Coordinates
(38.7967, -77.0389)
Substrate
Old Piling in River
Description
Nest on top of old piling in the Potomac River off Alexandria VA
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.
Previous Next Review All Observations
| 2024 - hustead | 2023 - hustead | 2022 - hustead | 2021 - hustead | 2020 - hustead | 2020 - lp3hoya | 2019 - hustead | 2018 - hustead | 2018 - lp3hoya | 2017 - hustead | 2017 - lp3hoya | 2016 - hustead | 2016 - lp3hoya | 2015 - hustead | 2014 - schmeelcke | 2012 - hustead |
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aAdult Arrival | 3/4/24 | 3/2/23 | 3/15/22 | 3/7/21 | | 3/6/20 | 3/13/19 | 2/28/18 | 2/28/18 | 3/18/17 | 3/12/17 | 3/10/16 | | 3/18/15 | | 3/13/12 |
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aOccupied | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
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aActive | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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bEgg Laying | | 4/10/23 | | | | 4/3/20 | | 4/19/18 | 4/9/18 | | | 4/12/16 | | | | |
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bIncubation Initiation | | | | | | 4/3/20 | | 4/11/18 | 4/11/18 | | 4/16/17 | 4/13/16 | | | | |
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cClutch Hatching | | | | | 5/17/20 | | | | | 5/24/17 | | | | | | |
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dNestlings | | 0 | | 0 | 3 | | 3 | 1 | | | | 1 | 1 | 1 | | |
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eFledglings | | | | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | | | | 1 | | 1 | | |
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eFirst Chick Fledging | | | | 7/14/21 | | | 7/10/19 | 7/9/18 | | | | | | 7/31/15 | | |
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fChicks Last Observed | | | | 9/2/21 | 8/23/20 | | 8/10/19 | 9/1/18 | | | | 9/5/16 | | 9/18/15 | | |
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xNest Failure | | 5/20/23 | 6/22/22 | 6/22/22 | | | | | | | | | | | 5/1/14 | 3/17/12 |
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xReason For Nest Failure | | other | unknown reason | unknown reason | | | | | | | | | | | other | other |
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Select Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012
Activity reports
2012 Nest Activity Report by
husteadAdult arrival | 03/13/2012 | Nestlings | |
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Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | 03/17/2012 |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | other |
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2014 Nest Activity Report by
schmeelckeAdult arrival | | Nestlings | |
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Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | 05/01/2014 |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | storm over several days, not sure if eggs failed but crows in nest today and no Osprey observed. None seen at nest since Wednesday. |
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2015 Nest Activity Report by
husteadAdult arrival | 03/18/2015 | Nestlings | 1 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 1 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 07/31/2015 |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 09/18/2015 |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
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2016 Nest Activity Report by
lp3hoyaAdult arrival | | Nestlings | 1 |
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Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
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2016 Nest Activity Report by
husteadAdult arrival | 03/10/2016 | Nestlings | 1 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 1 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | 04/12/2016 | Chicks last observed | 09/05/2016 |
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Incubation initiation | 04/13/2016 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
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2017 Nest Activity Report by
lp3hoyaAdult arrival | 03/12/2017 | Nestlings | |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | |
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Incubation initiation | 04/16/2017 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
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2017 Nest Activity Report by
husteadAdult arrival | 03/18/2017 | Nestlings | |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | 05/24/2017 | Reason for nest failure | |
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2018 Nest Activity Report by
lp3hoyaAdult arrival | 02/28/2018 | Nestlings | |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | 04/09/2018 | Chicks last observed | |
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Incubation initiation | 04/11/2018 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
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2018 Nest Activity Report by
husteadAdult arrival | 02/28/2018 | Nestlings | 1 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 1 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 07/09/2018 |
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Egg laying | 04/19/2018 | Chicks last observed | 09/01/2018 |
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Incubation initiation | 04/11/2018 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
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2019 Nest Activity Report by
husteadAdult arrival | 03/13/2019 | Nestlings | 3 |
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Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | 3 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 07/10/2019 |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 08/10/2019 |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
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2020 Nest Activity Report by
lp3hoyaAdult arrival | 03/06/2020 | Nestlings | |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 3 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | 04/03/2020 | Chicks last observed | |
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Incubation initiation | 04/03/2020 | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
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2020 Nest Activity Report by
husteadAdult arrival | | Nestlings | 3 |
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Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | 3 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 08/23/2020 |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | 05/17/2020 | Reason for nest failure | |
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2021 Nest Activity Report by
husteadAdult arrival | 03/07/2021 | Nestlings | 0 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | 07/14/2021 |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | 09/02/2021 |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | 06/22/2022 |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | unknown reason |
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2022 Nest Activity Report by
husteadAdult arrival | 03/15/2022 | Nestlings | |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | 06/22/2022 |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | unknown reason |
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2023 Nest Activity Report by
husteadAdult arrival | 03/02/2023 | Nestlings | 0 |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | 04/10/2023 | Chicks last observed | |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | 05/20/2023 |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | eggs did not hatch |
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Nest Activity Report by
husteadAdult arrival | 03/04/2024 | Nestlings | |
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Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
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Nest Active | | First chick fledging | |
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Egg laying | | Chicks last observed | |
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Incubation initiation | | Nest failure | |
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Clutch hatching | | Reason for nest failure | |
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Nesting Diaries
First Osprey arrives on March 11th, looks like the large female from last year.
surprised to not see any Osprey in the nest today, then saw crows in the nest. Seems the storm of last week either destroyed the eggs or the adults were injured. Sad to observe.
Mom was on the nest and presumably dad was perched at water level nearby.
Female observed to be sitting on eggs.
three very healthy hatchlings getting closer to flying. Arrived and they were eating a fish and during next hour Mom and Dad brought back two more!
Osprey had been nesting successfully for at least seven years through 2011. In 2012, they found the nest occupied by Canadian Geese. Osprey tried to drive the Geese off but could not do it.