Click here to view the leg-banding of the three osprey chicks from 2017!
Key Osprey Data
| 2023 | 2022 | 2021* | 2020 | 2019* | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Detection at Nest | March 31 | April 1 | March 28 | March 29 | March 11 | March 8 | March 13 |
| First Egg Lay | April 26 | April 26 | April 28 | May 6 | May 19 | March 30 | April 2 |
| First Egg Hatch | June 6 | June 3 | June 5 | June 12 | - | May 8 | May 10 |
| Approx. Incubation Time | 39 days | 38 days | 38 days | 37 days | - | 39 days | 38 days |
| Leg-Banding | July 14 | July 15 | - | - | June 28 | June 19 | |
| Blue Band Numbers | 17C, 18C | 16C | - | - | 13C, 14C, 15C | 10C, 11C, 12C | |
| First Fledgling from Nest | August 4 | August 1 | August 5 | - | July 4 | July 4 | |
| Number of Eggs/Chicks Lost | 1 (egg) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Number of Chicks Fledged | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
*In 2023, three eggs were laid and only two hatched. We believe that it was the first egg laid that did not hatch because of the late hatching date of the first chick to appear.
Wildlife staff had to untangle 17C from fishing line twice in 2023. We believe that one of these entanglements and the ensuing struggle caused a fracture in the right wing, which left the bird unable to fledge. 17C was transported 7 hours north to the Birds of Prey Foundation rehab center in Broomfield, Colorado to receive treatment. According to vet staff at the BPF, 17C’s prognosis is good to make a full recovery and we hope to get her back for release in spring 2024.
The Lake Capote Osprey Nest
For the past ten years, a pair of ospreys has made its seasonal home at the Southern Ute Tribe’s Lake Capote, and given visitors spectacular displays of nesting, fishing, and fledgling young. Beginning in 2017, viewers should get a much more close-up view of the birds’ activities, via a webcam installed at their nest.
The birds have arrived in March of each year, after migrating from their winter homes in Central America or South America. Over the course of the spring and summer, the ospreys work on nest construction, lay eggs, raise young, and of course catch a lot of fish. Learn more about ospreys at All About Birds Osprey Page.
Naming the Ospreys
The Southern Ute Wildlife Division sponsored a naming contest for the pair of adult ospreys that can be seen on the Lake Capote webcam. Wildlife Division staff chose Suuwhsiagyetu or “Strong Wings” for the male, and Suupu’ighyetu or “Powerful Eyes” for the female. Read about the Osprey naming contest on the Southern Ute Drum.
Identifying the Male vs. Female
The Webcam
Division staff installed an AXIS P-5515-E network camera in February 2017. A mounting system was attached to the nest pole, which includes a lightning rod to divert any strikes away from the camera and the nest. An aerial lift was used to safely reach the top of the pole.
The division worked with View Into The Blue, a Boulder-based company specializing in outdoor webcams, to design the webcam and livestreaming system. The high-definition 1080p camera has pan, tilt, and zoom capabilities – allowing it to capture not just what’s happening on the nest, but also video of the lake or Chimney Rock for example. The camera data is transmitted wirelessly from the webcam to a communications tower near the campground.
Acknowledgements
The Southern Ute Wildlife Division would like to thank the following for their assistance and support of this project: