Nickname
Mercury & I-64
Coordinates
(37.0403, -76.3976)
Substrate
tower
Description
Nest at the top of a tower.
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 - chris7 | 2014 - LibbyM | 2013 - chris7 | 2012 - chris7 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aAdult Arrival | 3/18/15 | 3/19/14 | 4/3/13 | 3/22/12 |
| aOccupied | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| aActive | ||||
| bEgg Laying | ||||
| bIncubation Initiation | ||||
| cClutch Hatching | ||||
| dNestlings | 1 | |||
| eFledglings | 1 | |||
| eFirst Chick Fledging | ||||
| fChicks Last Observed | ||||
| xNest Failure | ||||
| xReason For Nest Failure |
Select Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2015 2014 2013 2012
Activity reports
2012 Nest Activity Report by chris7
| Adult arrival | 03/22/2012 | 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 chris7
| Adult arrival | 04/03/2013 | 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 LibbyM
| Adult arrival | 03/19/2014 | 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 chris7
| Adult arrival | 03/18/2015 | Nestlings | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 1 |
| 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
04/21/2015 by chris7
I saw five Osprey flying around this tower again today. One lifted off of the nest and chased away another Osprey that had gotten too close.
04/13/2015 by chris7
There might be a territory challenge happening at this nest. On Friday coming home from work, there were 3 Osprey flying around this tower. Then this morning (Monday) on the way to work, there were 3 Osprey flying around this tower. And on the way home from work, there were 5 Osprey flying around this tower...
06/01/2014 by chris7
I've seen Osprey on this tower often. And there are some sticks at the top. However, I didn't observe any nesting attempts this year.
04/14/2014 by chris7
This nest was torn down last year by workers. An Osprey pair is back at this tower and I've seen stick deliveries.
06/16/2013 by chris7
I see the adults perched on this tower most days. I am unable to see what's happenng at the top of the tower. There is a nest and I see the parents fly in and out of the nest...
04/06/2013 by chris7
This nest was completely removed last year by workers on the tower. The Osprey are bringing nesting material to the tower.
07/28/2012 by chris7
I kept seeing Osprey on this tower, even though there was hardly any nest material. Hard to tell what was happening up there, but I don't think there were any babies.
04/13/2012 by chris7
Even without a nest, I was regularly seeing Osprey on this tower. Last week, some sticks and grass appeared. But a few days later the Osprey disappeared.
03/23/2012 by chris7
At some point during the last couple of days, all of the sticks (nest) have been removed from the tower. One Osprey was perched on the tower this morning and this evening.
03/21/2012 by chris7
I've seen Osprey use this nest for a few years. I haven't seen any yet this year, but the sticks are still there.