The Best Osprey Nest To Watch

This isn’t the best nest to sit and observe, but it is my favorite to keep an eye on all summer. It is easy to see, it is just below the last businesses and the marina in Dewey along the side of route 1 southbound on the bay side. It is my favorite to observe when I am stuck in traffic, daily in the summer.

There are many of these low profile nests around the inland bays, and waterways. The shorter nests make it easier to observe when the eggs hatch. It is much easier to see the family interact in these shorter nest stands. We have approached one during the coastal clean ups and let’s just say the parents get really excited. The first thing they do is pick up any food and start flying, but close by. Then one of the parents will sit int he nest and chirp and scream at anyone bothering them. When they tag osprey you get to watch this process up close and personal.

The baby birds are all grown up, I have watched them all summer. Right now we are seeing a lot more osprey in the air and they are in groups. Those are the babies learning to hunt with their parents. You can hear them all day chirping at each other. The ones at the Lewes Ferry Terminal are active all day long, so are these Dewey Beach osprey.

The young osprey get really excited when they catch a fish. They will chirp really loud, all the way back to the nest. One of the parents will sit in the nest with them and the other will sit in the tree near the nest. It is quite the functional family.

Everyday I drive by I hope, if I am going to get stuck in traffic for a hot minute. It is in front of the nest so I can check on the kids. This nest has done very well this year. Soon they will all migrate and head south, then back in the spring to start families of their own in other nests.

Fish On!
Rich King