Ospreys Working for the Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day weekend is nearly here. Time for barbecues, beaches, and boardwalks again. Many more boats are appearing in the water within bays and rivers and the gentle pink blossoms of the beach rose are starting to emerge along the shore. For most folks, it’s the unofficial start of summer and a time to relax and have a break from work and school.

Not so for Ospreys though. Our local fish hawk population can’t slow down just yet. They are too busy nesting and incubating eggs. Raising a family is what’s on their minds for Memorial Day.

Females for the past several weeks have been sitting low in the nest  to keep the eggs warm and dry during incubation. Mom does most of the incubation, except when dad relives her on the nest to stretch her wings on a nearby perch.

The incubation period is about 35 to 42 days long. Not an easy time this spring. Cold temperatures, strong winds, and stormy weather have certainly tested the nurturing skills of our local Osprey population. Once an egg is laid, a warm temperature must be maintained to promote development of the little bird inside. This places a great burden on the parents, who must devote several weeks sitting still in all types of weather to protect the development of their offspring. One wrong shift in the nest could cause the end of all their hard work.

It can be a stressful time for sure. Female Osprey spend most of their time alone in the nest. If males cannot bring enough food to their mate, then females will have to live on stored body fat. Other animals, like raccoons and owls, who wish to steal an egg in the nest can also cause great stress to a nesting Osprey.

The males don’t have it any easier though. Male Ospreys are responsible for protecting their family from predators and providing all the food to their mate. A job taken seriously. Male Ospreys can often be seen spending many hours each day fishing in the shallows of the estuary.

Mid tide seems best for them to catch a fish. A fish hawk will soar anywhere from 60 to 100 feet above the water to catch a glimpse of their prey. Once spotted, it will pull back its wings and make a free-fall to the water. Ospreys are the only raptor that can dive into the water to catch a meal, and dives it does, almost vertically into the water, feet first to come out of the waves often with a fish clenched tightly in its talons. Lately this has included an alewife, fluke blackfish, or bluefish. The bird’s talon’s turning the fish head first to make it more aerodynamic when flying forward to the nest.

According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ospreys are excellent anglers. Recent studies suggest that Ospreys catch a fish on at least 1 in every 4 dives, with success rates sometimes as high as 70 percent. The average time the birds spend hunting before making a catch is about 12 minutes. A much better success rate than most weekend warriors around New York Harbor that try their luck catching a fish on sea or shore with a rod and reel in their hand.

Soon the incubation period will be over for the Ospreys. Usually sometime after Memorial Day weekend, the first eggs will hatch. Mom will sit higher in the nest to shade her young from the direct rays of the sun. She will spend at least the next three or four weeks in the nest to feed and care for her young, while dad continues to fish and bring home food for his family.

Whatever fish is caught by the male is shared by the entire family. Mom will eat and tear apart a fish into smaller parts for the young to shallow. Usually one or two young in the nest with high pitched cries from the female to keep the male searching for more fish in the estuary.

What drama! It’s nature at its beast right here in our local coastal environment. An amazing sight to witness so close to the tall skyscrapers and big bridges of New York City. Why not head down to your local Osprey nest this summer and watch some of this real life excitement for yourself. If you do, please respect and watch the birds from a distance. We wouldn’t want to cause anymore stress to an Osprey family.

For more information, pictures and year-round sightings of wildlife in or near Sandy Hook Bay, Raritan Bay, and Lower New York Bay, please check out my blog entitled, Nature on the Edge of New York City at http://natureontheedgenyc.blogspot.com/