Coordinates
(26.4345, -82.0489)
Substrate
Osprey Nest Platform
Description
Moon Shadows 1350 MIDDLE GULF DRIVE Sanibel, FL 33957
CIOFFI/TIGHE Route 9
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.
Review All Observations
| 2023 - Cathy C | 2022 - Cathy C | 2021 - Jim Schnell | 2021 - Cathy C | 2020 - Jim Schnell |
|---|
| aAdult Arrival | 12/14/22 | 10/31/21 | 9/21/01 | 11/9/20 | 1/23/20 |
|---|
| aOccupied | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|---|
| aActive | | | | | |
|---|
| bEgg Laying | | | | | 1/18/20 |
|---|
| bIncubation Initiation | 3/22/23 | 12/30/21 | 9/21/01 | 1/9/21 | 1/23/20 |
|---|
| cClutch Hatching | | 1/31/22 | | | 3/5/20 |
|---|
| dNestlings | | 2 | 2 | 3 | |
|---|
| eFledglings | | 2 | | 3 | 1 |
|---|
| eFirst Chick Fledging | | 4/6/22 | 8/21/04 | 4/8/21 | 4/5/20 |
|---|
| fChicks Last Observed | | 5/4/22 | | 5/7/21 | 4/25/20 |
|---|
| xNest Failure | 4/17/23 | | | | |
|---|
| xReason For Nest Failure | unknown reason | | | | |
|---|
Select Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2023 2022 2021 2020
Activity reports
2020 Nest Activity Report by
Jim Schnell| Adult arrival | 01/23/2020 | Nestlings | |
|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 1 |
|---|
| Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 04/05/2020 |
|---|
| Egg laying | 01/18/2020 | Chicks last observed | 04/25/2020 |
|---|
| Incubation initiation | 01/23/2020 | Nest failure | |
|---|
| Clutch hatching | 03/05/2020 | Reason for nest failure | |
|---|
2021 Nest Activity Report by
Jim Schnell| Adult arrival | 09/21/0001 | Nestlings | 2 |
|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
|---|
| Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 08/21/0004 |
|---|
| Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | |
|---|
| Incubation initiation | 09/21/0001 | Nest failure | |
|---|
| Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
|---|
2021 Nest Activity Report by
Cathy C| Adult arrival | 11/09/2020 | Nestlings | 3 |
|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 3 |
|---|
| Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 04/08/2021 |
|---|
| Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 05/07/2021 |
|---|
| Incubation initiation | 01/09/2021 | Nest failure | |
|---|
| Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
|---|
2022 Nest Activity Report by
Cathy C| Adult arrival | 10/31/2021 | Nestlings | 2 |
|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
|---|
| Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 04/06/2022 |
|---|
| Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 05/04/2022 |
|---|
| Incubation initiation | 12/30/2021 | Nest failure | |
|---|
| Clutch hatching | 01/31/2022 | Reason for nest failure | |
|---|
2023 Nest Activity Report by
Cathy C| Adult arrival | 12/14/2022 | Nestlings | |
|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
|---|
| Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
|---|
| Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | |
|---|
| Incubation initiation | 03/22/2023 | Nest failure | 04/17/2023 |
|---|
| Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | Habitat Loss due to Hurricane Ian |
|---|
Photos of this nest
Nesting Diaries
Original, long-time nest was in tall Norfolk Pine on 1501 Middle Gulf (Moonshadows). The tree fell during Hurricane Ian in 9/2022. Birds started the 2023 season in platform on 1501 Middle Gulf which is a few feet away from the initial nest. After a few months, they moved across the street to another Norfolk Pine but didn't have a successful 2023 nesting season. This Norfolk pine was dead and subsequently removed. The birds have started the 2023-2024 season back in the platform.
This has been one of the most productive nests on Sanibel Island. The birds lost their original nest in a Norfolk Pine, moved to a platform a few yards away, then moved again to another Norfolk Pine a short distance away. Despite incubation activity, the nest was abandoned.