Nickname
Tower
Coordinates
(28.5609, -80.8029)
Substrate
160' Communications Tower
Description
Tower Platform
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 - Connie | 2022 - Connie | 2021 - Connie | 2020 - Connie | 2019 - Connie | 2018 - Connie | 2017 - Connie | 2016 - Connie | 2015 - Connie | 2014 - Connie | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| aAdult Arrival | 2/20/23 | 1/22/21 | 3/1/20 | 1/31/19 | 1/15/18 | 2/8/17 | 1/29/16 | 2/18/15 | 2/25/14 | |
| aOccupied | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| aActive | ||||||||||
| bEgg Laying | ||||||||||
| bIncubation Initiation | ||||||||||
| cClutch Hatching | 3/19/14 | |||||||||
| dNestlings | 0 | 1 | ||||||||
| eFledglings | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| eFirst Chick Fledging | 5/11/23 | 3/18/16 | ||||||||
| fChicks Last Observed | 4/23/19 | 3/30/15 | ||||||||
| xNest Failure | ||||||||||
| xReason For Nest Failure |
Select Seasons
Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014
Activity reports
2014 Nest Activity Report by Connie
| Adult arrival | 02/25/2014 | Nestlings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | ||
| Clutch hatching | 03/19/2014 | Reason for nest failure |
2015 Nest Activity Report by Connie
| Adult arrival | 02/18/2015 | Nestlings | 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 1 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | 03/30/2015 | |
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | ||
| Clutch hatching | Reason for nest failure |
2016 Nest Activity Report by Connie
| Adult arrival | 01/29/2016 | Nestlings | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | 03/18/2016 | |
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | ||
| Clutch hatching | Reason for nest failure |
2017 Nest Activity Report by Connie
| Adult arrival | 02/08/2017 | 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 |
2018 Nest Activity Report by Connie
| Adult arrival | 01/15/2018 | 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 |
2019 Nest Activity Report by Connie
| Adult arrival | 01/31/2019 | Nestlings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | 04/23/2019 | |
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | ||
| Clutch hatching | Reason for nest failure |
2020 Nest Activity Report by Connie
| Adult arrival | 03/01/2020 | 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 |
2021 Nest Activity Report by Connie
| Adult arrival | 01/22/2021 | 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 |
2022 Nest Activity Report by Connie
| Adult arrival | Nestlings | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | No | Fledglings | 4 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | ||
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | ||
| Clutch hatching | Reason for nest failure |
Nest Activity Report by Connie
| Adult arrival | 02/20/2023 | Nestlings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nest Occupied | Yes | Fledglings | 2 |
| Nest Active | First chick fledging | 05/11/2023 | |
| Egg laying | Chicks last observed | ||
| Incubation initiation | Nest failure | ||
| Clutch hatching | Reason for nest failure |
Photos of this nest
Nesting Diaries
02/01/2022 by Connie
Today the pair were observed perched at the tower where the nest is located and the male was attempting mating.
03/15/2020 by Connie
An additional platform was added to this tower, so this year the osprey built a new nest in that top most location.
02/08/2017 by Connie
One osprey perched on the tower and another landed on the one perched - engaged in apparent mating behavior, so I think it's safe to say a pair have arrived.
02/01/2017 by Connie
Two osprey at the nest and two circling around. Yesterday, I speculated the two circling were young ones - the way their "sky dancing" seemed to mimick a dive for a fish. It's possible the whole family arrived to this nest yesterday, contrary to my observation it was perhaps mating competition. I am not a biologist and do not know, but it is fascinating - I love them!
01/31/2017 by Connie
Today, one osprey repeatedly vocalizing roused me outside. I had seen one improving the nest earlier today, and now one perched on the tower. I heard additional vocalizing and saw two more osprey - these two were circling and each repeatedly performed dives. Finally, one of the two circling landed on the tower where the one had been perched all along, and the second one that had been circling flew far away from the area. I couldn't identify which is male or female, but read the males are the ones that do the diving, if the two circling were indeed males and if this was mating behavior. I think it could also be young ones practicing fishing skills.
01/29/2017 by Connie
Nest building/improvements have begun. I believe it is a male that has begun hauling large twigs up to the nest.
11/19/2015 by Connie
One fledging was raised successfully earlier in the year. Today, 11-19-2015, one bald eagle was observed in the nest, though I'd observed an osprey there a couple weeks ago. Last year, two eagles were in the nest, Fall, 2014, temporarily until the ospreys returned. At the beginning of this year, I had observed, what presumably was the arrival of an osprey - for it was swooping towards one of the eagles perched on the tower - which lurched it's head and open beak at the osprey as the osprey swooped in flight at the perched eagle. We'll see if the same thing happens again!
04/18/2015 by Connie
I cannot determine when eggs are laid or chicks hatch. I can only observe when fledging(s) are in flight.
03/24/2015 by Connie
This morning, two crew trucks were parked at the base of the tower. I walked over and spoke with the supervisor, Horatio, who reported his crew would not be performing any work up on the tower due to the active nesting activity. :-)
11/09/2014 by Connie
As of today, an eagle pair has returned to the nest. There was a pair there for a brief period prior to the ospreys nesting there earlier in the year. In fact, when the ospreys showed up earlier in the year they chased the eagles out of the nest.