April 2013
The OspreyCam is live for 2013. Nova Scotia Power and the Museum of Natural History are proud to once again bring a real-time view of a local osprey nest to fans around the world. Since 2007, viewers have tuned in online to watch a pair of ospreys happily build their nest and raise their young through spring and summer before flying south each winter, seemingly oblivious to the camera overlooking their nest.
Return visitors may remember that, in 2012, feathered stars Ethel and Oscar were not in their nest as often as previous years. Some were uncertain if the birds occasionally seen in the nest were in fact Ethel and Oscar, and suggested that something may have happened to them. Given the long distances traveled by the birds to and from their winter destination, as well as any other factors associated with living in their natural environment, it is possible something may have happened to impact the ospreys' ability to repair and then remain in the nest. However, we heard no reports of bird injuries or deaths in the area of the camera.
Nature is unpredictable, and the camera was left running so viewers could continue to watch in case something stirred in the nest. However, the status of Ethel and Oscar remained inconclusive. This year, the camera has again been activated so viewers can continue to watch nature unfold.
Much to the delight of viewers, early reports suggest ospreys have returned to the nest. Are they Ethel and Oscar? Let us know what you think via Twitter at @nspowerinc or @ns_museum with the #ospreycam hashtag.
In 2007, Nova Scotia Power and the Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History launched the OspreyCam to track the family of Ethel and Oscar.
Nova Scotia Power has been working to protect the osprey, once an endangered species, for over 25 years. Through the Osprey Relocation Program, NS Power's power line technicians relocate threatened nests from atop live utility poles to safer, unused poles placed nearby. NS Power relocated Ethel and Oscar’s nest from a utility pole in 2001 after it caught fire. The pair has returned to the nest each year since to hatch their chicks.