Announcement Regarding the Essex Land Trust OspreyCam
Sad news... a predator attacked the Osprey nest being monitored by our OspreyCam sometime between late afternoon of July 3 and the morning of July 4, killing all three of the young Osprey. We have inspected the site and have reason to believe that it was an avian predator, most likely a Great Horned Owl. This kind of predation is not unusual in nature.
When we started this project, we knew that in nature there are always risks; however, the pair on our platform had successfully raised offspring for over ten years. Although this event is nature’s way of ensuring survival of the fittest, it has taken us by surprise and has left us with great sadness and a sense of loss.
It is possible, though not likely, that the Osprey will mate again and attempt to raise a second clutch. If they do, we would re-start the live broadcast. In the meantime, we will be creating an additional set of more current videos which can be accessed on the Land Trust website. We will decide our plans for the future after we have fully assessed the situation and what we have learned over the course of the year.
The installation of the Essex Land Trust OspreyCam was funded by the Middlesex County Community Foundation/Riverview Cemetery.
OspreyCam Video Recordings
Click each of the video clips below to open a YouTube page showing that episode. Additional OspreyCam videos can be seen by visiting the ELT YouTube page Here.
| First egg hatches | First chick | Feeding three chicks |
The blessed moment arrives... |
...and asks for a meal. | Ozzie's discovering this is a full-time job. |
| Ozzie can't let go | Egg #2 | It's a flock! |
Those talons of his have a tight grip. |
Egg number two arrives. The family is growing. |
Egg #3! Soon they’ll need a new wing on the house. |
