Unexpected Outcome!

New B. Bay platform gets instant use

Usually I use April 1st as a cut-off date for getting new structures installed. This was not the case with this particular platform. After several delays (mainly because of weather) we finally got it up on April 20th. John Faus donated to have the platform placed near his summer home off Harvey Cedars inside Forsythe NWR. The platform was made from 100% salvaged wood.

John Faus and the 100% salvaged wood platform on B. Bay. © Ben Wurst

John sent me some photos today that confirms that the nest is occupied and that the pair is incubating a clutch of eggs. I did not think this platform would become occupied this late in the season, especially since there are other unoccupied platforms up on B. Bay. Maybe the birds prefer platforms to be made from salvaged materials or maybe they can sense that this platform/wood was used before by other ospreys in its past life...

A female osprey sits on eggs. Photo courtesy Steve Wright.

Ospreys in the News!

Salvaged platform placed inside Forsythe NWR is made from A.C. Boardwalk!

Forsythe NWR Banding

I remove one nestling from a nest to band with U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service interns and staff. Photo by Jonathan Carlucci.

On July 8th, I visited Forsythe NWR to survey and band any osprey young that were produced. Of the 6 available platforms (2 are new structures that were installed this spring) 4 were occupied (1 new structure). Those 4 pairs produced 10 young, which are great results! This puts the average productivity rate on the refuge at 2.5 young/active nest. This is above the statewide productivity results from 2008 which was 1.88, but on par for the area (Great Bay to A.C.), which was 2.08 last year. Eight young were banded with USGS bird bands. Two young were approximately 3-5 days old when we were there and were too young to band. We plan on visiting this nest soon to determine if the pair was successful at raising its young.

I'd just like to thank Jonathan Carlucci for joining me and taking such beautiful photos that are featured in this post!

Deanna, an intern at Forsythe NWR

holds a nestling while I place a band on its leg

for future tracking. Photo by Jonathan Carlucci

A candid photo of one of the young.

Photo by Jonathan Carlucci.

I reposition one of the young while I band up at the nest.

Photo by Jonathan Carlucci.

This shows how little the young are affected by the banding process. These nestlings are

approximately 6 weeks old and tend to be more defensive at this age. I constantly try to minimize stress to the young and when I band up at the nest I simply fold back the left leg and then attach the band. The young hardly move unless you "stir them up" by moving them round. Photo by Jonathan Carlucci.

A fun install day!

Kevin Holcomb, USFWS biologist operates the air boat.

Today I was assisted by USFWS biologists while we installed two platforms inside the eastern impoundment at Forsythe NWR in Oceanville. We used the air boat shown above to transport people and the platforms to the sites where they were installed. The air was so cool and it's impact on the mud and marsh is much less than having people try and cross a ditch at low tide.
We were accompanied by a photographer from the Asbury Park Press. The photos will be with an article, about the grant from Exelonto install all these platforms in and around Great Bay. It will be in the newspaper on Friday. There will also be an article in the Tuckerton Beacon on Thursday.