Maps & Data
| ID | Nickname | Substrate | Coords | Last Watched | Status | City/County | State | Postal Code |
|---|
Recently watched nests
Unwatched nests
0 Monitoring Group Affiliations
This watcher is not affiliated with a monitoring group.
Activity log
| Date | Nest | Watcher | Adults | Eggs | Young | Observations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 31 | 13482 | BC | 2 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Active nest building | ||||||
| April 1 | 13464 | BC | 2 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Witnessed something amazing, an epic territorial battle with one of the adult bald eagles who have a nest 1/4 mile up the creek. Every year they get at each other but this time, Belle and Buzz got help from the osprey pair Nico & Niki (nest neighbors to the North) and the multiple angles of attack allowed Buzz to hit the large eagle on its back, knocking it into the water. The eagle stayed in the water for about 10 seconds and eventually got its wings up in the air, made several attempts to shake the water off and, with apparent difficulty and effort, was able to get some lift and fly away, apparently unhurt but definitely shaken up! | ||||||
| April 1 | 13489 | BC | 1 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Male osprey started reconstruction of the nest (no twigs left from prior year) | ||||||
| April 10 | 13476 | BC | 1 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Male osprey busy at nest building. Gathered a good pile of twigs already. Good to see the nest back in operation again (after a few years of being taken over by the geese!). I am wondering if he is ‘Zah’ (the 2022 chick of nearby Belle&Buzz down the creek. The one who was seen 2 years ago attempting to return to his birthplace but got a real cold shoulder from mom; so he reluctantly build a nest across the creek, but where?, on a pier decking surface! Obviously this enterprise didn’t last too long as he sadly discovered that the occasional super high tide was more obstinate than he… and his pile of stick -that he called a nest- was washed away overnight…) | ||||||
| April 14 | 13464 | BC | 1 | U | N | incubation | |
| Note: | Belle is sitting real low on the nest and vocalizing loudly if 'strangers' walk the pier. | ||||||
| April 14 | 13482 | BC | 1 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Chased the goose out of the nest but the female osprey reluctant to return | ||||||
| April 14 | 13489 | BC | 2 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Adults pair displaced by a Canada goose. Goose is on eggs. Ospreys trying to build another nest atop a nearby boat but did not last long. Nest is lost for the season. | ||||||
| April 14 | 13482 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Again displaced the female canada goose occupying the nest but she was back after a few hours. The osprey pair watching from a nearby tree... | ||||||
| April 14 | 13492 | BC | 2 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Two adults seen on the nest. Just a few twigs on the platform. Not much of a nest yet. | ||||||
| April 14 | 13490 | BC | 2 | N | N | ||
| Note: | 2 adults seen on the nest. Lots of twigs on the nest already. Nest looks good (pretty bulky). | ||||||
| April 14 | 13467 | BC | 2 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Both adults active at nest building. Nice pile of twigs already! | ||||||
| April 14 | 13477 | BC | 2 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Both adults busy building the nest. Nice pile of twigs already | ||||||
| April 14 | 13469 | BC | 2 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Both adults active at nest building. Good pile of sticks already in spite of late start (lost the battle to the goose on the bucket nest across the creek) | ||||||
| April 14 | 13470 | BC | 2 | U | N | incubation | |
| Note: | Male also present. Nice pile of twigs. Female seems to be on eggs already (this pair was the first to arrive on the creek, very early (3/9/2026) | ||||||
| April 14 | 13478 | BC | 2 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Adult pair wondering how to build the nest on a significant slanted nest (about 20 degrees) | ||||||
| April 21 | 13464 | BC | 1 | U | N | incubation | |
| Note: | Belle evidently on eggs. She is getting used to us but only if we are one at a time and if we talk to her, and, it seems ... preferentially no head gear; especially large brimmed hats! Those tend to make her nervous for some reason! | ||||||
| April 28 | 13464 | BC | 2 | U | N | incubation | |
| Note: | Belle on eggs, Buzz comes in several times a day with a fish. She is SO grateful when it is a menhaden; by now we can tell the difference just by her sweet vocalizations when he brings 'the good kind'! | ||||||
| April 30 | 13478 | BC | 2 | U | N | ||
| Note: | Mediocre nest was built. Female apparently making the cup. Good marks for effort considering the angle! | ||||||
| May 5 | 13464 | BC | 2 | U | N | incubation | |
| Note: | Still mostly Belle doing the incubation but when Buzz brings in a fish, she leaves with it and eats it in her favorite tree nearby. Buzz seems to rearrange the eggs for 30 seconds or so, then he settles low in incubation position. Once Belle is done eating her fish, she returns to the nest and lets him know it's time for him to go hunt for another fish! | ||||||
| May 27 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | Y | feeding | |
| Note: | 2 chicks observed, the larger one gets most of the food. When there is enough, the little one gets a few bits | ||||||
| May 28 | 13469 | BC | 1 | U | N | incubation | |
| May 30 | 13482 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Goslings hatched and left, nest abandoned for the season. The pair of osprey had decided to build a nest on top of a nearby boat but nest got destroyed after a few weeks by boat owner. | ||||||
| June 1 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 2 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | Feathers clearly visible on the larger chick (the one who hatched 5/21) | ||||||
| June 8 | 13467 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | young laying down | |
| June 9 | 13470 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | feeding, young laying down | |
| June 10 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | Only one chick left (the smaller one no longer there). Audible sounds, mimicking the mom | ||||||
| June 13 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | Chick starting to self-feed (occasionally) and able to twitch the neck, just like mother-osprey ‘Belle’, I am assuming to swallow fish bones. Indeed, up to now Belle was feeding the chick only white meat but today I have seen a little fin being fed, which triggered the twitching of the neck, followed by -what appeared to be- several hick-ups! | ||||||
| June 14 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | Because this chick was noticeably larger than the other one, we think it is likely a female. We decided to call her Bella. Bella is now 'potty-trained' (up to now she was squirting anywhere, including right at her mom...! -causing Belle (the mom) to have to leave the nest for a few minutes to go wash in the nearby beach/shoreline). But now Bella rotates her little body, tilt her rear-end up and squirts overboard. | ||||||
| June 15 | 13490 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| Note: | No osprey visible either in their usual nearby trees of refuge. Adults may have abandoned the nest... | ||||||
| June 15 | 13492 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| Note: | No osprey on the nest, not seen either in their nearby tree of refuge | ||||||
| June 15 | 13467 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | young standing | |
| Note: | Bald eagle 'standing watch' in a nearby tree. Went by kayak to create disruption and got the eagle to fly away. Repeated this 3 times over 3 days (about same time daily). On the 4th day, no more chick in the nest... | ||||||
| June 18 | 13467 | BC | 1 | N | N | ||
| Note: | No signs of young anymore. Adult female no longer territorial and leaving the next as soon as approaching by kayak | ||||||
| June 18 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| June 22 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | young laying down | |
| June 22 | 13490 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| Note: | No osprey visible in or around the nest. I think nest is abandoned for the season. | ||||||
| June 25 | 13467 | BC | 1 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Adult female leaving the nest for her nearby 'tree of refuge' as soon as approaching by kayak | ||||||
| June 27 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | Chick alone in the nest quite frequently now and self feeding. Juvenile feathers clearly visible. The adult male (Buzz) has been observed bringing 6-8 fish/day | ||||||
| June 28 | 13469 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | young laying down | |
| Note: | Chick not visible in the photo but was seen just prior. | ||||||
| June 29 | 13469 | BC | 1 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Female sitting just outside of the nest and quick to fly away (not a good sign...) | ||||||
| June 29 | 13490 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Nest not being maintained, no osprey in or around the nest, surely abandoned. | ||||||
| June 29 | 13492 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| Note: | No osprey in or around nest. Nest may be abandoned. | ||||||
| June 30 | 13467 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| July 1 | 13470 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | young standing | |
| July 1 | 13491 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| Note: | no twig on the platform, no osprey activity whatsoever. Nest abandoned again this season. | ||||||
| July 2 | 13469 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| July 4 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | Impressive storm with frequent lightning strikes to ground. Belle seemed undisturbed by the flashes and loud booms, but clearly covering her chick. I took a lot of pictures trying to catch a lightning bolt and, frankly, didn’t stay long after taking that one… | ||||||
| July 5 | 13469 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| July 6 | 13464 | BC | 0 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | Chick observed exercising wings for the first time | ||||||
| July 6 | 13492 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Nest not maintained. Surely abandoned for the season. | ||||||
| July 8 | 13469 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| July 9 | 13467 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| July 10 | 13469 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| July 10 | 13464 | BC | 0 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | Was able to get real close. Chick responding to voice cues to 'calm down' | ||||||
| July 11 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | Observed first fish delivery of the day. Fish brought by the adult female and first time 'handing out' the fish talons to talons before feeding. | ||||||
| July 12 | 13467 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| July 12 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| July 13 | 13470 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | young standing | |
| Note: | Observed chick’s wings motion for the first time (quite un-coordinated!) | ||||||
| July 14 | 13470 | BC | 0 | N | 1 | young standing | |
| Note: | Was practicing wings beats | ||||||
| July 14 | 13476 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Goose laying low in the nest. Adult male goose hanging out nearby. I chased the female away but she was back within hours. Again this year, I think it’s a lost cause. | ||||||
| July 16 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | young standing | |
| Note: | This morning, as I headed out at sunrise for what I thought would be a quiet kayak tour of my favorite nests on Long Creek, Belle was extremely agitated and fussed at me as I was still walking on the lawn, she continued as I walked the pier and the whole time as I got into the kayak. I kept reassuring her and borderline scolding her for her annoying behavior. My kayak dock is just 30 feet from her nest but we’re now in July and she has become familiar with my morning routine by now. This was highly unusual and as I was wondering why she was so upset at me, I saw her leave the nest and fly straight towards me, she swooped so close that I could feel the air movement. In a split second I was thinking “what is going on, should I protect my eyes?” I was sure she would come around for a second pass and this time from behind, to catch me on my blind spot… But no, she kept flying straight and, come to think of it, she did not have her talons out when she swooped. So, what just happened?, was she just trying to get my attention? For what unknown reason? She kept flying straight fussing the whole time. I immediately paddled as fast as I could to follow her. She led me straight to a tall loblolly pine about a 1/4 mile down the creek and she was now making repeated passes to the pine swooping and screeching aggressively. After a few minutes, as I got closer to the action, I understood everything: a big bald eagle was in the tree, facing the direction of her nest. She must have remembered how I chased away the eagles a few weeks ago and had literally called me to the rescue! Once I got within a couple of hundred feet of the tree, she returned straight to her nest and comforted Bella. The eagle was watching me, I raised my paddle and made a bearish ‘grrrrr’ noise. The eagle took off in the opposite direction and eventually disappeared over Shipping Creek’s horizon at least a couple of miles away… | ||||||
| July 16 | 13470 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | young standing | |
| Note: | Clearly the juvenile is a female. | ||||||
| July 16 | 13464 | BC | 0 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | The young is 8 weeks old today and is clearly self feeding (from fish caught by Buzz and handed over to Belle, sometimes with only the white meat left: I noticed that up to now, Belle was often eating the fish head and the guts herself). Also practicing wings flapping (but not getting any lift yet) | ||||||
| July 20 | 13470 | BC | 0 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | Young seen feeding on a fish left by the adult. Very alert. Looks ready to fledge | ||||||
| July 20 | 13464 | BC | 2 | N | 1 | feeding, young standing | |
| Note: | Observed a fish delivery from Osprey Buzz. Fish was small (between three and 4 inches). Osprey Belle literally jumped on the fish and immediately flew off to her nearby favorite tree. She came back 5 minutes later to bring the remaining morsels to her starving chick. | ||||||
| July 24 | 13489 | BC | 0 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Nest abandoned. No osprey visible in their usual nearby tree of refuge. | ||||||
| July 24 | 13464 | BC | 0 | N | 1 | young standing | |
| Note: | Wow!, fledging day today: we saw her on mom & dad’s favorite tree branch! When approaching she took off almost gracefully, circled the creek twice (as mom-Belle was calling across) and we were able to watch her first landing back in the nest. Not bad at all. Here is a picture with landing gear fully extended and eyes sharply on the landing site. Good job Bella! | ||||||
| July 24 | 9440 | BC | 0 | N | 1 | young standing | |
| Note: | Kayaked up Crab Alley Creek to see if we could meet this wonderful osprey couple. They were away but in Ozzie’s sturdy and beautiful nest was a nice size chick, a bit shy but curious too. Not quite ready to fledge yet, maybe in another couple of weeks. | ||||||
| July 26 | 13464 | BC | 1 | N | 1 | young standing | |
| Note: | Young Bella still comes home to the nest overnight (this morning we could hear her calling for food at 5:15am (so 45 minutes before sunrise), and continued calling for 30’… she went for a morning flight practice around 7am and came to approach Buzz’s favorite locust branch. With landing gear fully extended, she realized she was too fast and had to abort and go around the pattern one more time. She repeated this twice before improving her timing on the air brakes. I approached her from below (pictured) and made her go around one more time for good practice but mom-Belle came to the nest with a fish… that was immediately the end of practice; breakfast was served! | ||||||
| July 27 | 13470 | BC | 0 | N | 1 | young standing | |
| Note: | Little Annabellette took flight today! Spotted her on a piling 1/4 mile away. She recognized my kayak and was comfortable with my presence 15’ away or so. After 5 minutes at close range, she took off (picture) and returned to her nest demonstrating good flight control and glided back to a full stop almost gracefully. Mom Annabelle was seen in a distant tree, watching quietly … | ||||||
| July 27 | 13477 | BC | 1 | N | N | ||
| Note: | One adult keeps hanging out at the nest (I observed the same sometime last week). Not sure if it is Gina or Tino. Will have to get closer to check. | ||||||
| July 28 | 13467 | BC | 1 | N | N | ||
| Note: | Niki seen at sunrise this morning. He is a large male, quick to leave when approached. He likes to hang out on a dead locust branch across from his nest and hunts the wider spot of the creek by his nest. He has no young to care for this year, his female likely left for her migration already. | ||||||
| July 28 | 13464 | BC | 0 | N | 1 | ||
| Note: | This morning, Bella decided to show off. She was perched on her favorite branch — a dead locust tree she’d claimed as her own — when she spotted me walking toward the pier. And she waited. She waited until I had the best seat in the house, a clear view of the whole sky, before she launched. Then the show began. Bella flew loop after loop between her nest and her branch, like she was tracing the same path in the sky again and again. That part alone was impressive. She’s only been flying for four days! But then she did something even braver. In the middle of her flight, she suddenly dropped her right wing and tipped sideways. Before I could even gasp, she flipped and dropped her left wing too. Then back to the right again — quick as a blink. It looked exactly like the move an osprey makes when it spots a fish flashing just beneath the water and dives in for the catch. Except there was no fish. Bella was just practicing — throwing herself off balance on purpose, again and again, like a gymnast rehearsing a trick. Was she showing off? I think so. She picked her spot, she picked her audience, and she picked her moment. That’s not an accident. What a show-off, Bella! | ||||||
| July 29 | 13470 | BC | 0 | N | 1 | feeding | |
| Note: | Annabellette was at the nest this morning, eating a fish. Didn’t see adults nearby. | ||||||
| July 31 | 13464 | BC | 0 | N | 1 | young standing | |
| Note: | I write this a few days later because I believe 7/30 is when Belle left on her migration (a cold front had come through and skies cleared up with a good strong north wind (15/25kn). She was last seen and heard at sunrise on 7/29 - since then it has been all Buzz and Bella). I am a bit surprised by how soon (last year she left on 8/16), perhaps this is due to the scarcity of menhaden supply which is particularly severe this year, judging by the fact that in July we saw a herd of dolphins right here in our creek (only 4 ft deep on the chart). We have never seen this before. | ||||||
OspreyWatch is managed by The Center for Conservation Biology. The project was developed in an attempt to bring together a global community of observers to collect information for the common good. The project is unfunded and, as such, has been created and managed by unpaid staff and volunteers. Please help support the dedicated individuals who maintain the project.