Our Osprey Garden
Greetings!
Our Osprey Garden in Colonial Beach is in full swing! Most of our nests are occupied and are in various stages! We have observed some females that already appear to be sitting on eggs while others are still in the nest building stage! Did you know that not only do ospreys pick up branches from the ground, but they also break off branches from trees while in flight? That is an amazing behavior to watch. If close enough you can hear the “snap” of the branch as it is broken off of the tree. During this time, you will see the male bringing fish to the female. The male often sits high to defend the nest from other ospreys. There is much activity!
Osprey eggs are about the size and shape of those of domestic hens. They are laid one to two days apart and usually hatch in the order in which they were laid. Both the male and the female will take turns incubating the eggs with the female taking on most of the incubation. The eggs hatch in the range of 35 to 43 days. Incubation begins with the laying of the first egg.
Our nest cam has recorded some interesting behaviors. I think we now have an established pair. We have finally observed what appears to be successful mating and nest building continues to occur. We might have a late clutch, time will tell. We have spoken with Dr. Alan F. Poole and he believes this could be a young pair and this nest may not be successful this year, however, time will tell and so we hold out hope!
You can view our nest cam at https://www.youtube.com/@virginiaosreyfoundation
Osprey Festival News
Our 6th Annual Virginia Osprey Festival in Colonial Beach is now in the books! Besides the wind, it was a beautiful day and we had a record turnout! I believe as promised, there were activities and displays for young and old alike! Our vendors and exhibitors were excellent and provided great experiences. The festival is the Foundation’s largest educational event of the year providing a great opportunity for both locals and visitors to learn about and appreciate the natural beauty of Colonial Beach and the importance of conservation efforts to protect species like the Osprey.
There are many costs involved with putting on a festival of this size and it would not be possible without the support of our many sponsors. I want to take this opportunity to thank:
Dominion Energy, Traffic Systems & Technology, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, The Wayt Studio, Westmoreland Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, The International Osprey Foundation, Dodson Companies, Colonial Beach Chamber of Commerce, Petite Taway, Riverview Inn, 4Imprint, and Beach Paws Boutique.
Our advertisors make it possible to provide you with a quality Festival Program loaded with information about not only the festival but our surrounding county. You can view them at Advertisers | Virginia Osprey Festival | The Virginia Osprey Foundation.
Many thanks to the 70 plus volunteers that made the festival happen! These volunteers are amazing and we are so blessed to have them gladly participate each year!
Our Festival Committee worked tirelessly since last June to put this together and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I want to thank the amazing speakers that shared their knowledge with us at the Fisheries Building! And speaking of the Fisheries building, we are thankful for the Potomac River Fisheries Commission and their generosity in allowing us to utilize their lovely meeting space.
Last but certainly not least, our guests/attendees, for supporting this festival, for the eagerness to learn more about our amazing raptor, the Osprey, the environment, and our other wildlife. We hope you enjoyed your experience as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Thank you everyone for your support and interest. Together we can make a difference for our Ospreys and our Environment!
SAVE THE DATE
7th Annual Virginia Osprey Festival in Colonial Beach
April 12, 2025
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