Severna Park Osprey
Severna Park, Maryland
Camera Information
A LIVE VIEW OF SEVERNA PARK'S OSPREY NEST - Home of "Oscar" & "Olivia"
Brought to you by the Maryland Raptor Rescue, Inc. • Powered by HDOnTap
ABOUT THE SEVERNA PARK OSPREY
Unique among North American raptors for its diet of live fish and ability to dive into water to catch them, ospreys are superb fishers and indeed eat little else - fish make up some 99% of their diet! It is a large raptor, reaching more than 60 cm (24 in) in length and 180 cm (71 in) across the wings. It is brown on the upperparts and predominantly greyish on the head and underparts. The osprey tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location near a body of water providing an adequate food supply. It is found on all continents except Antarctica, although in South America it occurs only as a non-breeding migrant.
Ospreys breed near freshwater lakes and rivers, and sometimes on coastal brackish waters. The nest is a large heap of sticks, driftwood, turf or seaweed built in forks of trees, rocky outcrops, utility poles, artificial platforms or offshore islets. Generally, ospreys reach sexual maturity and begin breeding around the age of three to four, though in some regions with high osprey densities, such as Chesapeake Bay in the U.S., they may not start breeding until five to seven years old, and there may be a shortage of suitable tall structures.
Ospreys usually mate for life. In spring the pair begins a five-month period of partnership to raise their young. The female lays two to four eggs within a month, and relies on the size of the nest to conserve heat. The eggs are whitish with bold splotches of reddish-brown and are about 6.2 cm × 4.5 cm (2.4 in × 1.8 in) and weigh about 65 g (2.3 oz). The eggs are incubated for about 35–43 days to hatching. The newly hatched chicks weigh only 50–60 g (1.8–2.1 oz), but fledge in 8–10 weeks.
The Severna Park osprey nest was originally located on a light pole on the athletic field at Severna Park High School. After the ospreys migrated south in 2014, the light pole was removed for construction. When the osprey returned, they tried to build a new nest on top of a construction crane, beginning a daily routine of the construction crew removing the nesting material followed by the ospreys bringing it back. Ultimately, the ospreys built a nest on a live utility pole at the construction site, which was later rendered safe by BGE. The osprey completed their nesting season and migrated south again.
While the ospreys were gone, BGE erected a dedicated osprey platform to allow the ospreys a safe and long-term nesting location. This occured largely through the efforts of neighborhood couple Mark & Heather Jeweler, who also arranged the partnerships and planning to provide live streaming of this nest. They encourage anyone that recognizes a need to be come a peaceful, encouraging activist and make a difference.
ABOUT THE SEVERNA PARK OSPREY CAM
Located at Severna Park High School in Severna Park, MD, the Severna Park Osprey Cam is made possible by Maryland Raptor Rescue, Inc. in conjunction with HDOnTap, BGE, Comcast Business, Maryland Department of Natural Resources, Severna Park High School and the Chesapeake Audobon Society.
History
2020 Season
Season Summary: TBD
- March 10, 2020 - Live stream turned on for season
- April 4, 2020 - First Egg Laid
- April 6, 2020 - Second Egg Laid
- April 9, 2020 - Third Egg Laid
- April 12, 2020 - Fourth Egg Laid
- May 13, 2020 - First Hatch
- May 14, 2020 - Second Hatch
- May 16, 2020 - Third Hatch
- May 19, 2020 - Fourth Hatch
- June 3, 2020 - Fourth Chick Deceased
- July 10, 2020 6:22am - First Fledge
- July 10, 2020 9:03am - Second Fledge
2019 Season
Season Summary: Clutch of two eggs, one hatch, one fledge
- March 14, 2019 - Camera goes live
- April 12, 2019 - First egg laid
- April 15, 2019 - Second egg laid
- May 21, 2019 - First egg hatch
- July 19, 2019 - First fledge
- September 12, 2019 - Camera turned off for the season
2018 Season
Season Summary:
Clutch of four eggs, three hatches, two fledges
- April 5, 2018 - First egg laid
- April 8, 2018 - Second egg laid
- April 11, 2018 - Third egg laid
- April 14, 2018 - Fourth egg laid
- May 14, 2018 - First hatch
- May 17, 2018 - Second hatch
- May 18, 2018 - Second hatchling deceased
- May 20, 2018 - Third hatch
- July 11, 2018 - First Fledge
- July 19, 2018 - Second Fledge
2017 Season
Season Summary:
Clutch of three eggs, three hatches, two fledges
- March 11, 2017 - First sighting of male osprey near nest
- March 17, 2017 - Resident pair return to nest site
- April 12, 2017 - First egg laid
- April 15, 2017 - Second egg laid
- April 19, 2017 - Third egg laid
- May 20, 2017 - First hatch
- May 21, 2017 - Second hatch
- May 26, 2017- Third hatch
- June 8, 2017 - Hatchling deceased
- July 15, 2017 - First fledge
- July 19, 2017 - Second fledge
- September 28, 2017 - Cameras turned off for the season
2016 Season
Season Summary:
Clutch of three eggs, two hatches, two fledges
- March 9, 2016 - Camera installed
- March 13, 2016 - Resident osprey pair return to nest site
- April 4, 2016 - First egg laid
- April 7, 2016 - Second egg laid
- April 10, 2016 - Third egg laid
- May 10, 2016 - First hatch
- May 14, 2016 - Second hatch
- May 20. 2016 - Non-viable egg removed from nest by parents
Gallery
Click the menu icon in the upper left of the player to see more videos.
Highlight Clips
October 10, 2019
2019 Season Highlights | Severna Park Ospreys • Watch Clip
Highlights from the Severna Park Ospreys' 2019 nesting season.
June 04, 2018
Dinner Time • Watch Clip
The parent osprey feeds two young babies in this nest. The oldest hatched on May 14, 2018, and the younger/smaller chick hatched on May 20th. The non-viable egg is still visible in the nest.
May 14, 2018
First Hatch • Watch Clip
The first Severna Park Osprey egg hatched on May 14, 2018 around 3pm PST. Watch this clip of the chick emerging from its shell!
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