Osprey Live Stream, Stockton, Missouri
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Liberty Utilities Co. and Mid Central Contractors invite you to join us in celebrating the return of osprey to Stockton Lake. Enjoy this brief peek into the lives of this osprey family! But, please be aware, at times, nature can be difficult to watch.
On February 24, 2015, Liberty Utilities Co. moved the osprey nest from one of our transmission towers to this newly built nesting box. The pair had a nest burn in the previous summer after coming in contact with an energized electric line. The fire also did damage to the transmission tower and line, interrupting electric service. This new home for the pair of osprey is meant to be a safe nesting alternative while also increasing service reliability for Liberty Utilities customers. Click here to view photos of the installation of the nesting platform.
Above is a live stream of the nesting box. The box is approximately 4-feet by 4-feet and approximately 70-feet high. Although the power lines are visible in the background, the nesting box is approximately 50 feet away from the power lines. This nest also has night vision provided by infrared light illumination. Birds and humans cannot see infrared light, so the osprey are not bothered at night by the infrared light illumination. The cameras are powered by two solar panels. If there are several days in a row of overcast skies, the camera may run out of battery backup. But, once the sun returns, the camera will be operational again.
Note to viewer: Images presented on this live stream are the property of the Liberty Utilities Co. and may be used for educational and non-commercial purposes. Images may not be sold.
About Ospreys
Osprey are uncommon statewide, most are spring and fall migrants but a few nest here. Ospreys are up to 24 inches long, with a 5- to 6-foot wingspan. They are midway between eagle size and large hawk size.
They eat almost exclusively fish they have caught, including carp, catfish, perch, shad and suckers. Also called “fish hawks” or “fish eagles,” osprey usually fly back and forth over—and 50 to 200 feet above—the water while searching for fish. When an osprey spies a fish, it hovers a moment before diving and plunging into the water feet first. Often it will completely submerge except for the wings.
Osprey reach maturity at age 3 or 4 and usually nest near water on a tall structure, such as a tree or rocky bluff. Like bald eagles, they generally mate for life. Nests are built of sticks and miscellaneous other materials. Two to four eggs are produced and hatch in about 5 weeks. The chicks fledge after about 9 weeks. Both parents care for the young. Osprey live about 7-10 years but have been known to live for 25.
(Source: Missouri Department of Conservation)
For more information about osprey, visit the Missouri Department of Conservation website here.
Comments 1,941
Nest empty at this hour. Did see 2 or 3 earlier
No birds on nest.
Mom with fish in nest. And, no takers for breakfast. She may have to take care of it alone.
Four kiddos & one parent on nest
Does anyone know if this years offspring will return next year along with good old mom and dad? And then make their home here,too? We are so lucky to have access to this beautiful family. Thanks to everyone who has made this possible.
The FAQ section of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge’s website may answer your questions. http://www.jamaicabayosprey.org/faq-about-ospreys. Briefly, the young will migrate south for the winter after their parents do, each on its own, and remain at the winter site until they are nearly two years old. When they do head north, they do not necessarily return to the place of their birth.
Thank you Kris. The Mo. Dept. of Conservation site did not have this info.
One lone fledgling on the nest tonight. None of the others around.
The nest is empty! ??
All 4 are home for supper! They still like Mom’s meals!
YAY!!!! and yet =( It won’t be long now and they will be gone for migration.
I hope there is another Mary out there as message below is not from me
Nope you’re the only Mary I know of….spooky
Thanks again guys that was something I will not forget
I want another mallard
Thanks again
Four chicks on nest without mom & dad
No 4 on nest by itself. Looks lonely. It was born 3 days after No 3. So maybe today, Or Mon.
Third baby has fledged.
All six (briefly) on the nest tonight.
Are all 6 birds accounted for? I haven’t really seen all of them together in quite some time
Well said!! I totally agree!
What a fantastic year for these Ospreys! So glad you have done such a fabulous job letting all of us drop in from time to time!
Then there were two, oops one returned, back to three.
Then there were two
As the sky darkened, show-off fledgling made several passes over the nest flying to the trees, over the water, and above the nest again and again. Finally landed at 9:05 pm but took off off once more.
Only one to go.
Sorry that it took a little while to get everything going again………There were a combination of problems which I believe a good portion can be attributed to weather which none of us can control. Anyway sorry for the delay in getting it back up.
Nothing you can do about the weather! Thanks so much for getting the cameras working again. I have really enjoyed watching the Ospreys raise their young during the last two summers.
5:30pm Nest time…All four young on the nest with the adult female. One of the young is eating a fish.
I guess two of them must have fledged while the cam was off. They should visit the nest for food, though.
Thanks Mike for working on that.
I found the camera to be on now 1:30pm. Mom or Dad on nest w/two. Don’t know if no 3 & 4 or not
I checked about 30 minutes before that and there were 3 babies on nest, no parents
Appears a couple left home while we were off line.
As of 10:20 AM, Friday the cameras are back online.
We spent some all day troubleshooting, and believe we have found the issue. With a little luck we may be able to have it back up tomorrow afternoon.
YAY good luck and thanks for the response!!! Missing these babies! Hope some haven’t fledged yet!! Been following since before 2 nd hatched! =)
Some information about this cam would be appreciated.
I’m hoping with some parts that should arrive in the morning we should be able to have it back up tomorrow afternoon.
Everyone, I’m terribly sorry apparently we have an issue with the modem and or ISP Provider. We checked this morning and appears all the cameras are working okay, just not getting it out onto the network. Being the Holiday weekend we will not be able to address it until Tuesday Morning. I assure you we will try to correct the problem asap.
Thanks for viewing.
thank you so much!! i am sure they wlll be flying soon. this has been the best family to watch, really appreciate you all <3
Thank You for the info. I was wondering what happened. The parents of these 4 chicks are amazing. Such great care and plenty of food for them. So wonderful to watch. Thanks for all you do 🙂
Do you happen to have an ETA of when the camera will be back online?
What happened to the camera on the Ospreys?
Have the babies taken their first flight yet?
LOL I swear the little one looks directly at the camera sometimes!!
Great picture Mom & four babies lined up side by side on edge of nest
Thanks for sharing this Osprey family! I certainly have enjoyed watching the kiddos grow up!
I’ve noticed this morning the camera is not wanting to stream. It’s getting Snap Shots every minute or so so I know there is no problem with the camera. It is more likely our ISP provider is having problems due to the storms last night. If it doesn’t clear up by this afternoon I will send people over to look at it in the morning.
I have an extremely fast cable internet system and I have not been able to watch this cam. I think the camera server must be over taxed. The couple of times, weeks ago, that we could watch it was great!
Looks like Mom bird brought some salad greens for breakfast!
9:47 pm: Mom perching on power pole hunched against the rain. Babies hunkering down in the nest.
I believe may 12, 13, 15, & 18
so they are just about a month older than the Hog island chicks ! Beautiful to watch !!
How do you get to the nest from Roark Bluff boat ramps?
Nice setting on nest tonight. No buffering for a long time. Oldest looks as big as mom & dad now
& has a large wing span. Must be getting close to flying.
I would like to ask if one can get close to the nest to take pics? I have a long telephoto.
We surely thank you for giving us this opportunity, Mike. We have thoroughly enjoyed it.
We are just wondering if the Osprey youngins return to their home nesting areas like the eagles and geese?
When were these chicks hatched?
First hatch was May 12. Within a week or so, the other three eggs hatched.
Sorry about the buffering. I occasionally have challenges with it also……..from my investigation it’s not between the next and ISP. I do think there may be times during the day where the ISP may have an influence on it but for the most part it’s the download speed at the device receiving it. I’ve notice WIFI Connection buffer a great deal more than wired connections.
All in all it’s been pretty solid.
I am sure it’s my connections so please don’t think I was blaming you. Love the great job you all have done. Buffering or not I still look.
Why can I not respond to comments?
No buffering approx 5 – 6 pm. All chicks were exercising wings. How do we tell if we have boys or girls.
Does anymore have an answer.
There is really no way to tell for sure, Mary. The males usually develop a little bit faster and therefore fledge a few days sooner. It would still just be a guess, though. DNA testing is the only way to know for sure, but I don’t think there are any plans for that. Things are getting to the exciting stage where they will be flapping a lot and then hovering and helicoptering above the nest.
Carol, thanks for your reply. I followed last year & again this year. Thoroughly enjoy watching
Them. Will seem like loosing a close friend when they leave.
It’s always kind of emotional when they finally leave and so hard to see that empty nest. It’s such a wonderful opportunity to observe, though. To me they are the best entertainment around and I have learned so much in the several years I have been watching these live cams.
The one is really checking out what he has when he goes he will be so surprised what he can do. Their wings are so big for a little body
The one really wanting to fly say it will not be much longer
This we do not want to miss
That darn buffering! Why can’t it go at least to the side of the nest and not right on top. Does anyone else have the problem with buffering? Still I have to checkout this great family.
I indeed have a lot of problems with buffering too
Same here
Can you believe they are potty trained
They wake up bend forward then turn poop and preen for a moment then go back to snuggling,dreaming and growing
Aim sure it is natural instinct
The earliest Osprey fledge I’ve ever heard of was 49 days. I believe most fledge between 7 and 8 weeks. I doubt there would be one earlier than that, but Ospreys continue to change the rules all the time. I would be surprised to see one of these chicks fledge before 50 days at least. Prove me wrong chicks. I just stuck my neck out there. LOL!