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
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
| 2023 - bruceg | 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 | 3/1/23 | 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 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| aActive | ||||||||||||||||
| bEgg Laying | 4/12/23 | 4/13/22 | 4/2/19 | 4/4/17 | 4/26/16 | 4/10/15 | ||||||||||
| bIncubation Initiation | 4/15/23 | 4/18/22 | 4/2/19 | 4/7/17 | 4/26/16 | 4/10/15 | 4/5/14 | 5/19/13 | ||||||||
| cClutch Hatching | 5/22/23 | 5/18/22 | 5/24/17 | 6/7/16 | 5/14/14 | 6/2/13 | ||||||||||
| dNestlings | 2 | 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 |
Nest Activity Report by bruceg
| Adult arrival | 03/01/2023 | Nestlings | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | 04/12/2023 | Chicks last observed | |
| Incubation initiation | 04/15/2023 | Nest failure | |
| Clutch hatching | 05/22/2023 | Reason for nest failure |
Photos of this nest
Nesting Diaries
06/28/2023 by bruceg
Two chicks and two adults on nest. No feeding. No action, just standing. Low wind no chicks testing wings.
06/05/2023 by bruceg
Both adults on nest. Counted two nestlings. Hope there might be a third, but binocular view from beach didn't see any third chick.
05/22/2023 by bruceg
Female is up and feeding herself -- and chicks? Male drops in fish and leaves. Unable to see or count any chicks.
05/17/2023 by bruceg
Two adults at nest. Male flew off returned with no fish. Female was standing and feeding. Do not know if eggs have hatched.
04/02/2023 by bruceg
One osprey in fully completed nest - appeared to be eating. 2nd adult swooped low over the platform w/fish and then went to tree 100 yards away. Were they a pair? I don't know.
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
04/27/2019 by bruceg
One adult on nest (covering eggs?). Second adult flew to nest and then flew away.
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.
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.
04/09/2017 by Butterflygirl
Looks like female on nest. Very deep nest. Second adult nearby. Picture added.
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.
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.
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.)
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.
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.
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.
06/25/2014 by LibbyM
07/03/2013 by
Two adults and one chick 35-40 days old. One addled egg.