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Welcome to “Season Five” of our osprey cam! Get ready for another exciting season of osprey viewing at the Waquoit Bay Reserve, brought to you by the Friends of Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge
If you’d like to show your appreciation for the nest cam, please Support the Friends of Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge! As a nonprofit volunteer organization, we support a wide variety of education, research and stewardship projects within the Mashpee Refuge to ensure the long-term protection and enhancement of native wildlife and habitats.
Thank you in advance!
We are thrilled to offer this live stream of an active pair of Osprey at their nest at Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The pair are appropriately named Rachel and Carson, after the famed environmentalist.
This opportunity for a bird’s eye view of a beloved bird’s habitat is the result of a collaboration between The Friends of Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge, which helped plan and locate the site for this unique “nest cam,” the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, one of the Refuge partners, and Comcast, which generously provided the equipment, installation and broadband connectivity to power this viewing experience.
One of our goals as a community-based nonprofit is to give the public opportunities to enjoy and interact with nature and wildlife. Thanks to Comcast, the live streaming of this osprey nest will broaden our reach to all of Cape Cod and beyond. We are grateful for the opportunity to use the live nest cam for observation, research and education purposes.
View highlights from 2026 (“Season Five”)
View highlights from 2025 (“Season Four”)
View highlights from 2024 (“Season Three”)
View highlights from 2023 (“Season Two”)
View highlights from 2022 (“Season One”) – mating, egg laying and hatching, feeding and more!
Please feel free to comment below with your observations or any questions you may have. We welcome your comments and questions! If you’d like to see a list of questions other viewers have asked, please see our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Ospreys and the Nest Cam. You may also want to read this article to learn more about ospreys on Cape Cod.
Please note that first-time posters must be approved before comments are displayed, and allow up to 24 hours before your initial post can be seen by others.
Someone in the nest calling for lunch. Echo?
I was at the Waquoit Bay Reserve this morning and heard and observed MANY ospreys. They’re in the air and perched in trees and on boats. I wasn’t able to identify any of them, nor even which were adults vs. juveniles. But even though they’re not in the nest much these days, they haven’t left for their long migration South yet. They seem to be enjoing the last bits of summer like the rest of us!
Thank you for update.👍
& again at 12:20…
Hello there! 09/03 @ 08:54:00
Thats a surprise. I don’t think it’s Delta or Echo because this one looks smaller?
Barry, I think it might be Carson. He has solid brown feathers (unlike the chicks who have some white with brown feathers). Also Carson is smaller than Rachel. I am so bummed that I have missed all these cameo appearances of them. I have been watching the Lolo, Montana cam because these chicks are still at the nest.
I THANK GLEN AND EVERY ONE FOR THIER INPUT…SO MUCH APPRECIATED. I AM A JOURNALIST FOR THE MASHPEE ENTERPRISE AND WROTE AN ARTICLE TITLE MR, CARSON & RACHEL OSPREY WARRIORS 0N 5/19/2023. NOT SURE IF U READ IT. ENJOY JOAN
Looked like Rachel who stopped by briefly to the nest at 6:50 am
Sorry I didn’t get a chance
Sept 1 2023. Glenn, I will send a donation today with my thanks and appreciation for a wonderful Season two. I look forward to Season three.
Thanks Beverly, and to everyone who has donated to our efforts! If you haven’t already, please click the “Support Us” link here or at the top of the page to contribute online or by mail.
I’m so grateful to have found this nest and all the lovely comments and great observations. I’ve been a watcher of the NH Great Bay Estuary Osprey nest and tragically they eventually lost all 3 chicks this year, it was heartbreaking. So wonderful and mystifying to be able to follow nature’s way.
If anyone asked me about ospreys in January, I would’ve looked at them, as if they had 10 heads. Wow, what an amazing summer watching amazing birds. I just want to thank everyone for the photos and info. I can’t wait for next spring. Thank you Glen and everyone be safe
Many thanks to Glen and the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve for providing the opportunity for so many of us to observe and learn about the life of ospreys. I wish Carson, Rachael, Delta and Echo a safe migration and look forward to next year and their return. Thanks to all viewers for your insightful and educational comments.
I’m watching the osprey nest camera in Brewster (https://ccmnh.org/attractions/osprey-cam) – no volume or night vision camera – just daytime video. The chick in there must be so hungry that it does not bother to fix that feather sticking straight up!
Darn, it’s gone now. I should have captured a pic.
With all the comments about “missing them” and an “empty nest” thought I would post this info again. The are two juveniles still being fed on this nest. Also, when the osprey do leave the owners put a bird feeding station on the nest site so there is activity all winter.
https://sportsmansparadiseonline.com/dunrovin-osprey-nest-cam/
The camera can be controlled remotely. They must have someone who monitors it. Yesterday it zoomed in on a feeding juvenile right after the female delivered a fish. Later they zoomed in on a perched juvenile and scanned every inch of it. You could read the stamping on the metal leg band and you got a great view of the orange (before they turn yellow) eyes.
Great nest! Beautiful birds chirping for fish, I would guess. Gorgeous area too.
Thanks, Surferboy!
Thank you Surferboy! I have bookmarked that 🙂
I’ve got mixed emotions on seeing the empty nest. I also wonder whether they have already begun their migration or are still in the area. If so, it would be a couple of weeks earlier than last year. I’ll missing watching them, and I’ll miss all of you. All season, I’ve been able to sit back, watch the nest activity, read your comments and know that questions will be answered by our faithful community of viewers. Thank you all for your dedication to the osprey family, and for the helpfulness and consideration you show one another. We are all part of the family. Thank you also for your support of the Friends of Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge and our efforts. Our organization would not exist without our dedicated volunteers, our commiitted members and generous donors.
Rachel, Carson, Delta and Echo, I know everyone joins me in wishing you a safe journey and and a successful winter and return back for many seasons to come. Good fortune to you all!
We’ll also keep the video stream running. Last year, there were squirrels, owls and other creatures. Who knows what activity we’ll see during the coming off-season.
Thank you again and all the best,
Glenn
Glenn Davis, President, Friends of Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge
thanks for all the time you put into this adventure for us and also posting the highlight videos. I am one of those who still will tune in once or twice every day. Even though the osprey seem to be out on their adventure, you never know what you might see. The sound adds to it, wondering what I am hearing. Again, thanks for a wonderful year.
Thank You for keeping the video camera running! Just listening to the nature sounds today is amazing too. Blessings to all.
thanks glenn and all involved for providing us the ability to be part of an osprey family-seeing how they interact-how personalities develop and sadly, when survival of the fittest plays out. being able to have audio as well is invaluable. I’ll be looking forward to season three of rachel and carson next spring
Thanks Glenn for your dedication to this project. It has been great these past 2 years to have a ‘Birds Eye View’ of the goings on in the nest. Looking forward to viewing the off season activity and season 3 next year.
This was my first season watching the osprey family. There is an osprey nest on my property & I work with local wildlife people to maintain the nest. It was wonderful to see the Mashpee nest activities close up & personal on a daily basis. Looking forward to see them back in the spring. Thank you to everyone involved with this project. Hopefully they have a safe journey 🤞🏻
I second all of Carole’s appreciation below. Thank you to everyone who made this possible! And to this community that always commented kindly and supportively. I will miss these special creatures and wish them every bit of strength, good fortune and success possible in the coming months. May we be lucky enough to see Rachel and Carson back here next spring.
They must have all flown away
I’m heartbroken because i cannot- even see one of them.
You can keep watching osprey here: https://sportsmansparadiseonline.com/dunrovin-osprey-nest-cam/
DEAR SURFERBOY, YOU MADE THIS 83 YEAR OLD ELDER SO HAPPY. IT WAS LIKE A GOOD HEALING PILL FROM THE DOCTOR. SMILE MANY THANKS,LOVE JOAN
Glad you like…..keep in mind this camera scans around this beautiful Montana ranch from time to time.
I know.
But I miss them….. 😉
I miss them too . Empty nest syndrome 😂
Just want to thank the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge and especially Glenn for giving us the opportunity to enjoy up close and personal the Osprey family of Rachel and Carson. It has been a wonderful and educational experience. Safe journey to their winter home. We shall be waiting for the Ospreys return in the spring.
Me, too. I am so appreciative of the WBNERR, Glenn, and the MNWF for this viewing opportunity. I am also so very thankful for the lady who introduced me to the book “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson. Without her I would have never known about this history.
Without her, nor would I have learned about this osprey cam 🙂
Perfect. An empty nest.
They are roosting in the nearby trees.
Does anyone know where Carson is? He has been absent for – what seems to be – the past month. I have seen Rachel make cameo appearances and only one chick hanging around the nest. Has the other chick (maybe the older one) flown off?
Perhaps he was straffing the juvenile?
Looks like mom is back….17:41
We have 2 osprey that sit in a dead tree near our house. They bring in small fish and eat them starting at the head, work their way down the body until the entire fish is eaten like a candy bar. They take their time and just look around.
It’s good to know that things are progressing for the juvenile. Hopefully getting stronger & more self sufficient for the long journey 😀
I stand corrected. Thanks for the clarification.
It’s not an opinion, it’s an easy to observe fact. It’s pretty obvious to discern a juvenile from an adult.
Maybe I’m cheating with my view…..I use my 60″ tv as my desktop monitor. Then again without it I can’t see much.
August 26, 2023, 9:03 P.M. I have been monitoring the nest today beginning at 11:15 a.m. From 11:15 a.m. to approximately 4:57 p.m. the nest was empty. At 4:58 p.m. Echo? flew into the nest and stayed until about 6:19 p.m. Echo’s behavior during this time period was quite gentle, chirping pleasantly with a minimum amount of demanding attention. He flew off at 6:19 p.m. and as of my last check at 9:00 p.m. the nest was empty.
I sure hope that today has been a red letter day for Echo and that we will see less of him starting tomorrow. This would be best for him.
Like you I have been monitoring all day. The juvenile spent last night and most of the morning on the nest. However, that was the female mother who arrived and stayed almost an hour and a half. Everyone should be happy that the juvenile left the nest mid morning and did not return, even when it’s mother did.
This is the season where the adults start pestering the young to get to work. I once watched (not far from this nest)) on a very rainy day as 3 juveniles sat in trees while a nearby adult squawked at them. The other adult came fast up Washburn Island and knocked them off their perches. They looked like bowling pins. They youngsters got to flying and the adults sat together. I knew just how they felt. “Get a job!”
Luv it 😂
😂😂❤️
All 5 of the nests I’m watching have at least a single juvenile hanging around and still being fed.
Spent a bit of time studying your pics and its hard to tell but the lack of an obvious necklace (that juveniles display) on the intruder makes me think your friend could be right. Looks to me like an adult did the buzzing.
I’m a little concerned that Echo is sedentary & not flying around much or fishing for food. How will he/ she survive in a few weeks?
Anyone else concerned about this?
Very much concerned.
Exactly
Glen – your thoughts please.
I remember last year when there was a lot of concern about Charlie, who spent most of his (or her) time in the nest and didn’t seem to be interested in fishing or flying. But as the end of the season got closer, that pattern changed pretty quickly. There’s still at least a couple of weeks before it’s time to begin their migration, so all we can do is hope for a fast turnaround. I also watch (from the ground) another nest, where a juvenile seems to be always in the nest whenever I look. I’m not overly concerned – they seem to know what’s best on their own.
If you drive around looking at nests, most have 1 or 2 osprey on the nest most of the time.
A wet – and vocal as ever – Echo waiting for breakfast/company/excitement/sunshine.
Great pics. Hope Glenn can post the video
has echo brought back her own fish, or any idea if echo can fish?
So I am coming to the conclusion that the adult chick in nest (I think y’all are calling “her” Echo) is a female (look at her brown necklace – just like Rachel’s). The intruder is a male (or – I think – becoming a male because the tiny tiny brown spot on his chest is just that – tiny!). This male intruder could be the Echo’s brother!!! OK – pure speculation.
PS – thank you so much for posting all those great action intrusion shots!
Here is some well researched info that might be of interest to you. Osprey do not reach adult plumage until about 18 months of age. Like Glenn had posted a while back, we will never know the sex of these juveniles. Somewhere on this interweb there is a study where researchers attempted to sex banded juvenile birds. When the birds reached adulthood the researchers were wrong 70% of the time. There is also a pic (that I posted here last year) that shows a mating pair of adults on a nest and the female has no bib or necklace.
Thanks for update and info.
Great captures of Echo being strafed. I watched this morning after reading this has been the trend last few days this one squawking on and on. If it’s Echo, it’s likely a parent or another sibling or cousin giving message it’s time to sink or swim and to get airborne to learn how to thermal and search for next meal. It’s getting to the point soon that the “clan” will begin migrating. Plenty of fish hatching from ponds and other morsels around but if this one doesn’t catch on….well the strafing is to coax it to follow and learn how to thermal without expending much energy while hunting for the perfect moment to dive on an inspecting fish…waiting for it to come miraculously is just not in the cards.
If you’ve watch any thermaling
Nice photos!
As I’ve told you in the past, you get the most Amazing pics! This intruder buzzing occurs quite regularly however the juvenile on the nest usually goes airborne and confronts the intruder head on. Never seen it cower flat like in your buzz 3.
How do we know this bird is Echo?
……could be the juvenile from the neighboring nest.
Remember it came to feed and Mom fed it?
impossible to know.
I have thought about this also.
All of us who watch and wish to protect our birds, wildlife and human health need to be aware ….
https://www.capeandislands.org/local-news/2023-08-23/evaporation-of-radioactive-water-increases-at-pilgrim-station
This is so annoying. The promise was made that the shut don’t would be “clean” and certain protocols were given to show the process. Plant got sold and the new owners just did as they pleased saying that these promises were not made by them so they do not have to follow those rules. grrr
Echo “tucked in” for the night – and remarkably silent! 😉
Well its around 4pm on August 23 2023 and Echo?, otherwise known as “squawker” has returned to the nest to begin the regular afternoon/evening chorus of demanding some attention.
Great shot!!