Volume VI, December Edition
Our Osprey Garden
Greetings!
There is not much to report on our ospreys this month. I am sure they are all settled into their wintering grounds by now enjoying the nice warm weather and good fishing. Remember, the babies born this year will not return to this area until the Spring of 2024. They spend at least 18 months in their wintering grounds.
I did receive another email from Fabio Olmos, he has been in Indonesia and is only seeing eastern ospreys there. He will be back to Brazil and likely Rondonia by January and will send news about any ospreys he sees there. We are so fortunate to have this contact and truly appreciate any news and updates he is able to send. I am working on establishing other contacts that can report to us as well!
Osprey Fact - Approximately six months of an adult osprey’s year is centered around the nest.
Osprey Fact - The attraction of mates is as much to their mutual nest as it is to each other.
Festival News
April is coming quick! Only four more months until we celebrate the return of our ospreys!
We have a great line-up
Exhibitors
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
George Washington’s Birthplace Monument
Westmoreland State Park
Caledon State park
Beach Art and Music Mentoring
Department of Wildlife Resources
Kate Garchinsky, Illustrator of Belle’s Journey, a children’s book about Belle, a young osprey
Colonial Beach Chamber of Commerce
Colonial Beach Greenspace
Downtown Colonial Beach
Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge
Potomac River Keepers
Master Naturalists
NN Audubon
Dominion Energy
Ken Smith, Licensed Bird Bander
We will have food vendors and many quality craft vendors and artists!
There will be activities for children, educational and fun!
We will have the ever popular Trolley nest tours and golf cart nest tours!
There will be presentations by:
Bryon Watts, Director, Center for Conservation Biology
Mike Callahan, Chief Ornithologist, Caledon State Park
Greg Kearns, Park Naturalist, Patuxent State Park
Pam Narney, Master Naturalist
Melissa Gross, Northern Neck Audubon Society
We still have festival hats for sale at Colonial Buzz Espresso Bar and we have festival stickers!
As we approach the festival new merchandise will be available, stay tuned!
· Remember 50% of festival profits go into an osprey/wildlife fund. Thank you for your support!
· SAVE THE DATE APRIL 15, 2023
· Tickets will be on sale after the first of the year! You will be able to buy them at various locations and online!
May you have a wonderful holiday season!
We will see you next year!
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If you have stories or an experience that you would like to share in the newsletter for next month, please send an email to: ospreycbva@gmail.com