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In August of 2019, Window to Wildlife installed a fixed camera for the land owner, Lori, on the nest and it was privately monitored.
In November, Andy & Lena took over the nest. In March, the pair laid three eggs. All three hatched in April but sadly none of the chicks survived. A combination of failure to thrive and predation by crows resulted in the deaths of all three chicks.
The cams continued to be monitored privately. In November of 2020, Andy & Lena returned to the nest. They began nestorations in late February which is a bit late for them. Crows were constantly at the nest throughout the winter of 2021. Andy & Lena did not nest during this season. We suspect the constant crows in the area drove Andy & Lena away and interrupted their nesting season. They did not migrate, hung around, and stopped by the nest from time to time.
This was the first year Window to Wildlife streamed the Captiva Osprey. Andy & Lena started nest work in early October. Lena laid three eggs in January and successfully hatched all three in February. One chick passed away. A necropsy was performed by the CROW Clinic and showed a general failure to thrive. The other two osprey named Little and Mini fledged successfully in April.
Andy & Lena again did not migrate and hung around throughout the offseason. A brand new nest platform was installed by Window to Wildlife and the International Osprey Foundation. WtW also installed a new PTZ cam so viewers could track where the ospreys were flying to. Andy & Lena were doing an abundance of work on the nest and everything was looking promising for another season. Unfortunately, Hurricane Ian hit at the end of September and destroyed the islands of Captiva and Sanibel. The brand new cams and nesting platforms were toppled over and flooded with storm surge. The electrical and internet infrastructures were destroyed. Amazingly, the PTZ cam, nest platform, and pole were unaffected. However, the fixed cam didn’t survive the storm. It looked as though the Captiva cam projects had come to an end, but the community rallied and helped fund the repairs through a GoFundMe. Lori, the land owner was crucial in getting the pole reinstalled and infrastructure repaired. Power and Internet were restored in December. Andy & Lena did not return after the storm. We are unsure what happened to them and hope they are safe. In January a new pair took over the nest and they were named Angus & Mabel. Mabel was displaced by a new female Florence. Florence laid three eggs in March. One egg was accidentally moved outside the egg cup. The other two were not incubated correctly and subsequently did not hatch. The season came to an end in late April.
The nesting platform and cam system were hit by lightning in the off-season. See this video for more details.
Both cams were destroyed and only the fixed cam and mic system were replaced. Window to Wildlife plans on replacing the PTZ cam in the future.
There was a lot of competition for this osprey platform as most were still being repaired after Ian. Jack had a mate Ruby at the beginning of the season, but got replaced by Edie. They laid 4 eggs. 1 did not hatch, 1 got crushed, but 2 hatched. CO7 & CO8 were named Ding & Darling by the land owner, Lori.
Towards the end of the season, storms picked up and made food scares. Ding fledged without issue, Darling fledged but was weak due to lack of food. Darling was seen crashing into the water near the cam, was rescued and taken to CROW Clinic for rehab. Sadly Darling did not make it. For more info visit this post by CROW.
A memorial plaque was placed on the nest pole for Darling & BigO.
Egg #1: march 10th 2024 @ 3:37:29pm Egg #2 March 13th 2024 @ 12:21:50pm
Egg #3: March 16th 2024 @ 1:01:36pm Egg #4: March 19th 2024 @ 11:27:53pm
CO7 Hatched April 23rd 2024 @ 7:39:20am CO8 Hatched April 24th 2024
@ 7:53:24pm
Ding Fledge June 22ns 2024 & Darling Fledge June 26th 2024
New 4K PTZ camera has been added. Lightning protection updated and much more. Watch this video for more details.
Thanks to the new cam, we are able to see Jack’s “Spike” that has been implanted in his leg for the past few months. It is a pectoral spine from a Hardheaded catfish!
Will update this section when the season is over.
Coastal development for residential and industrial purposes often results in the destruction and fragmentation of osprey nesting habitats, reducing suitable locations for nesting and foraging.
Wetland drainage and alteration of shorelines further contribute to habitat loss, depriving ospreys of essential areas for hunting and nesting.
Deforestation and urban expansion near freshwater bodies can limit the availability of suitable nest sites and impact an osprey’s ability to find secure locations for raising their young.
Pesticides and industrial pollutants, such as PCBs and heavy metals, accumulate in water bodies, contaminating fish—the primary prey of ospreys.
Incorrectly discarded fishing lines pose a hazard to ospreys due to the risk of entanglement. While hunting for fish, ospreys can become ensnared in abandoned fishing lines, leading to physical injuries such as lacerations on their feet or wings. Entangled lines can also be inadvertently incorporated into osprey nests, causing harm to chicks and impacting breeding success. Responsible fishing practices and proper disposal of fishing gear are crucial to mitigate this hazard and protect osprey populations.
Microplastic pollution in aquatic ecosystems poses an emerging threat as ospreys may inadvertently consume plastic particles when catching and consuming fish, leading to digestive issues and overall health problems.
Red tide events in Florida, exacerbated by pollution-driven nutrient runoff, have detrimental effects on osprey populations. The harmful algal blooms, specifically those caused by dinoflagellate species like Karenia brevis, can lead to bioaccumulation of brevetoxins in the fish that ospreys prey upon. As ospreys feed on contaminated fish from red tide-affected waters, they inadvertently ingest these potent toxins.
The brevetoxins interfere with the osprey’s nervous system and can result in a range of health issues. Neurological impairments may affect an osprey’s ability to hunt effectively, navigate their surroundings, and care for their offspring. Additionally, the toxins can compromise an osprey’s reproductive success, leading to lower hatching rates and the overall decline of osprey populations in areas affected by red tide events.
Furthermore, the indirect consequences of red tide, such as the depletion of fish stocks due to algal blooms, reduce osprey’s access to a critical food source. This scarcity of prey can further strain osprey populations, affecting their overall fitness and survival.
Changes in fish distribution and abundance, driven by alterations in water temperature and currents, may affect an osprey’s ability to find an adequate and consistent food supply.
Shifts in prey availability and environmental conditions can also influence the timing of osprey migration, potentially leading to mismatches with optimal nesting periods and affecting reproductive success.
Ospreys are recognized by their brown and white coloration. Brown across the back and white across the chest and underside of the wings with a noticeable dark patch at the wrists. A sprinkling of darker feathers around the throat is often observed. This “necklace” tends to be more prominent in females. The head is typically white with a dark stripe that runs from the eyes towards the back of the head, easily distinguishing them from the bald eagles that they are often mistaken for. (NWF)
Like many birds of prey, females tend to be larger than males. (USFW Service)
Though they appear large and are often mistaken for bald eagles, ospreys are a bit smaller in size typically weighing between three and four pounds and exhibiting a wingspan of five to six feet. (Nat Geo)
Juveniles obtain their full adult plumage at approximately 18 months of age. During this period their eye color will also change from brownish orange to bright yellow. (USFW Service)
These birds can be found on every continent except Antarctica. (USFW Service)
As their diet is mainly composed of fish, ospreys are generally observed near large bodies of water including lakes, rivers, wetlands, and coastal marshes (NWF)
Some populations of ospreys migrate. Across North America, many will migrate to a winter range spanning from Florida to Mexico and into South America. (USFW Service)
When hunting fish they have a success rate of about 25% meaning that they will catch a fish on one out of every four dives. (USFW Service)
Ospreys have a unique way of carrying fish. After a successful catch, they will rotate the fish in their long hooked talons to have its head facing forward. This reduces aerodynamic drag making the fish easier to carry. (NWF)
Fish make up an average of 99% of an ospreys diet. They possess several adaptations that allow these birds to be more effective hunters including barbs or spicules on their feet that allow for better-grasping fish, the ability to rotate their outermost toe allowing for a two toes in front/two toes in back orientation, and the ability to seal their nostrils as they can dive so forcefully that they completely submerge themselves in water. (NWF)
It is not uncommon to see other birds, including bald eagles, try to intimidate ospreys into dropping their catch. (USFW Service)
Ospreys will construct large stick nests almost anywhere including the tops of dead trees, on top of power poles or highway signs, man-made nesting platforms, and sometimes even buoys or chimneys amongst other structures. (USFW Service)
Pairs will typically return to the same nest year after year, making modifications and adding to their existing nest as opposed to building a new one. (USFW Service)
Clutch size can be one to four eggs but usually three. The female generally takes on the responsibility of incubation while the male defends the nest and provides food. (USFW Service)
Juveniles obtain their full adult plumage at approximately 18 months of age. During this period their eye color will also change from brownish orange to bright yellow. (USFW Service)After about a month eggs hatch. It takes approximately 60 days for young ospreys to make their first flights. After fledging young ospreys tend to stay with their parents for around two months. (USFW Service)
Osprey populations across North America suffered greatly due to the pesticide DDT which resulted in a thinning of eggshells and a decreased rate of successful hatches. They were officially listed as endangered in 1976. (USFW Service)
After the banning of DDT populations began to rebound, their status was downgraded from endangered to threatened in 1983. In 1999, they were listed as a species of least concern. (USFW Service)
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