Osprey Chicks and Nests

Soon as we arrived in Everglades City first of January, I quickly took notice of their half dozen or so Osprey nests throughout the town, observing females were already incubating/brooding.

At the end of March before leaving, the chicks were practically full grown.

Osprey chick

Osprey chick spreading those enormous wings

Osprey parent looking at its chick who is watching something in the sky

Two Osprey chicks

Everglades City Osprey Chicks

At home around the Chesapeake Bay, our female Osprey are just now beginning to lay their eggs. 😲

The Osprey in Everglades City had some interesting nests. One Osprey nest platform idea in Florida is the use of old satellite dishes. Holes are drilled for drainage and then they’re erected on poles, providing ample room for a growing family. What an awesome idea to recycle old dishes!

Satellite dish nest

High School field lights nest

Satellite dish nest

No takers this year for this new satellite dish setup

Communications tower nest

Top of tree AND top of tower in background

A Few of Everglades City’s Several Osprey Nests

Seen at a residence in Everglades City ❤

And to finish up my Florida Osprey, a final capture of a male at sunset, watching over his family.

Male Osprey

I’m missing these Florida Osprey, but am delighted to see an adult pair fishing the lake at our present location in SC. And soon, I’m hoping we’re able to return home to see our Chesapeake Bay Osprey who arrived mid-March and are in the process of laying eggs now!

Tags: chick, chicks, dish, Everglades City, Florida, male, nest, Osprey, platform, profile, satellite, tower, wingspan

41 thoughts on “Osprey Chicks and Nests”

Eliza Waters on 04/26/2020 at 8:31 PM said:

You must be missing B&B. I kind of miss them, too! I love the recycled satellite dishes – brilliant idea!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/26/2020 at 11:12 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Eliza, the dish idea is just so awesome! Yes, I do wonder if they both made it back AND what does the nest look like……if there is one! LOL
  
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  - Eliza Waters on 04/27/2020 at 3:41 PM said:
    
    The certainly were minimalists, weren’t they? 😉
    
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Reed Andariese on 04/26/2020 at 8:39 PM said:

Always enjoy seeing your Osprey images Donna! One of my favorite birds to photograph!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/26/2020 at 11:12 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Reed! We have the same taste with raptors! 🙂
  
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H.J. for avian101 on 04/26/2020 at 10:01 PM said:

Fantastic photos, Donna. I see that you’re making “connections” with other Ospreys in SC. That’ll keep you busy for a while, I’m sure. 🙂

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/26/2020 at 11:13 PM said:
  
  Thank you, HJ! Well, if they would just fly over my way maybe! lol But I do still like watching them hunt and fly, they are a beautiful bird. 🙂
  
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David on 04/26/2020 at 10:55 PM said:

I don’t mean to disparage Bella and Beau but it looks as though the Everglades Ospreys know how to build a proper nest. 🙂

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/26/2020 at 11:15 PM said:
  
  Most definitely! If/when I get back home, I want to visit B&B just to see what that nest looks like this season! 😉
  
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The Hinoeuma on 04/27/2020 at 1:57 AM said:

What a great idea with the dishes.

I love the Osprey whirligig.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/27/2020 at 9:58 AM said:
  
  I’d love to see the dish idea used around the Chesapeake Bay, B&B would certainly benefit since they couldn’t keep the sticks on their small manmade platform. And I need one of those whirligig!! 🙂
  
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  - The Hinoeuma on 04/27/2020 at 11:33 PM said:
    
    Who built B&B’s platform?
    
    I’d love to have one, too. In your travels, ever seen one made as a Red Tail?
    
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    - bayphotosbydonna on 04/28/2020 at 7:59 AM said:
      
      Someone in the community had erected it before we rented there. It is on the ‘small’ size compared to all the Osprey platform building plans I’ve seen.
      
      No Red-tail seen. I bet that one would be pretty!
      
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      - The Hinoeuma on 04/28/2020 at 1:26 PM said:
        
        We’ve got Red Tails that nest in the high trees around the Eno River. I hear them call all the time.
Gunta on 04/27/2020 at 4:13 AM said:

Not quite the same as your previous perch looking down into the nest, but still great fun I’m sure. Love the idea of using the dishes. I bet Beau and Bella might have had an easier time keeping the sticks from falling off the platform. 😆

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/27/2020 at 9:59 AM said:
  
  Thanks, Gunta. Yes, B&B would surely benefit from a dish platform!! 😆
  
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aussiebirder on 04/27/2020 at 4:38 AM said:

Love the light in the last pic Donna. Yes, it was an amazing journey for you with your Chesapeake Bay Osprey, watching them nest and breed.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/27/2020 at 9:59 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Ashley! I am missing my CBay Osprey….. 🙂
  
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Indira on 04/27/2020 at 4:53 AM said:

Osprey series is back…great, Donna!!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/27/2020 at 10:00 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Indira!!
  
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emberbear on 04/27/2020 at 8:40 AM said:

Wonderful, Donna.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/27/2020 at 10:03 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Imorgana!
  
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Jet Eliot on 04/27/2020 at 9:20 AM said:

Wonderful to see these osprey, Donna, and I’m sure your beloved osprey at home are in your thoughts as well. They are a testament to the DDT ban–their populations were in steep decline not that long ago, and now we see breeding and healthy populations all over the world. Looking at your beautiful photos here of these magnificent birds, seeing satellite dishes recycled and used for their nesting platforms, a true success story. Great post and terrific photos.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/27/2020 at 10:12 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Jet. It was surreal seeing Osprey raising families during the winter in Florida for me, knowing our CBay Osprey were as far as South America for their winter grounds, with not a thought about breeding. 🙂 I know you appreciate the dish platforms, both recycled and so perfect for big nests!
  
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Jane's Heartsong on 04/27/2020 at 11:16 AM said:

That is a great way to use recycled dishes. I saw that they were nesting atop lights and thought that may be bothersome to have light all night long, but they also have heated nests.I am happy as well to see some are keeping it natural atop a tree. Lovely light on the last shot of the male osprey.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/27/2020 at 7:02 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Jane! The nest on the lights are field lights for a sports field at the town’s school. So no all-night bother to the Osprey family! 🙂
  
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  - Jane's Heartsong on 04/28/2020 at 11:20 AM said:
    
    Oh, that’s good. Wonder if they watch the games?
    
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    - bayphotosbydonna on 04/28/2020 at 9:13 PM said:
      
      😊
      
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Isabel Fernández Bernaldo de Quirós on 04/27/2020 at 4:27 PM said:

Loved this post, Donna. So interesting and your photos are really wonderful!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/27/2020 at 7:04 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Isabel!
  
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tootlepedal on 04/27/2020 at 5:45 PM said:

That tall tree shot was impressive.

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/27/2020 at 7:07 PM said:
  
  I don’t know what kind that tree is, it stays green year-round but boy they do grow tall, thin and beautiful. I kept meaning to get another photo vertical full shot top to bottom to show it’s height. That Osprey family certainly has an incredible 360 degrees view! 🙂
  
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belindagroverphotography on 04/27/2020 at 5:59 PM said:

I do love that sunset shot. This post reminds me of the adventures of your osprey pair back home. 😊

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/27/2020 at 7:15 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Belinda, I missed posting it before and just had to include him, he was just too handsome . 😊 Seeing Osprey chicks during winter was quite surreal, lol, the Osprey back home are just now laying their eggs. I’m hoping to be able to check them out when we get home to see a season all over again! A two-fer season for me! 😉
  
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Irene Tron, Heaven's Sunshine on 04/28/2020 at 5:51 AM said:

Best idea ever – recycled satellite dishes as nests. Fantastic shots of the osprey. 😊

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/28/2020 at 8:05 AM said:
  
  Thank you, Irene! They should certainly outlast any wooden platforms I’ve seen deteriorate so many times just a few years after erected. 😊
  
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circadianreflections on 04/28/2020 at 2:01 PM said:

Lovely images, Donna!

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/28/2020 at 9:23 PM said:
  
  Thank you, Deborah!
  
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Tofino Photography on 04/28/2020 at 4:24 PM said:

I do love that idea of using a satellite dish as well Donna!
The upper right shot looks like a nest has been built right beside some high intensity stadium lights? I wonder If it could catch fire?

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- bayphotosbydonna on 04/28/2020 at 9:35 PM said:
  
  Thanks Wayne! Those lights are baseball/softball field lights for Everglades City School K-12 that presently serves 188 students total. So they are not on a whole lot ever. But, I do know there was a concern about a nest catching fire with a high school in Maryland that did have big stadium field lights. When the Osprey season was done, the nest was removed and a raised platform, maybe 2′ high, was installed well above the lights. Sure enough, the Osprey returned and used the raised platform and all was good after that! 🙂
  
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  - Tofino Photography on 04/28/2020 at 9:39 PM said:
    
    Oh thats good news Donna! They may actually like the outdoor heating I bet?
    
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