Ospreys are back!

Wrapping Up New Nest Installations and Repairs

I've gotten several reports of ospreys in southern and central New Jersey. Reports have come from Sandy Hook, Lavallette, Tuckahoe River, and I've seen an adult on a platform on Great Egg Bay. I can't wait to hear my first male osprey, their calls are unmistakable. The sharp whistles give me goosebumps! They perform courtship displays that are referred to as "sky dances" where they fly in a high undulating flight pattern, often carrying prey or nesting material. They do this to form or strengthen pair bonds to their mates. Listening to their call is my personal "sign of spring" and it's also my signal to finish up with any last minute installations and repairs before they begin to court and lay eggs.

Snags (dead trees) are approaching their life span at the Manasquan Reservoir. © Ben Wurst

As you can imagine I've had a busy March. I began the month by moving a platform in Linwood that was placed improperly. Then I met with staff at the Wetlands Institute to move another platform there that has never been occupied. Then I visited Manasquan Reservoir to inspect a nest tree that broke (where we are working on plans to install a nesting platform) and met with US Army Corps at Fort Monmouth to choose six locations to place platforms on 30' tall utility poles. Since that visit the number has grown to ten sites inside Fort Monmouth. Once all these platforms are installed around 20 nesting platforms will be available to ospreys there!! We hope it will support the growing number of pairs on the Shrewsbury River. 

Uploading a platform to be installed in Ventnor. Image courtesy Mary Lenahan.

Since then I've installed two new platforms for individuals who donated to help support this project. One was installed in Ventnor and the other was installed in Linwood. Both near homes where the nests can be easily monitored for activity and in suitable habitat for ospreys. The remaining nests are slated for installation in the coming weeks. I have one that we're installing tomorrow inside Forsythe NWR because of a donation from Atlantic Audubon. The platform was made partially from salvaged wood from the A.C. Boardwalk (special thanks to Rich B. with Weatherby Corp.).  The rest of the platform installs will occur on Barnegat Bay and at Fort Monmouth.

Photo from the Field

I had the pleasure of receiving this photo from Joe Orlando shortly after we installed this platform on August 13th. Joe donated to have this platform placed near his house in Ocean City. His donation goes far beyond this single platform. It will be used to repair and replace other platforms to support our goals of helping the state population recover to historic levels (pre-DDT). A few days after we installed the platform Joe sent me this photo. I was happy to see a pair of adults that were already starting to place some nesting material in the platform before they fly south to their wintering areas. This is a good sign that this pair might return to nest on this platform next year! 

Thanks for the donation and the photo Joe!

A pair of ospreys instantly take to a new platform installed on August 13th in Ocean City. Photo by Joe Orlando.

Post Season Wrap Up

This osprey nestling has no fear! Photo by Eric Sambol. 

Osprey surveys have been completed for this year. Most nestlings have already fledged. All major nesting colonies were surveyed by volunteers and biologists. I surveyed nests from as far north as Monmouth Beach south to Absecon. The extreme temperatures and strong storms this year sure didn’t make surveys any easier on us and ospreys. I noted several nests where I found dead young (anywhere from 1 wk – 4 wks in age) in nests. At a nest in Oceanville at Forsythe NWR three young were blown from the nest and did not survive following a severe thunderstorm. Preliminary results show mixed results. Barnegat Bay and Little Egg Harbor had increased productivity, while Sedge Islands (core population of B. Bay) was less productive. And productivity in Sea Isle City was more than double what it was in 2009. Full results will be published soon in our annual newsletter. Here is last year's newsletter.

Alf Breed, Joe Orlando (donor), Chris Haxter, and Ryan Risher (L to R) put the finishing touches on a new platform in Ocean City that Joe Orlando donated to have placed near his home.

June Platform Install

On June 20, I helped Connor Biggs, a Boy Scout, by sponsoring his Eagle Scout Project where he placed four artificial nest platforms for ospreys near Mantaloking, New Jersey. As a part of the sponsorship I mainly provided guidance on how to build and install the platforms. I also mapped several locations where there was "suitable habitat" for ospreys to nest in the area. Suitable habitat for ospreys is basically any open area that is near water and food; so many coastal areas can have great habitat for ospreys to nest on artificial structures. Northern Barnegat Bay is an important area because it is the largest and most undeveloped northern estuarine area until you reach Sandy Hook along the Atlantic Coast of New Jersey. This has been an area of interest for me. In this area some ospreys are forced to nest on structures that are not exactly suitable. A couple years ago a pair tried nesting on a house in Lavalette. Luckily we were notified early enough in the nesting season and were able to place a platform near "suitable habitat" west of Chadwick Island. The pair was successful that year and is nesting there again this year.

We finished the installation in approximately four hours, which included me shuttling helpers to and from the marsh. If you know anyone who is looking for an Eagle Scout project you can have them contact me. I'd be happy to sponsor other scouts looking for conservation projects in New Jersey.

Jon Rosky looks on as the platform is leveled

Josh Mayo, John Roberts Jr, John Clayton, Jon Rosky, Jimmy Plaganis,
Connor Biggs, Ben Wurst, Kurdy Biggs, Bob Ward, Kiernin Biggs, John Biggs, Loyd Rogers, Austin Rogers
and John Roberts

Good publicity is Key.

Without good publicity and faithful volunteers for this project, then there would be no project!
Thank you all for your support!

Article from Tuckerton Beacon/Asbury Park Press on 3/19/09.

A great article from a long time friend and volunteer, Jack Gamble who helped install these platforms: http://www.babeled.com/2009/03/16/installing-osprey-nest-platforms/

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.

Great Bay Project Complete!!!

Photos from our Great Bay Osprey Enhancement Project:

Great Bay Osprey Enhancement Project - funded by Exelon - Oyster Creek

Keeping an eye out

As mid-March approaches, so does the Osprey. Usually along the Maurice River the first ospreys are seen pretty early in the month, but I have not heard of on being seen yet. Usually along the Atlantic Coast, most arrive mid to late March. I usually always see the first one driving to or from work along the G.S.P. from exit 50 to exit 25.

Otherwise, I've been busy working on various projects, especially the Peregrine Project, where I've been installing new "prototype" predator guards to replace the very old ones. The old ones always required annual maintenance; now there will be very little maint. to do. Click here for a link to Conserve Wildlife Foundation's blog where I posted a story and links to pictures.

Platform installed on Manhassett Creek, Monmouth Beach on Sunday.

I've also been busy installing, repairing, and in some cases moving platforms before ospreys arrive. Over the last two days I've installed one Monmouth Beach for a pair of ospreys that tried to nest on a power pole last year and we finally got permission to place a platform on private property, so I jumped on the opportunity. It'll be interesting to see if the pair returns and if they will use the platform.


View Larger Map

This week I'll be transporting and installing 10 osprey platforms inside Great Bay Blvd. WMA. Stay tuned for photos from this project!

Keep you eyes open and you might see one of the first ospreys to return to New Jersey for the breeding season!

Install Day changes

Please check out my updates with changes in dates to the Install Day - Take 2 post. I just found out that there is a conference I am going to when I planned on installing these platforms. I would schedule it for sooner but I am pretty much busy every weekend (collecting firewood mostly....) until after we get these platforms up in mid-March. Additionally, the tides are not in our favor for other dates after mid-month.

Sorry for any complications this may cause. I hope you all can still get the chance to help me with this and that we can get the platforms installed before this year's breeding season starts in only a little more than 2 months.

A break in the weather

Over the weekend we took advantage of this beautiful weather while temperatures were mild and the salt marshes were thawing out. On Dennis Creek near Dennisville, NJ I helped an Eagle Scout install 5 platforms there to boost the population along the southern Delaware Bay. We had a pretty large crew including local volunteer firemen from Dennisville and Belleplain. The Eagle Scout, Ray Brierbrunner only planned on building and installing 3 platforms but he got extra materials so he built all 5. We got all 5 platforms installed by 1pm after we got delayed by the NJ State Police when they required a rescue swimmer for each of the 3 boats that were involved. Safety first kids! All in all, the install went smooth. Check out the pictures below.

Dennis Creek platform install

Install Day - Take 2 - Dates Changed!!!!!

What: Help transport and install 10+ platforms in Great Bay Blvd. WMA
When: March 11-15th
Where: New Gretna to Seven Bridges Road.

Details: This event is weather permitting! If the forecast calls for any precipitation or gale force winds then we will be forced to delay this event. Please dress accordingly. The weather on the saltmarsh in winter is usually not very forgiving. There is almost always a breeze, which equates to wind chill. All skin that is exposed will be cold, no matter what. Knee boots, hip or chest waders are required!! (I have an extra pair, size 11, if anyone needs to borrow some). I'll be creating an event on Facebook for this install. I will post a link on here when I create it.

March 11th - I will need 1-2 volunteers to help me load
the platforms onto a trailer and transport to the boat
ramp on Seven Bridges Rd.

March 12th - 3-4 volunteers to possibly man two boats to
transport the platforms to where they will be
installed.
March 15th - up to 10 volunteers, 5/boat to help install
the platforms and document the event.


(note: I will be inviting a photographer and writer from the local media to join us, at least for the installation of one platform)

Install Day Canceled!!!

Hey faithful followers,

Due to the severe cold weather that will be in place by Friday I am canceling this install. Stay tuned for updates on when it will be rescheduled.


Thanks!

Ben

Platform install update

I'll be sending out invites for volunteers through Facebook.

Here are the details:

On Thursday (1/15) I need one strong person to help me load and unload the 7 platforms onto a trailer then transport them to Great Bay Blvd. Let me know if you can help with this. Meet at my house at 10am.

On Friday (1/16) I also need one strong person to help me load and transport the platforms out onto the marsh with a boat. Let me know if you can help with this. Meet at my house at 10am.

Then on Saturday (1/17) all interested people will meet at the boat ramp before the last bridge (on your left). I can probably only take 4-5 people on my one boat. So space will be limited.

-Ben

The Lighthouse Center install

On December 23rd I installed a platform with some of the great volunteers that this project has at the Lighthouse Center in Waretown. The install went without a hitch besides not being able to start the boat motor at the ramp in Barnegat. The tide was unusually low in the morning, it was supposed to be high tide, but b/c of the prevailing NW winds with 50mph gusts on Monday it caused a blow out tide. So, we ditched the boat and went with Plan B, walk the platform around 50 yards onto the saltmarsh (should've been Plan A if I knew we were able to do that, so lesson learned...). Otherwise the install went great! I'm working on editing down the raw video I took for another example of how platforms are installed.

Thanks for the help with the install and awesome donations towards the project!!!

Happy New Year!



Alan White, Ben W.(author), McDuffy Barrow, Pola Galie, Jeff Ruemeli, Pat Filardi, and Curt Watts (from left to right).

Save the Date!!!!

What: Help transport and install 10 + platforms in Great Bay Blvd. WMA
When: January 16th, 17th and possibly the 18th, 2009.
Where: New Gretna to Seven Bridges Road.

Details: This event is weather permitting! If the forecast calls for any precipitation or gale force winds then we will be forced to delay this event. Please dress accordingly. The weather on the saltmarsh in winter is usually not very forgiving. There is almost always a breeze, which equates to wind chill. All skin that is exposed will be cold, no matter what. Knee boots, hip or chest waders are required!! (I have an extra pair, size 11, if anyone needs to borrow some). I'll be creating an event on Facebook for this install. I will post a link on here when I create it.

Day1- I will need 1-2 volunteers to help me load
the platforms onto a trailer to transport to the boat
ramp on Seven Bridges Rd.

Day 2- 3-4 volunteers to possibly man two boats to
transport the platforms to where they will be
installed.

Day 3- up to 10 volunteers, 5/boat to help install
the platforms and document the event.
(note: I will be inviting a photographer and writer from the local media to join us, at least for the installation of one platform)

Tide Chart for January 17th, 2009.