Nest #8937

Nickname

Eagle's Pointe Golf Course

Coordinates

(32.2928, -80.8963)

Substrate

Live Tree

Description

While it is said this nest has produced young since 2002, the nest was not added to the project until 2023. This pair has been named Davis and Lovey...after the golf course. Enter the Eagle's Point development in Bluffton and proceed toward the golf club. The nest is on your left after the Eagle's Point Circle. Note: This is NOT a gated community. If you turn left onto Stratford Drive in the development, you can park and on your left is the 10th hole. The nest is straight down the fairway in the tree.

Followers

None

Monitoring groups

LowCountry Institute

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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Activity reports

	2023 - CarolC
aAdult Arrival	2/16/23
aOccupied	Yes
aActive
bEgg Laying
bIncubation Initiation	3/14/23
cClutch Hatching
dNestlings
eFledglings
eFirst Chick Fledging
fChicks Last Observed
xNest Failure
xReason For Nest Failure

Adult arrival	02/16/2023	Nestlings
Nest Occupied	Yes	Fledglings
Nest Active		First chick fledging
Egg laying		Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation	03/14/2023	Nest failure
Clutch hatching		Reason for nest failure

Photos of this nest

Nesting Diaries

03/21/2023 by CarolC

Debbie reports: It has been over a week since Lovely has been out of the nest. Sometimes she is low and other times you see her head high to about half way down her breast. Davis is off fishing or standing guard on his upper branch. I am assuming we missed the courting dance this year.

03/03/2023 by CarolC

Debbie reports: I saw one bird on the tree at about 6:30 AM and no movement in the nest. Coming home from getting groceries at about 1:00 PM I took this terrible video but captured calling and two birds. I think Lovely was the bird in the tree and Davis flew up to the nest. Note: cannot upload video, but have added two photos.

02/16/2023 by CarolC

Deb B reports: Lovey is here today and has Davis hustling to “fix” the nest! So much for sitting on a branch and looking gorgeous. Craig says, Why waste energy when she will redecorate when she arrives

02/13/2023 by CarolC

Debbie B reports: One osprey flew in at about 11 and sat there through our entire walk, about an hour. Probably the male since it seemed to have a clear breast. Looks like more sticks on nest but not sure.

02/10/2023 by CarolC

Debbie B reports:one adult osprey observed around the nest

01/20/2023 by CarolC

While this nest has been in the same location for many years, it was not reported for the Osprey Watch program until January 2023 by Debbie and Craig B who have followed this nest for years and will be the official monitors for the project.