Osprey Pair Returns To Huntington Lighthouse

HUNTINGTON, NY — The osprey pair that made the Huntington Lighthouse its summer home last year have returned, according to a lighthouse spokesperson.

The birds spent the winter down South in a warmer climate but was recently spotted by Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society (HLPS) volunteers. The birds' presence marks a hopeful sign for a successful breeding season.

Last spring, the then juvenile pair built its nest on a vulnerable, low-lying pier leading up to the lighthouse. A raised platform was built for the ospreys with the help of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and the nest was moved seamlessly. The ospreys immediately took to their new nest and spent the rest of the summer soaking in the Huntington waterfront view.

“The safety of the nesting pair continues to be a priority and look forward to working again with the DEC to provide a safe summer home for our resident ospreys," Pam Setchell, president of the HLPS, said via news release. “We would love to be able to point out the nest and birds to our Lighthouse tour guests and share important information about ospreys and what we can all do to continue to help them thrive here on Long Island.”

Like all homes left for the winter, the nest needed a spring cleaning when the pair returned, and the male could be seen bringing new sticks and twigs to the platform. The female was spotted sitting on the nest. The mother osprey is sitting on two eggs, lighthouse officials found.

Last season, the likely first-time parents didn’t appear to have a viable hatchling.

Ospreys mate for life, going their separate ways when migrating south for the winter but reuniting in the spring and summer, returning to the same nest. Osprey nests have become common sightings around Long Island’s marshy shorelines, a testament to the birds' rebound from near extinction in the 1960s. Better protection and the elimination of DDT as a pesticide have contributed to their success story. But ospreys are still protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and disturbing an active nest is a federal and state offense.

“DEC is excited to see this young osprey pair return to the Huntington Harbor Lighthouse and utilize the platform that was erected for them," said Chip Hamilton, DEC wildlife biologist. "Osprey are habitual nesters, meaning they return to the same nest if they have had a successful breeding season. Hopefully, this pair will be successful and return to this location for years to come."

Visitors who take a tour of the lighthouse may be able to see the birds and nest up close. More information on summer tours of the Huntington Lighthouse is here. All tour proceeds go to the ongoing restoration and preservation of the Huntington Harbor Lighthouse.

Similar to last season, the Lighthouse Music Festival is scheduled for Sept. 3, as the birds will likely have departed by early September.