If video is not appearing above, click here to refresh this page. Also try clearing your browser cache, closing and restarting your browser or restarting your device.
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.
1:33 pm Rachael is there. But no fish. They appear to be eating the bird carcass. I am just curious, with the number of ospreys on the Cape is it possible for the area to be overfished?
Mom and kids squawking for Carson to bring home the fish:)
so rachel is on the nest at 12:30pm, 7/8, aside from a lot of squawking (another osprey was circling overhead-you could see it’s shadow) it doesn’t appear that she brought a fish, or is interested in oscar and papa. i have not seen either trying to fledge lately and papa isn’t even sitting up.
She did bring a fish. The oldest one grabbed a piece, she had a piece, and the little one had nothing. The little one kept trying to get some from Rachel, I think it managed to get a few pieces. Then tried with the oldest one, no luck. So that’s when the little one started on the carcass.
I can’t believe these osprey youngsters are having to resort to eating off of a dead sibling carcass because of lack of fish being provided. I’ve heard our waters are being over fished but where are the menhaden.
I follow a nest in Milford Point, CT, they are always eating, the mother is also still feeding them herself! I too cannot understand what is going on here.
Did anyone see how the carcass got to the middle of the nest?
Unfortunately, at 11:48 AM, it is being eaten by the siblings and is moved to the center
The little one did not get any of the fish that Rachel brought back so resorted to eating the carcass. The little one dragged it to the middle of the nest.
Thank you Nadine.
Rachel instructed them to eat the carcass and they flipped it over to middle of the nest
https://www.capecodtimes.com/videos/news/2022/04/08/epic-osprey-rescue-harwich-2013/9517699002/
An inspiring , caring Osprey rescue.
don’t understand why Rachel and Carson are neglecting the nest this season. Looking back on previous years, Rachel was a constant thru fledging and beyond. is there a lack of fish? Could a drone be sent up and deliver fish? it’s gonna get hotter and without sustenance how will they have the strength to fledge? I know they are wild animals, but being we are aware of their situation, can’t something be done?
The Jamestown nest had a clutch of four. The youngest chick died which seemed to be from his siblings not allowing him to eat. Then another chick passed soon after. Then it seemed Dad stopped bringing fish. Also, Mom seemed to have no interest and stopped returning to the nest . Sadly , all four chicks have passed.
I was following that nest too. I have to wonder if the parents sensed that the chicks were ill and that’s why they stopped bringing food and not returning to the nest? It was SO heartbreaking watching it.
It seems to be a tough year for osprey. I am watching 4 nests in New England and each one has lost at least one chick.
At 6:45pm last night there was one bird in the nest. Maybe Oscar is learning how to fish.
I think one was laying down next to the little one. Sometimes it’s hard to see them
Ya I think you are right.. I saw that a while later but didn’t back track.
Then again, it might be just me thinking too deeply. 🙂
Rachael brought a fish to the nest abd stayed for awhile. She has a tail feather out of place, it helps to identify her. I think it was yesterday morning. Oscar ate his fill then Papa took it. I saw Papa peck a couple of times ar Quebec’s wing but then stopped. They would look at Quebec like they were confused about the lifeless body. Haha I love the way we try to interpret what they are thinking. I saw the bird with it’s head down looking at Quebec like it was mourning the loss of a sibling.
I noticed that the chicks will often lay with their heads facing poor Quebec, like they are trying to understand why he doesn’t move.
I feel like Rachel has abandoned them. I feel like in past years she would still be on the nest with them.
This is not the same bird (So called Rachel) as in past years..
Deb, what makes you think this?
Rachel is a generic female name given to each female that arrives at this nest.to breed.
the birds were not banded, so no one can tell who each one truly is.
this bird did not look like last years at all. Seemed like a younger smaller bird.
why everyone has to think it is the same bird escapes me.
Is anyone having problems with audio?
No audio for me either.
Yes. No sound.
Glenn, Mona had a great suggestion below. Is there anyway we can supplement the 2 chicks with fish to keep them healthy?
Has anyone seen Carson lately? Have only seen Rachel bringing fish to the nest. This is the first year food hasn’t been provided religiously to the chicks as in past years.
It appears that one of the birds died no later than July 5. Why hasn’t it been removed from the nest and an autopsy into the cause of death conducted?
Isn’t there a way to supplement their food until they can hunt for themselves or is that just not something that can be done?
Mona, that is exactly what we should do! I’ll call it the Fish Fairy, but I have seen it done at the Port Lincoln Australia osprey nest.
Glenn, is there someway that could be done?
I would love to see that happen! I’m concerned the second chick might be getting weak. The oldest does not share any fish and I haven’t seen the second chick eat lately. After losing the youngest I would hate to see the second chick have the same fate. Last year none of the chicks survived😢
Yesterday when Rachel brought a fish back, the oldest immediately claimed it and would not let the second get any. After a while, and after some attempts, the second finally took it away from the oldest! The oldest tried to get it back, but the second would not let that happen.
This entire sad course of events is due to one thing
Lack of sufficient fish delivered.
Why that occured is unknown.
Both are pecking at the carcass
PS. Hopefully the baby’s carcass will blow off the nest today to spare its dignity. It certainly does not appear that either Rachel or Carson are going to remove Quebec’s remains. 😥
Unfortunately, due to lack of hydration via fish yesterday, the second-born chick had to resort to cannibalism
. Was eating the carcass of the deceased baby to survive. The oldest fledgling refused to share any fish which was delivered by the parents yesterday. As to mourning the sibling’s loss, I think the bird is actually sticking close to it’s only food source.
I was following a nest in Jamestown, RI that had 3 chicks (all of whom, sadly, died). The smallest chick died first, and one of the other chicks always stayed by the body, until that chick sadly died (right next to the first one). I noticed that before the 2nd chick died, both parents were absent a lot of the time from the nest. I watched the last chick get weaker and weaker (it was so heartbreaking) and again, both parents were largely absent from the nest. I think they knew that neither chick was going to survive.
Rachel (I believe) showed up around 9pm last night and has been there since. I only saw one fish delivered yesterday and hoping Carson and/or Rachel will bring more than that today. It seems as though one of the chicks (sorry – I can’t see the band numbers) has been staying close to Quebec as though mourning. So sad 🙁
the larger one wouldn’t share lunch yesterday and the sibling was picking/ trying to eat the dead chick. Crazy!
Haven’t noticed the adults lately.
Glenn. I started watching the live osprey cam in Gloucester MA and see the momma Annie sitting watching the children. Does Rachel sit nearby on our nest ?.. check out the photo
Both getting ready to fly ❤️
Glenn, can an illness be passed from a fish to an Osprey? We have seen eggs disappear, new hatchlings die and removed, but to see Quebec, 2+ months old die like this was really sad. I wondered if he could have contracted a disease, causing Rachael to concentrate on feeding the other two? Or am I thinking to deeply about this?
It’s not my area of expertise, but I’ve never heard of disease being passed from a fish. As James pointed out, it was probably just lack of food and thus, hydration. Rodenticide poisoning has also been an issue for ospreys and other raptors, but we’ve seen no reports of animals other than fish being consumed in the nest. We should all avoid using mouse and rat poison for this reason. Adult ospreys instinctually do their best to ensure at least one of their offspring survive, not necessarily all three. This is hard for us to comprehend but that’s the way it is in nature.
Thank you
The smallest hatchling was dying through the heat wave.
Food doesn’t only give them energy it gives them their liquid that they require to stay hydrated. Without that liquid the birds become over stressed!
I’m surprised that one of the adult birds has not removed it from the nest already being deceased.
He is eatting the dead bird in the nest now.
The large one will not share the fish with the other who is now picking at the carcass of the sibling, so sad to see.
so sad
Ok. this is gross the little one is deceased , Oscar has a fish and won’t share, papa is pecking at the little one’s carcass 9:34 am, 7/6. Now what??
Yes breakfast arrived. The biggest one takes over. The other stands by with head lowered and shoulders up – totally in submission. Seems like he is asking for a bite or two but biggest just says NO. I have been watching for many years and I don’t ever remember such a bully. He will probably be a good provider as an adult but seems to have never learned any manners.
Little one looks very bad this morning . He was up yesterday afternoon.
Carson just brought a fish to the nest!
Sadly, the youngest osprey seemed to die from heat and lack of food. It is heartbreaking to witness, and many of us grew attached to watching its daily life. To those who insist we should have done something, it’s important to remember that this is a wild animal living in a wild environment. No person caused this, and the folks who maintain the camera and the nest platform are not responsible for the birds’ conditions or their fate. The ospreys are not our pets and they aren’t cared for by people. Intervention only happens when something human-caused threatens the nest, like removing a plastic bag or other debris that doesn’t belong there. The chicks were banded this year for research purposes. Beyond that, the birds are left to live as wild animals, without human management or feeding. The camera was placed simply to provide a window into nature – and sometimes nature is difficult to watch. Thank you to everyone who cared so deeply. Moments like this remind us that the natural world is beautiful, unpredictable, and often beyond our control.
So no plans to remove Quebec?
At this age, removing the dead chick is risky since the remaining chicks are able to jump and could flee the nest. Hopefully Carson or Rachel will remove it soon.
I was wondering if either of the parents would remove it. Leaving it in the nest will only draw insects and decomposure which I don’t believe the viewers will wish to see happen. Every season has been different. It’s sad to see such a sad outcome this late. But watching the nest this way isn’t very enticing. I hope natural instincts of the osprey will take their course as in past losses of the offspring.
OMG, I am just catching up on this unbelievable devastating news and feel so sad. Because this nest is on a camera we are seeing nature at one of its worst. This is not a nice sight and I do wonder how osprey handle this type of situation with/without the help of us. I did a google search on this type of situation (close to when they are ready to fledge) and the AI Overview said there were a couple possible outcomes: If food situation is sparse, the chicks could resort to cannibalization, or decomposition could result in flies and potential nest sanitization risks. If I provide more details there is more info to be gleaned from the AI Overview.
I am still sooooooo devastated 🙏😢
My have they grown big. The bird on the far left in the picture does not appear to have a band, maybe it is Rachael.
The 2 chicks still have feathers that blend in with the nest. Rachael and Carson have darker back feathers.
Three chicks before sunrise.
One of the birds is Rachael
2:47am Quebec is breathing.