Spring to the same nest.
How long can an osprey fly without taking a break?
They can fly very far, thousands of miles per year! Much of this trip is over water so there are not many resting places.
When can we expect to see the ospreys lay their eggs and how many eggs do they usually lay?
The eggs are usually laid in late April, typically between 2-4 eggs one at a time a few days apart. The eggs will typically hatch about 5-6 weeks later (36-42 days).
What will the babies eat?
The adults will catch fish and bring them back to the nest to feed the chicks.
How do the ospreys catch fish?
Osprey use their sharp talons, specially designed to catch and hold fish while they bring them back to the nest. When catching a fish, they can be completely submerged then struggle to return to the surface and become airborne. Here are two YouTube videos that depict this well: An osprey fishing in spectacular super slow motion (Highlands – Scotland’s Wild Heart) and Osprey Hunts Fish in Slow Motion (Earth Unplugged).
How long once they hatch until they are full grown?
The chicks grow quickly – they’ll be almost full-grown in about a month and will learn to fly in about 2 months.
Why does one chick seem to be favored and getting more food? And why is the bigger chick attacking the others? We may observe some behaviors that are difficult to watch. We have to remember that as cute as the babies are, they are still wild animals and may not always follow human rules of compassion and fair play. Nature isn’t always pretty, but it has its own way of ensuring the right balance. Since there is nothing we can do to intervene, all we can do is hope for the best outcome for the entire osprey family. A blog post on The Nature Conservancy’s website explained this behavior well:
Not all young ospreys survive to adulthood. We are lucky to have this window to view their lives, enjoy, and learn more about them. Though we do get attached to the young ospreys, we will not be interfering with the course of nature. Other osprey cams have seen devastating events including bald eagles taking chicks, chicks pushed from the nest by siblings, and starvation. Just recently the Cornell Hawks Cam reported the death of beloved red-tailed hawk Ezra. We ask you to keep in mind that anything can happen on osprey cam. “If the food supply gets tight, the oldest chick, by virtue of being stronger and noisier than its siblings, will likely get more than its fair share of the fish,” Pelikan says. “This isn’t so good for the younger chicks, which risk being weakened by starvation. But it’s a way in which osprey biology maximizes the chances of at least one chick reaching maturity.”
It’s important for us all to be aware of the sometimes disturbing things we may witness. But hopefully the sense of joy and wonder will make up for any potential sad moments.
Questions about the nest and the nest camera:
Is there a sparrow building a nest under the ospreys?
Yes, it is common for small birds like the sparrow to nest within the Osprey nest. It’s a symbiotic relationship. Sparrows have the protection and the ospreys get little house keepers!
Where are the birds? The nest is empty.
Until the eggs are laid, the adults come and go – to gather nest material, hunt for fish, or just perch elsewhere in the area. Sometimes they will even sleep on a nearby tree. Once there are eggs, at least one bird will always be either on the nest or close by to protect them from predators.
Is there a light shining on the nest at night?
There is no light shining on the nest at night. The nest cam uses infrared (IR) technology for “night vision.” The IR spectrum is invisible to both humans and birds.
Which direction is the camera facing?
The camera faces almost due North. This was intentional to avoid glare from the sun. Facing South would have been nice to have the bay in the background, but the video quality would have been compromised.
Is there any overhang above the nest. How they handle a drenching thunderstorm?
There is not an overhang above the nest. Osprey have very oily feathers to help repel water and keep them from getting waterlogged. Their nest is on top of a sturdy utility pole (with no active power lines).
The camera is blurry – is something wrong?
Sometimes there are raindrops or morning dew on the camera lens, which may partially obscure the images.
Where at the Waquoit Bay Reserve is the osprey nest?
The nest platform is located just to the right of the driveway as you approach the visitor center. There is a second nest nearby, on a chimney of the Visitor Center building. That nest has no webcam, but you can see it when you visit.
How close to the nest is the camera located?
The camera is mounted to a pole about 4-5 feet to the side of the nest
You may also want to read this article to learn more about ospreys on Cape Cod.
If you’d like to show your appreciation for the nest cam, please Support the Friends of Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge! Thank you in advance!