WebCam is Down - But ospreys are back

Sorry, we had difficulties with a switch in internet  providers and change in signal towers.  We are working on getting the technical difficulties ironed out.  Be patient.

The ospreys are back on the refuge and actively reconstructing their nest.

Stay posted.
rcc

Enhanced Ospreycam Experience

Dear viewers:  Yes, the osprey have left for points south and we are now in the process of getting ready for an enhanced viewing experience for the next nesting season.  Our intention is to put up a close-in camera so we can see into the nest.  With a grant that we received from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and with inkind help from the Friends group and others like you, we are extending the electrical line to the nesting pole (see photo below) and will purchase & install a bullet camera which will allow us to look right into the nest to see the eggs hatch and watch the early rearing days of the young ospreys.

You can help by contributing to the cost of this project and in helping us with the monthly internet fee.  You can send a check directly to:

Friends of Deer Flat Wildlife Refuge
13751 Upper Embankment Rd
Nampa, Idaho  83686
or
donate directly via PAYPAL --just go back to the live streaming video and hit the Paypal button.

Thank you for your interest!

Sincerely, Bob Christensen, Ospreycam Coordinator

AERO is still using the nest as home base and will continue to do so until he migrates in September.  His mother will leave first on her long flight south, while the father will remain behind to help Aero with meals. The father

will migrate about the same time as Aero, which will be a few weeks after the mother leaves.  All but the southernmost breeding populations in North America are migratory, vacating their breeding grounds in late summer for rain-forest rivers and fish-rich seacoasts and lakes of Central and South America.

AERO HAS FLEDGED

AERO has officially fledged.  He/she was off the nest this morning. But for the next month will continue hanging around the nest area perfecting its fly ability and learning how to fish.

Nearing time for Aero to Fledge

Keep watching.  Aero is preparing his/her wings to gain strength to fly.  The young ospreys have traditionally fedged (first flight from nest) within the first week or two of August.

AERO is the name selected for the Osprey Chick

Yes, we have a name for the osprey chick.  It is AERO.  The name was submitted by Sheryl Faller and selected by majority vote.  Sheryl tells us that "Aero" denotes something of the "air" like aeronautical.  It is also Middle English for "one."

Aero is growing fast.  His/Her parents are spending a lot of time hunting and feeding.  And this last week they are on extra duty of shading Aero from the hot July sun.

Keep watching.  rcc

Only One Chick

We have been able to confirm only one chick on the nest.  He/She is growing fast.  Keep watching.  If you have any suggestions for a name for the young osprey, send them to rcloydchris@juno.com.

WE HAVE CHICKS

Today was the first time that I observed the female feeding chicks.  The chicks are still only a few days old...they aren't sticking their heads above the bowl of the nest yet.  Be patient, they soon will and then we will know how many there are.  Be thinking of some names to give them.

WEB PHOTO OF OSPREY EGGS AND HATCHING CHICKS

Osprey Incubating Clutch of Eggs

Our resident pair of ospreys is incubating eggs.  If you watch consistently you may catch the male bringing in fish to his mate.  As near as we can tell, the incubation process started about May 1st.  That means we should have chicks sometime during the first week of June.  So, keep watching.  We w
ill have a chick naming contest once we know how many hatch,  rcc

The Ospreys are back

The ospreys are back for another nesting season.  They are currently in nest building mode.  It will be another week or two before eggs are laid.

Technical Difficulties

We are experiencing some transmission and operation difficulties with the webcam.  It will take some on site maintenance...climbing up to the camera and transmitter to fix the situation.  SOOOOO, stay tuned.  We want to get the camera operating again so we can experience winter wildlife on the refuge


And, YES, the ospreys have left...headed south for the winter.

Fishin' & Wishin' Preparing to Head South

Fishen' & Wishin' are still using the nest as home base and will continue to do so until they migrate in September. The female adult usually migrates first, while the male adult remains behind to help the young with meals. The male will migrate about the same time as the young, which is a few weeks after the mother, depending on the chicks' development. All but the southernmost breeding populations in North America are migratory, vacating their breeding grounds in late summer for rain-forest rivers and fish-rich seacoasts and lakes of Central and South America.

Empty Nest - Young are fledging

Fishin' & Wishin' have officially fledged.  They leave the nest then return again.  Yesterday when I looked only one was on the nest.   Today there was an empty nest early in the morning then both were back later on with one of the parents. They will continue hanging around the nest area and learning how to fly and fish for the next month.

Young difficult to tell from parents

The young ospreys are the same size as their parents now.  If you watch the webcam often enough you will see Fishin' or Wishin' extending their long wings and exercising them in preparation for their first flight which should be within the next 2 or 3 weeks.

Can you tell which of the 4 ospreys are the two young birds?

FISHIN' & WISHIN' GROWING UP

Fishin' & Wishin' are growing rapidly and taking on the look of their parents.  The parents are bringing in several fish a day to keep up with the appetites of their offspring.

Names Chosen for Osprey Chicks

Thanks to all of you who submitted suggested names for the osprey chicks.  An impartial Judge who will remain anonymous has declared the winning names to be:

Fishin' & Wishin'

Names for the Osprey Chicks

So far the following names have been submitted for our two chicks:
Fred & Wilma
Mickey & Minnie
Bonnie & Clyde
Nova & Flight
Blinken & Nod
Bobble & Wobble

Send in your ideas or vote on the formentioned names by July 8th.
Send responses to ospreydeerflat@gmail.com

Two Young Confirmed

I was recently watching the parent ospreys ripping pieces of fish flesh and feeding it to their two young which are growing at a rapid rate.  I was able to capture the feeding behavior with the webcam as seen below.  rcc

Bald Eagles at Refuge Fledge One Young

JUST A NOTE OF INTEREST:  The bald eagle pair which nest west of the visitor center have fledged one young this month.  The other pair on the east end of the lake have possibly fledged at least one young, but it was not observed.

 Bald Eagle Fledgling on Narrows/North Side Nest 6/21/13

We have at least TWO Chicks

I was just watching the video feed and could see the wobbley heads of two chicks sticking up above the bowl of the nest, begging for attention/food.  Keep watching....there may be another 1 or 2 young ones in the nest.   rcc