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Ospreys Arrive at Lake Massabesic

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Ospreys Come to Lake Massabseic

A young ospreys tests its wings.

Photo by J. Munier

The new nest first attracted attention during the Spring of 1998, when a pair of ospreys started courtship activities. However, ten consecutive days of raw and rainy weather and/or the inability of the male to provide sufficient fish during that time resulted in the failure of that year's attempt, and the nest was abandoned.

The situation in 1999 was a different story. The first osprey showed up on April 2, followed the second on April 11. Courtship activities followed, and the first egg was laid on April 20. The first of two eggs hatched on May 31, and the two chicks fledged on July 28. The chicks were banded on July 8 (US Fish and Wildlife Band Numbers 788-38011 and 788-38014); they were also color banded to allow visual identification in the future. This is the first time that ospreys have been banded in New Hampshire.