2011 Osprey Project Newsletter released!

All of the data from last year's osprey nesting surveys has been published in the "2011 Osprey Project in New Jersey" Newsletter. The report highlights the results survey results from several dedicated "osprey banders" and many other volunteers who reported active nests throughout coastal NJ. Volunteers observed a total of 345 active nests in 2011. Most were on the Atlantic coast on 1-post platforms designed specifically for ospreys. Many osprey continue to nest on communications towers and to help better manage the growing number of these nests and the maintenance of the towers, we created guidelines for towers that contain raptor nests. A total of 612 young were counted (new record) and 414 were banded (another new record). 

An osprey nestling hunkers down in its nest outside
of the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, NJ. © Ben Wurst

 

The next aerial survey has been postponed to 2013 with such great results and it will now be conducted once every four years to get a more accurate census of the entire population. We now estimate that the population is above 500 nesting pairs, the estimated size of the population prior to its decimation from DDT, habitat loss, and persecution from 1946-72. We alone are not responsible for such a great outcome. These positive results are the outcome of early conservation efforts by state biologists, habitat protection, water-quality improvements and support by many concerned citizens throughout the state. Thank you for your support!

• Read the full newsletter

The Results Are In!!

Mild weather helps boost Osprey population

This year was the most productive year for ospreys in the projects history. The reproductive rate was about 2 young per active nest (an all time high for the project). No doubt the calm weather played an important role this year. Calm weather makes prey easier for ospreys to find, especially fluke and flounder, one of their main prey sources. More food means larger broods. Nests with three, even four young were quite common this year.

An adult osprey calls to defend its offspring at a nest in Mantoloking, NJ. © Eric Sambol

Of the 308 active nests (where the outcome was known) 36% of nests had 3 young, 33% had 2 young, and 14% had one young. Only 11% observed had failed to produce young. For comparison, in 2006, 14% failed and in 2003, 46% failed. 2003 was the worst year for ospreys in recent history (to read the 2003 newsletter, click here). Weather played a large factor that year. Check out one of my previous posts for more on weather and production. To read the full results from the 2010 survey, click here.


Thank you to all our volunteers who braved the scorching heat this summer to collect data to help us manage and monitor the population! And thank you to all donors and supporters of the project! With out your support and contributions our work would not be possible!

Osprey Surveys Begin!

On June 21st the first of many osprey surveys began. The surveys are performed every year to help determine the overall health of the population. Most surveyors are volunteers who commit many hours of their personal time to helping us monitor the population. USGS leg bands are placed on the young that are produced. The bands gather valuable data. They help us understand where ospreys migrate and winter, their survival rates, and how behave.

An adult leaves a nest as I approach by boat in Absecon.

By this time, many osprey young are 3-4 weeks old. This is when they can be banded. Not all ospreys begin nesting at the same time, so some adults are still incubating or have young that are only hatchings to two week old young. Generally, the more experienced adults start earlier and are more successful at raising those young. Younger adults start later and have a far less chance of successfully raising young. 

Volunteer surveyors cover all major nesting colonies, from Sandy Hook south to Alloway's Creek along the Delaware Bay. The major nesting colonies are Sandy Hook, Barnegat Bay, Sedge Island, Great Bay, Margate/Ventnor/OC, Great Egg Harbor River, Stone Harbor, Avalon, Wildwood, and the Maurice River. They collect data (whether or not a nest is active & # young produced) which we use to calculate the productivity rate. Ospreys need a productivity rate of at least .8 young/nest to sustain the population. In the past 5+ years they have had more than double this rate. The population has grown by 21% in the past 3 years. Last year there were 485 nesting pairs in New Jersey. This year we expect there to be even more.

 An osprey nestlings lies low in the nest. Young ospreys rely on their plumage for protection from avian predators like great horned owls.

I hope to post more photos as I survey more areas throughout New Jersey to share my experiences while working to monitor and protect ospreys. Stay tuned for more photos and posts!

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New Year's Resolution

 

Although my New Year's resolution may not have been related to my work with ospreys, my concentration on working to restore the state's population to historic numbers still remains the same. In 2010, I am sure we will see an increase in the state's population. Since 2003, the productivity rate (or reproductive rate) has been high (twice the average known to only sustain the population) and there are plenty of new suitable nesting structures around the Atlantic coastal areas of the state. Over the next three months, despite the freezing weather I will be constructing nest platforms, repairing old ones, and installing several new structures.

My friends Greg and Joe help load and transport platforms 

onto the marsh in March '09.

Happy New Year and stay tuned for updates on our winter work to provide more suitable nesting structures for ospreys in 2010!!!

Gearing Up for Fall Installations

Ben Wurst and Jeff Wettstein take a break from building platforms in 2007.

I've managed to raise some funding to place additional platforms this fall. Personally I think that this is the best time to install them. The water is warm, ospreys are still around, and the weather is quite calm. In the next month I'm going to be installing a few platforms near Little Egg Harbor with help from the Beach Nesting Bird staff to give them a break from their regular duties. Soon after I'll need some help constructing a few more platforms in New Gretna for installation in other areas (one in Lavallette and a few more on Little Egg Bay). Stay tuned for more information....

A Great Outcome on a Dreary Day

This morning I made a return visit to Sedge Islands WMA to check on one nestling that was entangled with ribbon when I did my original survey on June 27th. The nestling was approximately 1 week old when I first visited and it had two other siblings. The ribbon was wrapped around its whole body, under the wings, and then tightly around one leg. Luckily, the ribbon did not look to be impacting the delivery of blood to the foot; however, it had hindered the development of muscle tissue where it was wrapped. When I cut it off, there was a depression left in the leg and I had feared that the leg would not properly develop.

On my way to the nest this morning (with my own personal boat, the "Otter Boat," a boat that will be used more for work with ospreys than fishing...) it started to drizzle (figures) and there was a 1-2 ft. chop. No matter what I was still not going to give up, so I pressed on from Skipper's Cove to Sedge. The boat ran great, but as soon as I got out near Sedge it started to downpour. It was raining so hard I couldn't even see any land around me. So I slowly motored towards Sedge and when I got there I stopped to let whatever hard rain was left, pass. Luckily it passed in less than 10 minutes. Then I headed towards the nest. Both adults were present and I climbed up and saw the three nestlings, now approximately 5 weeks old. I looked at all their legs and could not distinguish which one had the ribbon on its leg (a good sign). I then banded all three with USGS bird bands for future tracking. I am hopeful that this young osprey will survive and return to New Jersey to breed. The odds are stacked against him/her with all the other challenges that it will face over the next two years, but I am hopeful.