Tis the season!

I apologize for the infrequent posts to the blog. I've been very busy on the home front (my first child, Kaitlin, was born on April 6th) and at work (just relaunched the new website for Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ and blog and have started a new project working to protect terrapins in NJ).

Ospreys are currently incubating. Hatching occurs in late May-early June. High winds have been reported of having negative effects on nests along the Maurice River. 70mph gusts blew eggs out of nests. We will have to wait and see if this is reflected in the results from data collected during ground surveys in late June/early July. Otherwise, weather has been very good. Warm temperatures and normal precipitation are optimal for successful nesting by ospreys.
Otherwise, in mid-April, we installed six platforms on utility poles at Fort Monmouth in Oceanport, New Jersey. Platforms were 4 ft. square and were attached to 35 ft. utility poles. There are already three pairs of ospreys that nest on utility poles at Fort Monmouth. While we were installing the first platform, as soon as it was up, a male osprey briefly perched on the platform (see photo below)!!!