Nickname
Snag at College Creek
Coordinates
(37.2212, -76.6961)
Substrate
Dead Tree
Description
Snag just west of parking lot at mouth of College Creek. Easily visible from the road.
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
| 2015 - jude | 2015 - osprey007 | 2014 - jude | 2013 - LibbyM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aAdult Arrival | 4/1/15 | 4/10/14 | ||
| aOccupied | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| aActive | ||||
| bEgg Laying | ||||
| bIncubation Initiation | ||||
| cClutch Hatching | 5/28/15 | |||
| dNestlings | 1 | |||
| eFledglings | 0 | |||
| eFirst Chick Fledging | ||||
| fChicks Last Observed | 6/30/15 | |||
| xNest Failure | 6/30/15 | 6/1/14 | ||
| xReason For Nest Failure | adult abandonment | adult abandonment |
Select Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2016 2015 2014 2013
Activity reports
2013 Nest Activity Report by LibbyM
| Adult arrival | 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 |
2014 Nest Activity Report by jude
| Adult arrival | 04/10/2014 | Nestlings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | 06/01/2014 | |
| Clutch hatching | Reason for nest failure | adult abandonment |
2015 Nest Activity Report by osprey007
| Adult arrival | 04/01/2015 | 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 |
2015 Nest Activity Report by jude
| Adult arrival | Nestlings | 1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 0 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | 06/30/2015 | |
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | 06/30/2015 | |
| Clutch hatching | 05/28/2015 | Reason for nest failure | adult abandonment |
Photos of this nest
Nesting Diaries
04/02/2016 by jude
Still only appears to be one adult in the area. Haven't seen two adults together but the nest is rebuilt and looks ready.
03/20/2016 by jude
Such an interesting nesting adventure....one adult has returned and is in a nearby tree. The nest, which blew down over the winter, appears to have been rebuilt, but on a lower branch crook. You can barely see it in this photo, down on the left. Last year the nest was at the top of the tree. So far, I can't say that the pair has returned. I'll go back and observe more soon.
06/16/2015 by jude
Have observed the nest several different times over the last few days without sign of chicks or parents. I'm very concerned.
04/22/2015 by jude
Both adults are in evidence and the nest is completed. However, the female does not yet appear to be incubating.
04/15/2015 by osprey007
Both adults observed at this beautifully rebuilt nest. Nest is much more sturdy than last year. Hopefully this one will withstand the strong storms.
03/24/2015 by jude
No activity there yet although there have been osprey sitting in trees in the area. The nest was blown down over the winter and would need to be completely rebuilt.
03/16/2015 by osprey007
This nest fell down last year resulting in nest failure. Osprey have not been observed at the site so far in 2015
05/25/2014 by osprey007
I'm sorry to say this nest seems to have been abandoned. The nest seems titled, perhaps damaged by the severe thunderstorm on 5/22. There is a Red-winged Black Bird perched on the limb next to the nest where the Osprey use to be.
05/02/2014 by jude
At one point today, I thought the female was incubating. She sat low in the nest for a long time. However, then she got up, switched places with the male, and left the nest. He sat on the side of the nest, not down low. I waited a while but she didn't return.
04/18/2014 by jude
Two osprey were both on this nest several times during the 30 minutes that I observed it. The nest appears to be nearly complete. No incubation behavior observed as yet.
03/09/2014 by LibbyM
Two osprey in the area carrying sticks. Not clear if they are associated with this nest.
04/29/2013 by LibbyM
Can't see into nest from angles on the ground. No osprey perched nearby. Had seen one osprey perched on the nest tree the past two visits.