All Eyes On The Cam: Soon, Osprey Soar Back To Shoreline Nests

MADISON, CT — It's not uncommon to see osprey nesting platforms all along the shoreline. And beginning in mid to late March when the fish hawks return to their nests, couples and their soon-to-be-born osprey off-spring, known simply as Osprey babies, abound.

Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison is a great place to spy Osprey as nest platforms dot the slat marshes there. On its website, the park's Meigs Point Nature Center features an Osprey cam where one can get a bird's eye view of the hawks in their nest.

Naturalist ranger Russ Miller shared that the Nature Center is holding its annual first Osprey fo the season contest.

"We are celebrating the return of the Osprey once again by having our annual Facebook contest," he wrote. "We anticipate their return around St. Patrick's Day, but recently they have decided to stick around their winter homes a few days longer."

So sometimes around or after March 17, Osprey will return to Hammonasset. And the first person to capture that moment wins.

Here's how it works:

First, here's the link to the Osprey cam.

• Screenshot the image of the Osprey directly from the Osprey cam on the nest. Make sure the date and time are visible on your photo.
• Message the Meigs Point Nature Center and share your photo.
• The person that sends the first photo of the returning bird will be the winner of a Friends of Hammonasset hat, color of your choice along with an 8 x 10 photo of a local Osprey.

Here's Ranger Russ talking about Osprey just as the hawk makes a landing in a Hammonasset nest.

Learn more about Osprey here.