Nickname
Santee Cooper tower at end of Power Alley
Coordinates
(32.2085, -80.6992)
Substrate
Description
Santee Cooper tower at end of Power Alley
Followers
None
Monitoring groups
What to look for
a
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.b
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.c
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.d
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 flye
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.f
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.x
Nest Failure
Look for signs of nest failure like adult abandonment, adults no longer incubating eggs or feeding young.Review All Observations
| 2021 - CarolC | 2020 - CarolC | 2019 - CarolC | 2018 - CarolC | 2013 - CarolC | 2012 - KristenM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| aAdult Arrival | 2/24/21 | 2/7/20 | 2/27/19 | 2/12/18 | ||
| aOccupied | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| aActive | ||||||
| bEgg Laying | 3/1/19 | 3/6/18 | ||||
| bIncubation Initiation | 3/16/20 | 3/8/18 | ||||
| cClutch Hatching | 4/20/20 | 4/17/19 | 4/15/18 | |||
| dNestlings | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| eFledglings | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| eFirst Chick Fledging | 6/25/20 | |||||
| fChicks Last Observed | 5/7/18 | 6/14/13 | ||||
| xNest Failure | 5/23/21 | 5/7/18 | ||||
| xReason For Nest Failure | other | unknown reason |
Select Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
Activity reports
2012 Nest Activity Report by KristenM
| Adult arrival | Nestlings | 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | 2 |
| 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 CarolC
| Adult arrival | Nestlings | 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | 06/14/2013 | |
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | ||
| Clutch hatching | Reason for nest failure |
2018 Nest Activity Report by CarolC
| Adult arrival | 02/12/2018 | Nestlings | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 0 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | 03/06/2018 | Chicks last observed | 05/07/2018 |
| Incubation initiation | 03/08/2018 | Nest failure | 05/07/2018 |
| Clutch hatching | 04/15/2018 | Reason for nest failure | unknown reason |
2019 Nest Activity Report by CarolC
| Adult arrival | 02/27/2019 | Nestlings | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | 03/01/2019 | Chicks last observed | |
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | ||
| Clutch hatching | 04/17/2019 | Reason for nest failure |
2020 Nest Activity Report by CarolC
| Adult arrival | 02/07/2020 | Nestlings | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | 2 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | 06/25/2020 | |
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | 03/16/2020 | Nest failure | |
| Clutch hatching | 04/20/2020 | Reason for nest failure |
2021 Nest Activity Report by CarolC
| Adult arrival | 02/24/2021 | Nestlings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | 05/23/2021 | |
| Clutch hatching | Reason for nest failure | While the pair did return in late Feb, there was no further activity. |
Photos of this nest
Nesting Diaries
02/28/2022 by CarolC
Mollie K. reports: there is still no activity. Remnants of the nest are gone and I have not seen an osprey around.
05/24/2021 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: Still no activity. NOTE: Based on a lack of activity after the pair arrived in Feb, we are listing this nest as inactive this year.
04/09/2021 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: no Osprey and nest looks non existent (has been this way for at least two weeks)
03/09/2021 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: 3/9: No sign of Ospreys and the nest looked like it had not been repaired yet. Almost looked as if some of it was missing. Strange.
02/24/2021 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: 2/24: Female was standing on nest, but it doesn't look like she has fixed it up yet. Male flew up to join her.
02/10/2021 by CarolC
Mollie K. reports: Spotted Osprey sitting on tower. Looked to be assessing work to be done.
07/30/2020 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: As of last week, the juveniles are still there practicing flying. They were hanging on different parts of the tower.
06/25/2020 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: 6/25: 8:30am birds must have started to fledge bc one was hanging out on a rail of the tower. One bird (looked like baby) flew back and then the other one on the tower rail flew out and did a couple circles and then flew back. They were also very noisy squawking at one another. Momma bird was around nest as well.
06/15/2020 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: 9:00am babies hanging out in nest. Mom was there and then flew away.
06/06/2020 by CarolC
Pat R reported: I was there almost 25 minutes and saw only two others circling together way up in the sky nearer the distant tower that has a nest in which I could see two bodies moving around with my binoculars. Based on this, we will increase the nestlings to two.
06/03/2020 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: 6/3/20: 12:24 mom and dad at nest. Can’t see baby but looks like mom is feeding
05/29/2020 by CarolC
Mollie K reports:
Mom and baby (I can only see one) were there just hanging out looking around.
NOTE: based on this observation and that of April 14, we are assuming the nest did hatch probably around mid-April. We are simply guessing April 20th.
04/14/2020 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: 4/14/2020: it looked as if no Osprey was in nest but then a white head kept popping up and down- thought it was a baby but then an Osprey stood up did a circle around the nest and then landed back on nest and settled back down. She either has babies in there or still incubating then possibly.
03/16/2020 by CarolC
Mollie K reported: 2/16/20: 3:14pm Osprey May have eggs as she was just sitting on nest. Lots of commotion around her with another Osprey and hawk and she didn’t move.
NOTE: Based on this, we have assumed that incubation has started.
02/24/2020 by CarolC
Pat R. also reported: proud osprey standing on the rebuilt nest there (saw it with my binoculars).
02/15/2020 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: 2/15/20: 1:28pm Osprey hunkered down on nest. It’s a very windy and chilly day so looks like she is just hanging out
02/07/2020 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: 2/7/20: 3:00 pm no action on the nest however an osprey was Cruising the area and another one flew by with fish.
01/27/2020 by CarolC
Mollie K reports: Osprey sighting- couldn't tell if Male or Female.
Osprey was sitting on nest scoping out what needs to be done.
07/02/2019 by CarolC
NOTE: While we think the adult behavior did indicate parents feeding a chick, we were not able to confirm with a visual of the chick. It is possible that the chick did fledge, which would have been about late May. If that is true, it would explain why there were no additional sightings in June. The "adult" seen around June 10th MIGHT have been the chick, who simply returned to the nest as they will after fledging. However, we are unsure how to report this nest. Was there a chick that fledged or was the nest a failure and the chick didn't make it? Being uncertain, we will just leave the data showing we believe there was a chick, but we don't know what happened.
07/02/2019 by CarolC
Trish S reports: I don't know what to tell you about this nest. I have not seen an Osprey on the nest since June 10th. I saw Osprey sitting on the nest in March and starting in mid-April I observed the parents performing feeding actions and there was always an adult present at the next. Starting at about the 2nd week of May there wasn't always an adult at the nest but as I came at different times I was still observing a parent at the nest but it was harder for me and the Osprey to sync up. The last time I saw an adult Osprey was on June 10th. I have attached a picture that I took on the 19th which was not encouraging - I was at the nest several times between the 10th and the 19th and didn't see any birds. I have not seen an Osprey chick at any point. I was assuming that it was the angle of the viewing point to the nest that was preventing me from seeing any young. I went back to last year's report to see if/when Carol Tunnicliffe had observed chicks and I see that she observed the same evolution of the nest last year as I have this year. I don't know whether to say a chick fledged or that the nest failed. Given that the chicks at the other nest in the area have not fledged I'm incline to believe that the nest failed.
06/10/2019 by CarolC
Trish S reports: I visited the nest again today Monday, June 10th. There was 1 adult Osprey on the nest and I was able to get a picture. My timing has been such that I have not seen them feeding and the angle of the nest to the road does not allow a view of the chicks in the nest. The adults have stayed attentive to the nest so I assume there is a chick in the nest.
05/21/2019 by CarolC
NOTE: Based on observations, we are assuming there is at least one chick in the nest. We will update this info when we can see the chicks.
05/16/2019 by CarolC
Tish S reports: I have visited this nest 3 times this month. The first 2 times there was no adult Osprey in view. My 3rd visit was on Thursday, May 16th. At this 3rd visit there was an adult Osprey perched on the side of the nest. Unfortunately I missed feeding time.
04/25/2019 by CarolC
Tish reports: I visited the nest on Thursday morning(4/25/2019). The adult male Osprey was on guard, sitting on the side of the nest. The adult female was eating breakfast on one of the tower support rails. Upon completing breakfast this 2nd adult flew to the nest. The actions of this 2nd adult was that of potentially feeding chick(s). The adult bobbed down into the nest several times, for an extended period of time, before stopping this activity and perching on the side of the nest. This was the exact same activity that I observed when I visited the nest earlier this month.
04/17/2019 by CarolC
Trish reports: I got to the nest this morning (4/17/2019) to find the adult Osprey sitting on the side of the nest as usual but without the usual grey cloud in the background so I could get a decent picture. Several minutes after I arrived the 2nd adult came, landed on one of the rails of the tower and proceeded to eat breakfast. Upon completing breakfast this 2nd adult flew to the nest. The actions of this 2nd adult was that of potentially feeding chick(s). The adult bobbed down into the nest several times, for an extended period of time, before stopping this activity and perching on the side of the nest.
Back at the end of March I suspected that eggs may be hatching, when I stopped seeing an adult sitting in the nest and started seeing them on the side of the nest. However, I never saw any activity that could be construed as feeding chicks until today.
04/17/2019 by CarolC
Tish S reports: I visited the nest several times during the week of April 7th - 13th. On each visit there was either no Osprey sighting or the adult Osprey was just sitting on the side of the nest, silhouetted against the gray sky. I have attached the best picture as a representation of what I was seeing when there was a visible Osprey.
03/27/2019 by CarolC
Observer Tish S. reports: Visited the nest several times over the last week before finally seeing an adult Osprey today (3/27/19). As I was leaving the male Osprey swooped in and landed on the nest. With all the other visits to the nest this week I couldn't say whether I was seeing the top of a head or just part of the next. Luckily I was able to get to a viewing point and capture a picture.
03/14/2019 by CarolC
observer Tish S reports: I have visited the nest several times over the last 2 week starting on Monday, March 4th. Most of my visits were quick checks but I was able to stay for a long visit on Thursday, March 7th. On all my visits I have observed 1 adult Osprey sitting on the next. A 2nd adult Osprey was never observed and the one on the nest never showed any interest in leaving the nest. The head of the Osprey could be easily seen using binoculars but the sex of the Osprey could not be determined. Given that the same behavior, sitting on the nest, has been observed over 2 weeks and several visits I think that it can easily be assumed that there are eggs in the nest.
NOTE: We are guessing that there may have been eggs laid about March 1, but that is just our estimate.
02/28/2019 by CarolC
Observer Tish S. reports: Visited the osprey nest and observed a pair fussing with the nest. Sometimes both were at the nest and sometimes one or the other would fly off but they always return. A picture was obtained with one of the Osprey on the nest but not turned to be able to identify male or female.
02/18/2019 by CarolC
observer Carol T reports: one osprey, may be the female, seen on the platform on 2/11, 2/14, and 2/18.
06/10/2018 by CarolC
observer Carol T. reports: Nest #2513
I am sad to report that during today’s visit there was still no sign of any chicks and this is the first time that neither adult was seen in the nest or on the tower structure. And actually the nest looked “depleted” (the only word that comes to mind.) It just looked lifeless and like it hadn’t been fussed with or cared for in quite some time.
I will continue to keep an eye on it when I come to observe the active nest in the same vicinity.
06/02/2018 by CarolC
observer reports: I think now it’s pretty safe to say there are no chicks at all in this nest.
I was either mistaken on the one or two chicks I thought I saw many weeks ago, or none survived.
Lately, the adults are out of the nest, hanging out on the tower structure or nowhere in sight.
05/21/2018 by CarolC
observer reports:Adult sitting at the edge of the nest preening. No sign of mate during the 20 minutes I was there. Also, very concerning, still no sign of any chicks. It’s been roughly about 5 weeks since I saw the first evidence that a chick/chicks had hatched. Since then, I’ve observed signs of at least one chick on two different occasions, with the most recent occurrence on May 7.
I would think at this point any chicks would be large enoughI to observe easily. I’m still hoping!
05/12/2018 by CarolC
observer reports: Both adults out on the tower structure when I arrived. One adult went back in the nest and seemed to be tending to chick/chicks. No chicks visible during this brief visit.
05/07/2018 by CarolC
observer reports: One adult sitting in nest. Mate returned and both took a brief break on the tower structure. It was during this time I noticed a little whitish head bobbing around in the nest. This is the second time I’ve noticed evidence of at least one chick...the first time was about two weeks ago.
I’m looking through binocs zoomed all the way up, but nest is quite a distance away, high up on a tower. So maybe the chick/chicks just aren’t big enough yet to be easily visible.
05/05/2018 by CarolC
Observation: One adult present laying down in nest and then standing, bent over, looking like tending to chicks (hopefully). Then mate arrived and both were in nest for awhile. One adult flew off and the one remaining
settled back down in nest.
04/29/2018 by CarolC
observer reports: I was at the nest for about 30 minutes. One adult standing in nest mostly looking down (watching over babies I assume) and occasionally looking around ( watching for mate to return?) No sign of any babies heads poking up high enough to see.
04/20/2018 by CarolC
Observer reports: April 20
At least one, maybe two babies in nest!!!
Lots of activity. Both adults alternated flying in and out of nest.
It was obvious they were tending to/and feeding at least one baby. (Saw head and movement from at least one, and looked like maybe another, but couldn’t be sure.) See photo of adults tending to their offspring.
Note: We are simply estimating date of hatching as the 15th
04/13/2018 by CarolC
observer reports: April 13
Female laying down in nest. Mate flew in and out a couple of times...once delivering nesting material and once with a fish.
04/10/2018 by CarolC
observer reports:
April 4th, 6th, and 10th
Adult in nest incubating
No sign of mate when I visited.
It’s been a little over a month since incubation began.
03/28/2018 by CarolC
Observer reports: On March 28 female was again incubating.
Two Osprey were soaring around the nest, one with a fish in its talons. The one with the fish turned out to be the mate. It looked like the other Osprey was chasing him, trying to steal the fish.
However the mate made it back to the structure with the fish intact. He landed on the structure, down below the nest, and proceeded to eat part of the fish, then took the rest up to the nest for the female. Changing of the guard ensued so the female could eat.
03/24/2018 by CarolC
Observer reports:
On March 24 Female (I assume) was laying down in nest in incubation posture when I visited and male was perched beside the nest preening.
03/14/2018 by CarolC
Assigned observer notes: I feel very confident in saying there is at least one egg in this nest and it seems it was laid sometime between March 4th - 8th.
On March 4th both Osprey were still active in adding to the nest and there had been no sign of incubation behavior.
When I returned March 8th,
There was an osprey laying down into the nest (could just barely see head) and this has been the case on subsequent visits on March 9th, 12th and 13th.
My visits are usually around 20-30 minutes and the egg (or eggs) are being incubated the whole time I'm there. Sometimes the male is present, but most times not.
02/28/2018 by CarolC
No signs yet that an egg has been laid. The pair is still fussing with and adding to the nest.
02/24/2018 by CarolC
I observed both the male and female each time I visited. The female spent more time sitting in the nest while the male perched on the nest and tower structure and flew away from time to time.
No incubation behavior noted yet. Will keep a close eye out for signs of an egg.