Last year, the Town’s osprey cam was overtaken by a family of geese. The camera went live this year on March 28 and a few geese and osprey have already stopped by. (File photo)
After taking a break to allow its stars to head south for the winter, the Osprey Nest Live WebCam is back and streaming full-time again.
The webcam, provided online by the Town of Osoyoos, went live on March 28 and in its almost two weeks of airing, the nest has already had a few visitors.
On April 4 a Canada goose visited the nest and the next day two osprey (fish-eating hawks) made a visit. But since then, the nest has been empty.
The camera, which is live online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, was installed three years ago over a nest discovered atop a power pole near Osoyoos Elementary School. The project was a joint partnership between the Town of Osoyoos and FortisBC.
Although it was originally intended to observe osprey, the camera has a history of featuring Canadian geese as well. Steve Shannon from the Town’s community services department said that they tend to make a regular appearance, usually before the osprey.
“They think it’s a great spot to try and build a nest.”
Last year, the camera went live on March 31 and only five days later a goose had already laid an egg in the nest.
On May 8, four babies were born in the nest and were gone by the next day.
Two days later, on May 11, two osprey visited the nest. Within four days, an egg was laid in the nest and a week later another. The baby osprey left the nest on August 17.
The camera turned off for the season on September 29.
Because geese nest earlier than Osprey, Shannon said it’s likely that the nest might be occupied by a family of geese again.
“Any time now they might be showing up.”
The Osprey Nest Live WebCam can be viewed online at www.osoyoos.ca/content/osprey-nest-live-webcam.
VANESSA BROADBENT
Regional Reporter
