Nest #163

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Nest #163

Nickname

Cox Tower Nest

Coordinates

(36.844, -76.1651)

Substrate

Cox Cable Tower

Description

Nest on top of the Cox Cable Tower. It has been there at least 21 years with Osprey visiting each year and raising young.

Followers

None

Monitoring groups

Chesapeake Bay Osprey Watchers

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

	2018 - Matt	2016 - Matt	2016 - Reese	2015 - Matt	2015 - Reese	2014 - Reese	2013 - Matt	2012 - Matt
aAdult Arrival	3/11/18	3/5/16	3/18/16	3/10/15	3/18/15	3/8/14	2/27/13	3/1/12
aOccupied	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
aActive
bEgg Laying
bIncubation Initiation
cClutch Hatching
dNestlings						2
eFledglings
eFirst Chick Fledging
fChicks Last Observed
xNest Failure
xReason For Nest Failure

Select Seasons

Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012

Activity reports

2012 Nest Activity Report by Matt

Adult arrival	03/01/2012	Nestlings
Nest Occupied	No	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation		Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

2013 Nest Activity Report by Matt

Adult arrival	02/27/2013	Nestlings
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation		Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

2014 Nest Activity Report by Reese

Adult arrival	03/08/2014	Nestlings	2
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation		Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

2015 Nest Activity Report by Matt

Adult arrival	03/10/2015	Nestlings
Nest Occupied	No	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation		Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

2015 Nest Activity Report by Reese

Adult arrival	03/18/2015	Nestlings
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation		Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

2016 Nest Activity Report by Matt

Adult arrival	03/05/2016	Nestlings
Nest Occupied	No	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation		Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

2016 Nest Activity Report by Reese

Adult arrival	03/18/2016	Nestlings
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation		Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

2018 Nest Activity Report by Matt

Adult arrival	03/11/2018	Nestlings
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation		Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

Photos of this nest

Nesting Diaries

12/21/2016 by Matt

A pair of bald eagles visited the nest for a couple days.

02/20/2015 by Matt

Two bald eagles periodically visited the nest from November 2014 to February 2015.

12/17/2014 by Matt

Two bald eagles periodically visited the nest from November 2014 to February 2015

07/11/2014 by Reese

Two chicks on nest and adult female on railing. Do not appear to have fledged as of yet, but going to be soon.

03/09/2014 by Reese

A pair of bald eagles that are building a nest on osprey-watch nest 4083 across I-264 have been using this nest on Cox tower as a perch. Two crows have also been using this nest. Today the two crows objected to the osprey, who returned yesterday, sitting in the nest. See photo.

09/23/2013 by Matt

Osprey last seen on this day. Slightly earlier than normal fall migration.

03/16/2012 by Matt

This must be the nest of the osprey I watch at Kempsville Lake, right across I-264.

03/11/2012 by Matt

On March 9, 2012 I observed the female rebuilding the nest. She carried a 4ft stick to the nest and fixed it into place. The male sat next to the nest watching her work.