Nest #3841

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Nest #3841

Nickname

Willey's Nest

Coordinates

(38.2511, -76.9615)

Substrate

Platform removed

Description

Site is to be developed in Summer 2022. Dominion Energy, at request of Colonial Beach Osprey Watchers, Town of C. B. and developer, removed the platform before spring occupancy. Dominion relocated the nest to Eleanor Park.

Followers

None

Monitoring groups

Chesapeake Bay Osprey Watchers, Colonial Beach Osprey Nest 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

	2014 - swimmer	2013 - swimmer
aAdult Arrival	3/17/14	3/27/13
aOccupied	No	Yes
aActive
bEgg Laying
bIncubation Initiation		4/26/13
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 2022 2014 2013

Activity reports

2013 Nest Activity Report by swimmer

Adult arrival	03/27/2013	Nestlings	2
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation	04/26/2013	Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

2014 Nest Activity Report by swimmer

Adult arrival	03/17/2014	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

Photos of this nest

Nesting Diaries

06/27/2014 by swimmer

this couple is still at the nest and very active, but no sign of eggs or chicks this year. I

04/11/2014 by swimmer

This couple are very busy fishing and nest building. This is their second year on this nest, having successfully reared 2 chicks last summer. Their nest building skills are lacking when compared to others in the area, but hey, they are new at itl Always funny to watch them watch their downstairs neighbors, a raucous family of house finches.

03/17/2014 by swimmer

snow in the air today and the first sighting of an osprey in this nest. Welcome back!

07/19/2013 by swimmer

we are very close to fledging

07/18/2013 by swimmer

Lots of flapping and jumping around in the nest by both chicks this morning. Fledging can't be too far in the future.

07/16/2013 by swimmer

the two chicks have really grown and are flapping their wings and appear to be very healthy. Parents bring in the fresh fish and the chicks are now feeding themselves.

06/30/2013 by swimmer

6-28-13 I had not visited the location of this nest since the 5-18 entry, but I was happy to see that there are 2 large, healthy chicks in the nest. Hurray! Both adults and actively fishing and feeding the chicks.

05/18/2013 by swimmer

incubation appears to be continuing. One bird sitting full time.

04/27/2013 by swimmer

I've been away for a couple of weeks, but the birds clearly appear to be involved in incubation. My vantage point does not allow me to confirm that eggs are indeed in the nest.

04/12/2013 by swimmer

Looks like the nest rebuilding has begun.

04/09/2013 by swimmer

I was away for a couple of weeks and there are now 2 birds on the nest. They have thrown all of last years material out of the nest and they are actively feeding on fresh fish. I'll be interested to see if they decide to rebuild a nest.

03/28/2013 by swimmer

Mar 27, 2013: First osprey observed today. Single bird, thus far. A single bird has occupied this same nest for the past 2 summers with no eggs of chicks observed.