Osprey with nest material
With all the handwringing that seems to go on during plover and tern nesting on the Outer Cape, it’s refreshing to pass along some good news about bird conservation.
Since 2008, Wellfleet Bay has monitored osprey nesting activities Cape-wide. Of 190 active nests tracked last summer, 75% were successful, fledging on average 1.19 chicks per pair. Thanks to science coordinator Mark Faherty for providing the image and data below.
Another good year
As you can see from the map, there are many more nests in the Mid and Upper Cape largely because there are more ponds and estuaries for the birds to fish. Mark also says that the National Seashore, which manages much of the land on the lower Cape, doesn’t use nesting platforms.
Blue dots on the map are nests needing volunteers.The Cape Cod Osprey Project is a 100% volunteer project with no funding or dedicated staff. If you’d like to monitor a nest, please email or call volunteer coordinator Diane Silverstein at 508-349-2615, extension 101.