7:20 am. Juvenile was on the nest one of the adults sitting off to the side. The juvenile did some flapping, jumped across the nest, flapped a little more and then flew off around the field for maybe a minute before returning to the nest. The other adult arrived back at the nest about the same time as the fledge. It seems likely this was not the fledge's first flight since it had no trouble returning to the nest, but it was the first one observed.
5PM. The adult sitting with the juvenile flew off the nest to a different post. Shortly afterwards the juvenile managed to get airborne for a few seconds a foot or so above the nest (distance is impossible to judge given the height of the light fixture).
Happily the chick was observed this morning so it survive the storm on 7/2/22. Around 8 am both adults were perched at the nest, mostly preening. The male flew off briefly and clearly had remnants of fish or something in it's talons. After less than a minute it returned. The chick then got high enough to be visible.
Both adults present at nest at 8:15 AM. One flew off and came back with a stick and did some rearranging of the furniture. One chick visible and flapped its wings briefly. The other adult flew off to chase a random osprey that approached the nest.
A guess at hatch time was around May 27. On that date the female was observed leaving the nest and circling the tower and environs a couple of times. Previous to that she was mainly so low in the nest it was hard to see her. The nest is still occupied and active as of June 22 though it is too high to tell how many chicks there might be.
On 3/25/2022 there was one osprey at Monmouth University's nest. On 4/1/2022 both osprey were present. On 4/4/2022 they were observed copulating. Through out early April they came and went and were often together at the nest. 4/25 it looked like the female was incubating--staying low and horizontal in the nest. They were extremely vocal on 4/25 as other osprey flew through the area. 4/26 the male was next to the nest working on a fish while the female incubated.
This nest is active as of 4/14/2022. An adult osprey was observed sitting on one of the lights next to the nest. It took off when approached, flew off towards Whalepond Brook, and returned with a large fish in its talons. It flew past the nest to another location on campus to eat.
Actual date of failure approximate. Adult osprey was observed at nest around 8:30 AM, flapping and moving branches, but most of day osprey pair were building nest on a light fixture diagonally across the field. The new site already had a layer of branches at 8 am.
Everything was normal for an active nest with chicks as of 6/9/2021. Because of the height, no information was collected as to number of chicks. An inspection around the base of the light tower offered no information as to what might have happened, but Monmouth University groundskeepers are very active in grooming the area.
Date of incubation beginning is approximate. Osprey has been sitting low in the nest bowl 4/12-4/14 at various times observed. It is impossible to see into the nest as to whether there are eggs.
To update the nest history, the osprey first arrived late summer 2018 and laid down some nesting materials on the light tower. They returned in 2019, but the nest failed. Probably due to crows--a half dozen or more were seen in and around the nest, the adults were not at the nest. 2020 they fledged 2 offspring.
Hard day for the osprey pair. They had to fend off other osprey (observed twice today) and experienced their first soccer game complete with music and lights on.
Past Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2021 2020 2019
Activity reports
Photos of this nest
Nesting Diaries