Palmetto Dunes Water Tank - there is a web cam set up that can be monitored from a phone or tablet, but NOT from a computer (technical problems 2-2019)
Sandy P reports: Two chicks come and go. Nest usually empty at night. They are getting fish in the nest and eating there, but have not seen either parent dropping the fish. Also I think both are females.. trying to see them together facing the camera . They are always facing the direction you see them because the lagoon is in that direction and the fish come in from there.
Sandy P reports: I checked early today and the nest was empty. Than one came back and the other one came back too. Mom still in/out nest and fish coming in for the chicks to eat. Friday when I checked, they were flapping wings and jumping up and down. Not sure what day they took their first flight , They obviously did and are back. Camera very dirty, so hard to see. NOTE: We will guess they fledged on Sunday, 6/28 but it might have been a day earlier.
Sandy P reports: They are as big as Mom. One has the striated breast of a female, but have not been able to see both of them together facing front. One is very busy flapping its wings and jumping up and down. He has always been the brave one, looking over the edge and more active. Hate to see them getting ready to leave . They are so beautiful.
Sandy P reports: Love to watch them growing into their wings. Kind of like awkward teens.
The other is perfect camouflage. (2 photos added from web cam)
Mom leaving them a little longer now.
Egg still in nest.
Sandy P reports: Chicks are starting to get feathers. Noticed they are clumsy as their wings get bigger and heavier! Egg is still there and Oprah continues to sit on it at times. I think the white stripe down their backs are interesting. You could not see them lying in the nest except for the stripe. They grow fast. Eat and sleep!!!
Sandy P reports: The web cam shows that two chicks hatched, but the 3rd egg is still in the nest. It probably will not hatch. The two are being fed and growing nicely.
Sandy P reports: Good news. Oprah’s eggs have hatched. I thought I saw a chick yesterday but today for sure. I also think this one that is already head up and mouth open may have been hatched yesterday. A second one hatched today but is not strong enough to lift his body up
Sandy P reports: Just watched 1 return and one leave. Hard to tell which one because their not facing me. But there are now 3 eggs !!!!! Very prolific pair. Those of us that watched last year the third chick barely survive but did were hoping only 2 this year!!!!!!! Not sure when the third was laid but on 3/29 there were only 2!!!! Not sure if we can survive another year of watching 3.
Sandy P reports: Oprah finally stood up and there are now 2 eggs. Today is first time I saw the second one. Sometime between April 30 to May 8 for hatching!
Sandy P reports:Seems an adult keeps dropping fish in the nest and flies away. I am assuming this is the youngest of the trio. July 4, all three were in the nest.
Usually it’s just one and occasionally 2. Most nights the nest is empty.
Any idea where they go ? In AM, one chick is back. According to PDO, 4/26. Ozzie and Opal hatched. 4/30 Olive hatched. They named them all.
I will send a photo of Olive. Striations on her breast already......
#1 chick fledged 6/22——————#2 fledged 6/23
#3- fledged. 6/26..... she came back at night and was standing up in nest
At 10 pm- All alone tonight. Kind of sad. You can’t hear her calling but she is lonely
Sandy P reports: Chick 1- oldest- fledged 6/22 @. 3:30
Chick 2- fledged 6/23 around 2:10.
#3- smallest still practicing and being fed but feeds self.
Chicks 1&2. Come back and forth although #1. Leaves the longest. All back with mom for bedtime. This has been so much fun. I have pages of notes
Sandy P reports: All three have been practicing. Spreading wings , flapping and getting up in the air for few seconds. Won’t be long and I will miss them along with friends watching.
Sandy P reports: Camera in nest has some spots so sometimes difficult to see. With the nest cam you can see the 3 chicks! Little chick is growing so have my fingers crossed he’ll make it.
Jeffry M reporting for Sandy P: #2517- this is the PPOA nest webcam- all seems well however I have been unable to confirm status of 3rd chick- I see 2 clearly but not sure of the 3rd.
Sandy P reports: still 3 chicks. Getting harder to watch since chick #3, smallest is not getting fed a lot and is much smaller than the others.
I understand all the reasons, but still hard !!!!!
Sandy P reports: 2 chicks and looks like one more egg. I monitored a nest with three and only two made it. Third one too small and other two got all the food. Hope this is not repeat. Rather have an unfertilized egg.
Sandy P reports: 6 pm. Camera working yeh. Male brought fish back female flew off with it and he sat on egg/s? I think I saw 2 eggs earlier, but nest is deep.
Sandy P reports: This camera is great and I can watch all day. Last night first time female stayed in the nest. They both had left when it was dark ?
Now it looks like she is finally sitting hopefully on an egg . Hope they won’t be disappointed.
observer Sandy P. reports: Took this photo from computer. As you can see it’s a large nest. Also hoping you can tell what gender.
2/6. One Osprey moving sticks. Only saw Osprey in nest 2/22 and this am. I have it on continuous so I check thruout day. Pretty much just standing on nest.
observer reports: Stopped by today about 3PM. Osprey in the nest moving around a lot, but could not see any chicks. The osprey looked busy. This is the first time I saw one in the nest. Hope the business was over a chick!
observer reports: Checked on nest Friday around 3 pm. Again cannot see the entire nest due to height and location... this time I did not see any ospreys near it.. Did not see any heads in the nest ????maybe try another time of day....
observer reports: This nest is pretty sparse, similar to the one on the bridge... I looked at it for a while today..around 3 pm. One osprey standing on one of the railings near the nest.. I could not see any activity in the nest. You can only see three areas and it’s very high.. at least one osprey was seen near it. !!!!
observer reports: At first I did not see any movement, than an osprey flew into it. I moved to the dry cleaners area and got a better view of the female sitting in the nest. No chicks yet, but it is active.
Oprah and Oscar have a nest on top of the water tower in Palmetto Dunes. There is a web cam but it is not functioning at the present time but should be up and running in a few weeks.
From the blog:
Oprah
FEMALE OSPREY
This protective mom is quite vocal, and always on the lookout. Her hobbies include feeding Obie, and staring directly into the camera. We make sure it always catches her good side.
Oscar
MALE OSPREY
Oscar is a little more camera-shy than his counterpart. This guy just won't keep still! You'll find him darting in and out of the nest intermittently during the day. His favorite thing to do is go fishing.
Their Home
bcpsd elevated tank
Oprah and Oscar made their nest on a platform high above Palmetto Dunes atop the water tower. Their little piece of real estate gives them protection from prey, a perfect 360° view of their surroundings, and is situated right next our lagoon, which is teeming with all the fish they could possibly eat! From their nest, O&O can see Broad Creek to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. We'd like to think they have the best view on the island, and now they can share it with all of us!
Obie Osprey
spring 2017's BABY OSPREY
We were able to get power to our camera, and we were surprised to find three eggs already in the nest! All three hatched on May 4. Sadly, one of the eggs was not viable, and although a second one hatched, the baby disappeared from the nest one week later. Obie, our lone survivor, is an active, strong, and hungry baby. His/her favorite activities are eating as much as possible, and exploring the edges of the nest.
Update: Obie grew into a stunningly handsome osprey over the course of last summer, and by fall would still stop by the nest occasionally for dinner and to do his laundry.
Past Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
Activity reports
Photos of this nest
Nesting Diaries