In late August and September, the young birds began to fly and hunt on their own. By late September, the osprey family had left the area to follow their migration pattern. In the spring of 1998, a pair of osprey built a nest on top of a crane that was being used to reconstruct the Meydenbauer Bay Marina. A 65-foot pole with a nest box was temporarily installed in the water so the ospreys could continue to nest. Special thanks goes to Joe and Bernadette Rausch for providing the Osprey Cam tree, and to Timothy K. Brown for his work in installing the osprey nest.
Ospreys have a worldwide distribution and live near water.
The osprey is nearly the size of an eagle and is sometimes mistaken for a Bald Eagle. Unlike an eagle, it has a dark eye stripe and is white underneath with dark brown wrist patches. The osprey feeds on fish and is known for spectacular dives into the water. Osprey capture fish with their feet, which have a unique adaptation - a special toe much like a human thumb, designed for holding fish. The osprey lays 2-4 eggs that hatch in approximately 30 days.