06/10/2026
Warning: Sad, long post ahead...
I'm sorry to report that Ral and Mary have lost all three chicks, marking three consecutive years of unsuccessful nesting.
Over the past several weeks, I've seen very few fish being brought to the nest, and the fish that were delivered were freshwater species, largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish. Considering this nest is surrounded by saltwater, that was an early sign that fishing conditions were poor.
Atlantic menhaden (bunker) make up the majority of our local ospreys' diet, and this year they've been remarkably scarce. I've been flying my drone almost every morning that weather permits, actively searching for signs of baitfish. The last bunker schools I spotted were back in early May, and they only stayed around for a couple of days. Since then, the ocean has been unusually quiet, which is also why you've been seeing so many trail camera posts lately. There simply hasn't been much happening in the marine environment to share.
Today, I went to photograph the empty nest so I could share this unfortunate news with all of you. As I arrived, I noticed Mary perched on a piling with something in her talons. At first, I assumed it was a fish. When I zoomed in to identify the species, I was surprised to discover it was the chick that had passed away yesterday.
She sat there staring at it and calling loudly. After a while, she took off and made several circles around the pond before returning to the nest. She then moved to the perch, continuing to look at the lifeless chick while calling out repeatedly. It was a difficult thing to witness.
Looking back through my observations, I've noticed that during the last few years Ral and Mary have been laying their eggs much earlier than they did during the first few seasons after the nest was erected. I'm not sure what changed, but nesting earlier has not seemed to work in their favor.
I'm curious to hear how the osprey nests in your area are doing this season. Have your chicks been successful so far?
Let's hope for better luck next year.
