Osprey Nestling Count - Tuttle (& correction)

2 E-mails from Dick Tuttle with correction:

Hello Everyone,

Here is a count of Delaware County's Osprey nestlings:

Delaware Lake nest:
One nestling. Confirmed and observed on 15 June from 1935 - 2020 and on 22 June from 1435 - 1507.

Alum Creek Lake
Platform No. One: Two nestlings
Platform No. Four: Three nestlings

Hoover Reservoir nest:
One nestling
I easily counted two nestlings on 10 June 2007.
I observed only one nestling on 22 June 2007 between 1946 - 2025, and again on 23 June between 0830 - 0852. This is the first time that a decrease in nestlings has occurred since the first Delaware County nest in 2001. Of course, I hope that I am mistaken but feeding took place both times, and a second nestling did not show.

Seven Osprey nestlings among four nests appear to be thriving and growing toward fledging.

Raptor on, Dick

Correction to last Osprey email - Tuttle (6/24/07 at 8:o7 AM

Hello Everyone,

In yesterday's email, I mistakenly mentioned that the Hoover nest was "the first time that a decrease in nestlings has occurred since the first Delaware County nest in 2001." Apparently, I have been out in the sun too long. What I meant was it was the first time that a nest remained active after the number of nestlings decreased. Of course, some extremely young nestlings most likely have been lost in past years, and since they were never seen to be counted, the actual hatch remains unknown. An example would be this year's Delaware Lake nest where only one nestling is found. Most likely, the Delaware Lake nestling had siblings or possible siblings that never hatched. We will never know.

A young pair of Ospreys nested on Platform No. Three at Alum Creek in 2005 and were the latest Osprey family in Ohio that year. They had a nasty habit of leaving their nest unattended. Early on the morning of July 15, either a Great Horned Owl or a Bald Eagle carried off the nestlings. The young Osprey parents were subsequently cured of leaving their nest unattended. This was an event that abruptly changed the tally from two to zero.

I would guess that most nest deaths are slow and drawn out and are the result of many factors, especially among raptors. Always think positive and hope for the best.

Raptor on, Dick Tuttle