Osprey Cam Web Log

Cam, Eggs, and Platform Location

Nest Update: Thanks to everyone for their patience as we made the transition to a more weatherproof cam. As you might have noticed, the new cam has an infrared feature -- allowing us to broadcast night pictures without disturbing the birds. We will not be able to run the camera all night (we would exceed our bandwidth limits) but we hope you enjoy some of the night shots we'll see in the early morning and late evening. At this time, the cam is set to run from around 5:30am to 9:00pm, however, we may try to extend that a bit if our bandwidth limits allow.

The cam nest has two eggs at the moment. An average clutch size is 2-4 eggs, with the eggs laid one to two days apart. If the eggs are successful, they normally hatch within five to six weeks, in the order they were laid. Osprey eggs, which are about the same size and shape as large hen eggs, have long been admired for their attractiveness. Noted ornithologist Arthur Cleveland Bent called osprey eggs “the handsomest of all the hawks’ eggs” due to their color variations. Unfortunately egg-collecting played a major role in the population crash of UK ospreys during the 19th and 20th centuries, and remains a problem even now, as the osprey population has started to revive.

Pic of the Week: Kathy R and Kolibaba were the first two people to send in photos of each egg, so thanks to both of them for our pic of the week. Be sure to visit our gallery for more quality photos of the newly laid eggs, as well as some night shots.

Our question this week came from a cam watcher who wanted to know about the location of the Osprey Cam platform. If you come to Blackwater Refuge you can find the platform very easily, as it resides alongside the popular Wildlife Drive -- a 6 1/2-mile paved loop that takes visitors in cars, on bicycles, or on foot past some of the most scenic marshes, forests, and fields at Blackwater.

About two-thirds into the Wildlife Drive, visitors encounter the Osprey Cam platform on the right-side of the road. Behind the platform, the Visitor Center can be seen off in the distance (visitors there can see the cam feed on a TV monitor inside. Note that the Visitor Center will reopen in late summer or early fall, after renovations are finished). In front of the osprey platform is the shallow Blackwater River (which empties into Fishing Bay and then the Chesapeake Bay), and is a prime fishing spot for the many birds that occupy the Refuge. The cam platform serves the birds well, as ospreys prefer nesting sites that have good visibility, are safe from predators, and provide access to a reliable fish supply in shallow waters.

The Osprey Cam platform at Blackwater is high in the air, so the ospreys have their privacy and don't seem to be disturbed by vehicles or people on the Drive. But even though the ospreys are located well above the ground, visitors with cameras -- especially those equipped with telephoto lenses -- can still get good photos of the ospreys while they're in the nest or flying around it. In fact, we have a video that I took from the Drive showing a mother osprey feeding two chicks that were born in 2003.

If you decide to explore Blackwater Refuge and wish to see the cam ospreys, we just ask that you be sure to stay on the Wildlife Drive and not enter the service road that leads to their platform. This road is for Refuge personnel only, and helps give the ospreys the breathing room they need. Most visitors to Blackwater Refuge come in spring, fall, and winter, as the summer insect population at Blackwater is quite formidable. Visit our FAQ page to learn more about visiting Blackwater Refuge.

Until next time,

Lisa - webmaster (contact)

Pic of the Week

Submitted by Kathy R. & Kolibaba