Nest #8

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Nest #8

Nickname

Jamestown Beach

Coordinates

(37.2227, -76.79)

Substrate

50 yards off beach

Description

50 yards off beach on a 3-pole platform 6 feet above water.

Followers

None

Monitoring groups

The Center for Conservation Biology, Virginia Master Naturalist, Chesapeake Bay Osprey 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.

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Review All Observations

	2022 - bruceg	2021 - bruceg	2020 - bruceg	2019 - bruceg	2018 - bruceg	2017 - bruceg	2017 - Butterflygirl	2016 - bruceg	2015 - bruceg	2014 - LibbyM	2014 - bruceg	2013 - LibbyM	2013 - rfc2616	2013 - AlisonH	2013 - GoGoCarl
aAdult Arrival	3/1/22	3/10/21	3/9/20	3/5/19		2/27/17	3/1/17	3/3/16	3/6/15
aOccupied	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
aActive
bEgg Laying	4/13/22			4/2/19		4/4/17		4/26/16	4/10/15
bIncubation Initiation	4/18/22			4/2/19		4/7/17		4/26/16	4/10/15	4/5/14		5/19/13
cClutch Hatching	5/18/22					5/24/17		6/7/16		5/14/14		6/2/13
dNestlings	1		0		0	1		1	0	2	2	1	1	1	1
eFledglings	1				0	1		1			2
eFirst Chick Fledging	7/12/22					7/24/17		7/3/17			7/8/14
fChicks Last Observed	8/12/22							8/15/16			9/23/14
xNest Failure			5/26/20						7/19/15
xReason For Nest Failure			nest destroyed during storm						unknown reason

Select Seasons

Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012

Activity reports

2013 Nest Activity Report by rfc2616

Adult arrival		Nestlings	1
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 GoGoCarl

Adult arrival		Nestlings	1
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 AlisonH

Adult arrival		Nestlings	1
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 LibbyM

Adult arrival		Nestlings	1
Nest Occupied	No	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation	05/19/2013	Nest failure
Clutch hatching	06/02/2013	Reason for nest failure

2014 Nest Activity Report by LibbyM

Adult arrival		Nestlings	2
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation	04/05/2014	Nest failure
Clutch hatching	05/14/2014	Reason for nest failure

2014 Nest Activity Report by bruceg

Adult arrival		Nestlings	2
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings	2
Nest Active		First chick fledging	07/08/2014
Egg laying		Chicks last observed	09/23/2014
Incubation initiation		Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

2015 Nest Activity Report by bruceg

Adult arrival	03/06/2015	Nestlings	0
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying	04/10/2015	Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation	04/10/2015	Nest failure	07/19/2015
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure	unknown reason

2016 Nest Activity Report by bruceg

Adult arrival	03/03/2016	Nestlings	1
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings	1
Nest Active		First chick fledging	07/03/2017
Egg laying	04/26/2016	Chicks last observed	08/15/2016
Incubation initiation	04/26/2016	Nest failure
Clutch hatching	06/07/2016	Reason for nest failure

2017 Nest Activity Report by Butterflygirl

Adult arrival	03/01/2017	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

2017 Nest Activity Report by bruceg

Adult arrival	02/27/2017	Nestlings	1
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings	1
Nest Active		First chick fledging	07/24/2017
Egg laying	04/04/2017	Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation	04/07/2017	Nest failure
Clutch hatching	05/24/2017	Reason for nest failure

2018 Nest Activity Report by bruceg

Adult arrival		Nestlings	0
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings	0
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation		Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

2019 Nest Activity Report by bruceg

Adult arrival	03/05/2019	Nestlings
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying	04/02/2019	Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation	04/02/2019	Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

2020 Nest Activity Report by bruceg

Adult arrival	03/09/2020	Nestlings	0
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation		Nest failure	05/26/2020
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure	nest destroyed during storm

2021 Nest Activity Report by bruceg

Adult arrival	03/10/2021	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 bruceg

Adult arrival	03/01/2022	Nestlings	1
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings	1
Nest Active		First chick fledging	07/12/2022
Egg laying	04/13/2022	Chicks last observed	08/12/2022
Incubation initiation	04/18/2022	Nest failure
Clutch hatching	05/18/2022	Reason for nest failure

Photos of this nest

Nesting Diaries

04/03/2022 by bruceg

Both adults at nest in high wind. Female appeared to be hunkered down on nest. Will look in lighter winds to see if she might be incubating.

04/03/2022 by bruceg

No adults at nest. A couple birds flying in area. Bald eagle circling Jamestown causeway and one eagle sitting in branch at edge of sandy Bay

03/16/2022 by bruceg

Two adults at half finished nest.

03/14/2022 by bruceg

Two adults by nest, then one flew around. Nest only looks half completed.

04/08/2021 by bruceg

No birds at nest.

03/24/2021 by bruceg

Two adult bird, full nest. No behavior.

04/04/2020 by bruceg

One adult on nest laying low -- on eggs? Second adult in nearby tree.

03/24/2020 by bruceg

One bird on nest. No other adult in sight.

05/14/2019 by bruceg

Adult possibly on eggs. Second adult came to nest once.

05/14/2019 by bruceg

Adult still on nest possibly oer eggs. Second adult came to nest once.

04/27/2019 by bruceg

One adult on nest (covering eggs?). Second adult flew to nest and then flew away.

04/09/2019 by bruceg

One adult low on nest for incubation

07/23/2018 by bruceg

Two adults at full nest. No chicks.

06/17/2018 by Herbie

Nest is empty. No birds in sight

05/22/2018 by bruceg

One female on nest. Male not in sight. Didn't apear she was on eggs or chicks.

03/17/2018 by Herbie

Both birds in nest. Nest looks really nice and healthy

07/27/2017 by bruceg

Two adutls surrounding nest. No sign of chick. Came back two days later -- no birds on nest at all.

07/17/2017 by bruceg

One full size chick on edge of nest, no flapping or jumping. Did not see it fly. Adult on nest flew away.

07/07/2017 by bruceg

Two chicks in nest. No flying, Two adults near nest.

06/26/2017 by bruceg

Saw one bird at nest, but could not see any chick with my binoculars -- maybe shaded from bright sun. Now reading 6/12 post, I have to return with my scope.

06/12/2017 by Herbie

Female had one wing open, shading what I assume is a chick.

05/14/2017 by Herbie

Nest looks healthy. Female sitting on nest. Male flying in and out of nest

04/09/2017 by Butterflygirl

Looks like female on nest. Very deep nest. Second adult nearby. Picture added.

04/09/2017 by Herbie

Only seen one bird on nest. Stayed one hour. Did not see another Bird.

04/07/2017 by bruceg

Possible incubation. One adult low in nest (but it could be because of blustery day). Second adult - looks like male - on nearby platform post eating fish.

04/03/2017 by bruceg

Two adults on platform. Fuly made nest. No flying observed.

03/20/2017 by bruceg

Two adults on platform close to almost fully made nest. No flying observed.

03/12/2017 by Butterflygirl

This may be a new nest as it is on a triangular wood platform just off Jamestown Beach but near the bridge that leads to the ferry terminal. I watched the male osprey leave the nest and have a short flight swoop on a bald eagle on the beach. He returned to the nest directly after. Not sure if a territorial thing. I did not see food involved. Very chilly day.

03/01/2017 by Butterflygirl

17:11 on ferry boarding observed pair on platform. Just prior to boarding, one of the osprey dove for branch in wooded area of Jamestown beach and brought to platform.

08/28/2016 by bruceg

No birds at or around nest. Nest seemed to be half destroyed.

07/22/2016 by Herbie

I took the ferry to Surry on July 2 and the Chicks had fledged. They were flying around the ferry looking for something to eat. (Hovering, etc.)

06/12/2016 by bruceg

Adult on Nest

05/31/2016 by bruceg

Adult on Nest

05/20/2016 by bruceg

Adult on nest - no second adult in sight

05/08/2016 by bruceg

One adult on eggs; other adult sitting nearby

05/04/2016 by bruceg

One adult on nest - stood up seemed to be moving something (eggs?) with her beack. Sat back down. No sight of second adult.

03/21/2016 by bruceg

Female sitting on and standing in nest. Male flying around nest - no landing.

03/11/2016 by bruceg

Male and female bird standing on individual posts of nest platform

07/31/2015 by bruceg

Nest empty

06/19/2015 by bruceg

Two adults at nest; one in nest; no chicks sighted.

06/10/2015 by portiap

Adult sitting on nest. No chicks observed.

06/09/2015 by bruceg

Adult on nest. No chicks observed

05/13/2015 by portiap

Female adult sitting on nest, male standing on nest. Male moved behind female and took over spot on nest; poked around nest with beak for a few minutes. Female flew to nearby tree and remained motionless in tree. Male stayed on nest for 10 minutes or so, then flew to nearby tree to join female. No bird on nest for last 10 minutes.

04/19/2015 by portiap

Adult sitting on nest

04/02/2015 by bruceg

Two birds on fully-made nest.

03/10/2015 by bruceg

Pair first seen on constructed nest

07/19/2014 by bruceg

One chick on nest with one adult. Second chick not in sight.

07/18/2014 by bruceg

Two chicks on nest. One adult. No feeding. Since report on 7/17 had all chicks off nest - presume both have now fledged.

07/17/2014 by bruceg

One adult and one chick on nest. Chick flew away from nest, harassed a bald eagle 250 yards from nest in shore tree making eagle fly away then chick returned to nest. Upon its return to nest it had talons out flying low across water, but never struck water. Adult never moved from nest.

07/07/2014 by bruceg

Two chicks observed. One adult on nest.

06/30/2014 by bruceg

Two chicks observed. One adult on nest.

06/25/2014 by LibbyM

06/22/2014 by bruceg

One big healthy chick on nest. One adult on nest.

04/23/2014 by LibbyM

Bart saw this nest on incubating

04/02/2014 by LibbyM

2 adults seen

07/03/2013 by GoGoCarl

Two adults and one chick 35-40 days old. One addled egg.

07/03/2013 by AlisonH

Two adults and one chick 35-40 days old. One addled egg.

07/03/2013 by rfc2616

Two adults and one chick 35-40 days old. One addled egg.

07/03/2013 by

Two adults and one chick 35-40 days old. One addled egg.

06/16/2013 by LibbyM

2 adults feeding young

06/02/2013 by LibbyM

adults feeding young, not sure how many chicks yet

05/26/2013 by LibbyM

adult incubating

05/19/2013 by LibbyM

adult incubating - first nest check so don't know when incubation began