Nickname
045-A-002 (Silo with Tower)
Coordinates
(40.7126, -75.0626)
Substrate
Farm silo with conveyer motor housing on top.
Description
Farm silo behind an abandoned or seldom used cement plant off Edison Rd. The silos are property of the ISE Farms to the east of the abandoned cement plant which are located on Good Springs Rd.
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
| 2022 - CyclistBarb | 2021 - CyclistBarb | 2020 - CyclistBarb | 2019 - ENSP Osprey | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aAdult Arrival | 4/23/22 | |||
| aOccupied | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| aActive | ||||
| bEgg Laying | ||||
| bIncubation Initiation | 5/10/22 | |||
| cClutch Hatching | ||||
| dNestlings | 2 | 3 | ||
| eFledglings | 3 | |||
| eFirst Chick Fledging | 7/30/19 | |||
| fChicks Last Observed | ||||
| xNest Failure | 6/17/22 | |||
| xReason For Nest Failure | unknown reason |
Select Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2022 2021 2020 2019
Activity reports
2019 Nest Activity Report by ENSP Osprey
| Adult arrival | Nestlings | 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | 3 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | 07/30/2019 | |
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | ||
| Clutch hatching | Reason for nest failure |
2020 Nest Activity Report by CyclistBarb
| Adult arrival | 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 |
2021 Nest Activity Report by CyclistBarb
| 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 |
2022 Nest Activity Report by CyclistBarb
| Adult arrival | 04/23/2022 | Nestlings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | 05/10/2022 | Nest failure | 06/17/2022 |
| Clutch hatching | Reason for nest failure | unknown reason |
Photos of this nest
Nesting Diaries
07/12/2022 by CyclistBarb
12:10 p.m. I still saw no evidence that the osprey pair is still around. Obviously this nest failed after early activity.
06/28/2022 by CyclistBarb
2:03 p.m. I watched from Edison Rd. The sun was positioned well. I have not seen an osprey at this nest for almost 2 weeks. I saw no sign of life here today either. After watching from Edison Rd awhile, I moved to Good Springs Rd by the ISE Farm, but saw nothing in or near the nest from there either. The nest looks like it has partially collapsed. I am afraid this nest failed again this year, but will keep watching.
06/21/2022 by CyclistBarb
1:55 p.m. I saw neither adult on or near the nest; I did not see nestlings in the nest either. I wonder if the nest has again failed and the adults have abandoned it!
06/17/2022 by CyclistBarb
2:15 p.m. The female was on a post above the nest. I saw no chicks in the nest so they are either very small, or the nesting failed.
06/06/2022 by CyclistBarb
3:38 p.m. One adult was sitting on the nest. I continued south on Edison road to Good Springs Rd and then east to the ISE Farm. I pulled into their driveway and to a parking lot where they were keeping trucks. This viewing spot was high above the buildings, near the road. From there I was viewing from closer to the level of the nest and could see it pretty well, although part of it was hidden behind the structure.
05/10/2022 by CyclistBarb
3:15 p.m. An adult was on the nest, sitting low. As I watched it seemed to stand and roll eggs then sit back down low again. This would be a real come-back after last year and having their 2020 nest completely removed! I will see if I can see this nest better from Good Springs Rd and/or get closer by going on the ISE Farms property which is apparently a huge producer of chickens and eggs. The silo is apparently on their property.
04/23/2022 by CyclistBarb
11:40 a.m. In less than 20 days, this pair has built up a nest on the motor housing. When I arrived, I saw an adult flying toward the nest area carrying a stick. There was already a bird on the nest, then there were two. It will be interesting to see if they have eggs this season.
04/04/2022 by CyclistBarb
12:40 p.m. This silo is closer to Edison Rd than I recall. When there is no corn or high crop in the field, I can see the nest area without having to trespass in the old cement works driveway! I didn't see any birds other than very small ones (starlings?). It appears the nesting material has been completely cleared off. This nest produced 2 fledglings in 2020, but was inactive in 2021.
07/23/2021 by CyclistBarb
9:30 a.m. Once again I see no ospreys present at this location and the nest remains collapsed and abandoned. Last year this nest had 2 chicks! At this time last year the chicks were self-feeding but had not yet fledged.
07/05/2021 by CyclistBarb
Unfortunately, I did not get to this nest at all in July so it has been a month since I observed (May 1). It appears that this nest is not being used this season. It has all collapsed to the lower level. I didn't see much evidence of adults at this site earlier, and what is left of nest material appears to be old--from last season.
05/01/2021 by CyclistBarb
4:30-4:45 The nest is not nearly as substantial as last year, but today there appears to be an adult on top of the housing where the nest was last year. This adult could be in the incubation position. I zoomed way in and cropped to show just the back of the adult. A lot of nesting material has fallen onto the level below the top which supports the nest. There is also a large mylar or plastic "streamer" trailing off the corner of the tower. It is possible this adult is just nest building, or just present at the nest. I did not see any signs of the mate. It is possible they haven't yet laid eggs, but that should happen soon if the nest is to succeed. Last year two fledglings were raised in the nest on top, but then the nest looked to be much more substantial.
07/19/2020 by CyclistBarb
4:50p.m. The parent (Mom) was standing on the nest, in front of the two big chicks who appeared to be self-feeding. At 5:00 p.m. the adult flew off, but by this time, the chicks were finished eating and both were sitting down low in the nest, facing me. There was no further activity so they must have had a lot to eat. I didn't see any wing flapping, they were just sitting/lying in the nest.
I view this nest from far away, but it would appear that these chicks are about the same age as others in this immediate area, and I expect they will take their first flights soon.
06/28/2020 by CyclistBarb
2:40 p.m. I drive down the road marked "Posted". Again, the area seems completely abandoned! A female is sitting high on the nest while the male is circling high overhead. I am surprised and excited to see, clearly, two large chicks! They look to me to be at least 4 weeks old! That would mean hatching took place around the end of May and incubation sometime near the last week of April. This would correspond to the nests I am watching between Riegelsville and Milford, NJ.
06/13/2020 by CyclistBarb
11:10 a.m. Driving south on Edison Rd, I spot the conical metal silo and the two communication towers. They are very far away and difficult to see even with a spotting scope! I wonder how to get into the farm associated with the silo. After an underpass, I discover a large area of land that was once some sort of industrial site...a concrete factory? There are some large concrete structures now covered with weeds. There is also a building with a business, but as it is Sunday, I don't try to see if it is occupied. There is a posted road just south of the underpass which I drive into and follow back to an area that appears to be half abandoned semi tractors, and a huge amount of bailed hay in storage! I will have to investigate this area and seek permission to spot from here as this seems to be the closest I can get to the tower. I do see an adult on the south tower sitting on a nest. It is windy so the photos are not in clear focus. I do not see the mate.