Post Sandy surveys equal good news!

So far, in the areas that I've surveyed most osprey nesting platforms are still standing (like this one pictured below)!

A new platform that was installed only 8 days before Sandy hit the NJ coast, Ocean City, NJ.  © Ben Wurst

It's been a while!

It seems like every time I write a post here I say "damn it's been a while!" As you may know I post news, photos and other osprey facts on my NJOP Facebook page. This past weekend was an osprey filled one, not so much with birds (their migration is winding down now) but a lot about them. On Saturday I gave a talk to the Friends of Island Beach State Park who host an osprey cam at the road nest in Island Beach State Park. Then on Sunday I helped to install three platforms with an Eagle Scout candidate in Ocean City, New Jersey. Two platforms were put in new locations to help build the local population and one platform was used to replace an old 4-post platform.

An old  "4-post" platform, constructed with 2x4s...hasn't produced young in a long time...predators. © Ben Wurst

Glad we took it down and it didn't blow down in severe weather this summer! © Ben Wurst

Eagle Scout candidate Andy G. helps raise up one of three platforms he built for his Eagle Scout Project. 

© Ben Wurst

I love letting future generations learn about life and how things work. It's always fun to watch the ropes come off! © Ben Wurst

Final product. This was a new location for a platform on Cape May WMA. © Ben Wurst

Hatching begins!

I apologize for my lack of any blog posts! I find myself to be posting updates, photos, and links to the NJ Osprey Project page on Facebook more often. I am also considering switching this blog to a WordPress site instead of Blogger. 

Back to ospreys...Late May is typically when many osprey eggs begin to hatch. Incubation takes 32-43 days. With warm weather on tap for this weekend I'm sure that there will be many hungry mouths to feed in the coming days throughout New Jersey! Osprey chicks are born semi-altricial or downy and blind. They require very close parental care. They will be brooded closely by the adults and the eggs will hatch in the order that they were laid. Ospreys start incubating with the first egg so there is often some age difference in young. This trait gives the oldest young the best chance at surviving if food becomes scarce.

The adult male does all the foraging for the female and young from courtship through incubation and until the young fledge after 7-8 weeks or in late July. As much a 6 lbs. of fish is required to feed the hungry mouths of 3 young. Last year we saw an average of 2 young produced/active nest and this year is on tap to be another great year for ospreys with a warm spring with calm weather (little rain).

Tune into the Osprey Cam on Island Beach State Park by visiting the Friends of Island Beach State Park's website. They should be hatching any day now!!

The pair nesting on the road nest at Island Beach State Park started incubating on April 17th.
Image courtesy Friends of Island Beach State Park osprey cam.

A Rare Encounter from Columbia

Truth be told, ospreys are not protected in their wintering areas. In many areas they are seen as direct competitors with people for food (from the fish that they eat) or as pests at commercial fish farms in South America where they winter in large concentrations. I've herd that some fishermen shoot at them while they're on migration south over the Caribbean and Central and South America. Most band encounters from South America are not accompanied with a lot of photos and a report from a veterinarian. Really, we are lucky to get a report at all... This is one exception where an individual and a community became engaged in trying to save an osprey that originated in New Jersey.

Alberto Aguilar holds out the wings of the rescued osprey in Columbia.

This banded osprey (hatched in 2011) was encountered in Colombia recently near Cienaga del Cristo, Tamalameque, Cesar. Alberto, an environmentalist there, tried to help save this individual. He was found entangled in old fishing nets and was emaciated and dehydrated when found. He was examined by a local veterinarian and was found to be loaded with parasites, had an enlarged gall bladder, and had an ulcer on its left nictitating membrane (3rd eyelid). Unfortunately, the veterinarian was unable to save him. He was banded on July 7th on a nesting platform that is located to the north of Stone Harbor Blvd. by one of our volunteer banders, Hans Toft. Hans recalls visiting this nest:

"I remember this nest well because it is a long walk with the ladder to get to it. The nest is on the north side of Stone Harbor Blvd (175A024) and is easy to check on by car with binoculars. I am always going over to my boat in Stone Harbor anyhow . After we banded the two chicks I kept an eye on them and remember watching the two birds during the summer, and seeing them fledge. Also, the birds were eating a bluefish when we banded them.  Of course, we have our problems also with fishing lines, nets, etc.  good to hear that the bird will be put to good educational use."  Hans

We were sent a bunch of photos of the bird and the report from the local veterinarian. From the photos you can see that this bird has already molted most of its juvenile flight and body feathers (as a juvenile they have a buff tip and as an adult they are all dark). The eye is also yellow instead of orange. It weighed a total of 1200 grams which indicates that its a male (females weight from 1600 - 2000 grams). He also is lacking the dark necklace of feathers that female ospreys develop on their breast.

Alberto and many of the locals were very excited about this rare encounter. They have decided to mount the bird and use it as a way to educate people there about old fishing nets and the need to be careful with them.

To view more photos, click here.

A photo of the osprey after it was rescued in Columbia.

This bird was banded at a nest on a
platform off of Stone Harbor Blvd
by one of our volunteers, Hans Toft.