Coordinates
(46.4881, -95.8379)
Substrate
Osprey Nest Platform
Description
The nest pole is in the corner of our yard. There is a lake 1/4th mile away. We put up the nest pole in Oct of 1998 and a pair has nested there every year since 1999.So far 29 osprey chicks have fledged from our pole - 2009 is the only year with a nest failure. Most years have had 3 chicks.
What to look for
Adult Arrival
Look for 2 adults on the nest. The adult pair will show pair bonding behaviors such as vocalizations, aerial sky dances, and the male feeding the female fish. You may see the pair copulating, which typically begins 14 days before laying eggs.
Incubation Initiation
Females will lay 1 - 4 eggs at a rate of one egg every 1 - 2 days. After laying, incubation starts. Look for adults taking turns sitting low in the nest incubating eggs. The incubation period can last 35 - 43 days.
Clutch Hatching
Chicks hatch ~39 days after incubation begins. Look for adults bringing food to the nest and making "head bows" into the center. Chicks typically can't be seen until they are 2 - 3 weeks old, so feeding behavior is the only way to know chicks are there.
Nestling Count
Around 4 weeks after hatching, look for the heads of chicks to show over the rim of the nest, particularly when adults bring food to the nest. Other times they lie flat and are harder to see. Count the number of chicks in the nest before they learn to fly
Fledgling Count
Chicks begin flying around 7 - 8 weeks old, and are still fed by the adults. Count the number of chicks who have successfully fledged the nest and are observed flying.
Chick Last Observed
4 - 10 weeks after fledging, chicks begin leaving the nest area to migrate south, once they have learned to fly and feed themselves. Record the date that the last chick left the nest.
Nest Failure
Look for signs of nest failure like adult abandonment, adults no longer incubating eggs or feeding young.
Previous Next Review All Observations
| 2020 - Wild Flower | 2019 - Wild Flower | 2018 - Wild Flower | 2017 - Wild Flower | 2016 - Wild Flower | 2015 - Wild Flower | 2014 - Wild Flower | 2013 - Wild Flower | 2012 - Wild Flower |
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aAdult Arrival | 4/15/20 | 4/16/19 | 4/23/18 | 4/9/17 | 4/13/16 | 4/12/15 | 4/19/14 | 4/29/13 | 4/4/12 |
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aOccupied | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
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aActive | | | | | | | | | |
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bEgg Laying | 4/18/20 | | | | | | | | |
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bIncubation Initiation | 4/21/20 | 4/20/19 | 5/2/18 | 4/26/17 | | 4/23/15 | 5/2/14 | 5/12/13 | 4/24/12 |
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cClutch Hatching | | 5/28/19 | | 5/31/17 | 5/23/16 | 5/13/15 | 6/7/14 | 6/9/13 | 5/25/12 |
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dNestlings | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
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eFledglings | | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
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eFirst Chick Fledging | | 8/3/19 | 8/14/18 | | 7/27/16 | 8/1/15 | 8/11/14 | 8/19/13 | 8/1/12 |
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fChicks Last Observed | | 9/1/19 | 9/4/18 | 9/4/17 | 9/5/16 | 9/8/15 | 9/4/14 | 9/8/13 | 9/14/12 |
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xNest Failure | | | | | | | | | |
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xReason For Nest Failure | | | | | | | | | |
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Select Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
Activity reports
2012 Nest Activity Report by
Wild FlowerAdult arrival | 04/04/2012 | Nestlings | 3 |
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Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | 2 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 08/01/2012 |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 09/14/2012 |
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Incubation initiation | 04/24/2012 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | 05/25/2012 | Reason for nest failure | |
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2013 Nest Activity Report by
Wild FlowerAdult arrival | 04/29/2013 | Nestlings | 2 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 08/19/2013 |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 09/08/2013 |
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Incubation initiation | 05/12/2013 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | 06/09/2013 | Reason for nest failure | |
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2014 Nest Activity Report by
Wild FlowerAdult arrival | 04/19/2014 | Nestlings | 2 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 08/11/2014 |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 09/04/2014 |
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Incubation initiation | 05/02/2014 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | 06/07/2014 | Reason for nest failure | |
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2015 Nest Activity Report by
Wild FlowerAdult arrival | 04/12/2015 | Nestlings | 3 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 08/01/2015 |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 09/08/2015 |
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Incubation initiation | 04/23/2015 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | 05/13/2015 | Reason for nest failure | |
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2016 Nest Activity Report by
Wild FlowerAdult arrival | 04/13/2016 | Nestlings | 2 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 07/27/2016 |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 09/05/2016 |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | 05/23/2016 | Reason for nest failure | |
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2017 Nest Activity Report by
Wild FlowerAdult arrival | 04/09/2017 | Nestlings | 2 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 09/04/2017 |
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Incubation initiation | 04/26/2017 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | 05/31/2017 | Reason for nest failure | |
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2018 Nest Activity Report by
Wild FlowerAdult arrival | 04/23/2018 | Nestlings | 2 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 08/14/2018 |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 09/04/2018 |
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Incubation initiation | 05/02/2018 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
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2019 Nest Activity Report by
Wild FlowerAdult arrival | 04/16/2019 | Nestlings | 2 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 08/03/2019 |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 09/01/2019 |
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Incubation initiation | 04/20/2019 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | 05/28/2019 | Reason for nest failure | |
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2020 Nest Activity Report by
Wild FlowerAdult arrival | 04/15/2020 | Nestlings | 3 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | 04/18/2020 | Chicks last observed | |
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Incubation initiation | 04/21/2020 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
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Nesting Diaries
Both ospreys arrived on 4/23. Lakes are still mostly frozen over with just small areas of open water near shore.
One chick left soon after fledging but one stayed on or near the nest until 9-8. One adult showed up on the 8th with a fish which the young one ate and both disappeared soon after.
The male arrived on 4-17-13 but we are having a very late spring - lakes are still frozen over and rivers are the only open water in our vicinity. April 29th is the first day both the male & female have been here.
The 3rd chick originally seen in the nest apparently did not make it because only 2 chicks grew up. One fledged on 8/1 and the second fledged the next day 8/2. They are still roosting in nearby trees.
There are 3 chicks in the nest. 2 of them have been visible for more than a week but today the 3rd one stuck it's head up high enough for me to see it. It seems to be smaller than the other two so may have been later to hatch.
The male osprey returned on Apr. 4th but the female did not show up until Apr 24th. We have no way of knowing if this is the same pair we have had in past years but they are very comfortable with my husband and me. We often pass within a few hundred feet of the nest pole and they don't get at all excited - just watch us so we think they must be familiar with us. The pole is too high to see into the nest but can get a good side view from a ladder looking through a window in the pole shed about 100 feet from the nest. Since putting up our pole we have given the plans, etc to several other people and 4 of them have erected their own nesting poles and also have ospreys nesting - all within about a 10 miles radius of our pole.