Project OspreyTrack: Tilton Map

Sponsored by:

October 1, 2014
It looks like we have lost Tilton. His transmitter stopped moving on September 24 at Cape May. There have been no movements since 4pm that day. His upload yesterday was very poor and just produced one non-GPS point – in the same location. So we assume he is down. It is a mystery. Up until that 4pm point, everything was normal. Staff from the Cape May Bird Observatory searched the area on Saturday with no results and Rob checked the area yesterday with no results. There is a built in ground tracking VHS signal that is supposed to kick in after the device has been inactive for an extended period, but as of yesterday, Rob was not able to detect a signal. It would be nice to at least get the transmitter back.

September 18, 2014
Tilton is still enjoying Cape May. Lots of other Ospreys are passing through there right now. More than 1,200 have been counted passing the hawk watch platform in September so far.

September 8, 2014
Tilton is spending more time on the east side of Cape May around Avalon and Stone Harbor. The map shows all his night roost sites since his arrived here on August 23. He hasn’t used the exact same roost for more than one night. One night he was on an Osprey nesting pole, on several nights he was roosting in trees. When he has roosted around Stone Harbor his points would suggest that one night he roosted on the roof (maybe the chimney) of a house and on another perhaps on a piling or maybe even the mast of a ship. He seems quite at home around the busy hustle and bustle of this heavily populated area.

September 2, 2014
Nothing new from Tilton. He is obviously enjoying the rich bounty of the tidal waters of the Delaware Bay and is settled for a while.

August 29, 2014
Tilton has settled down on the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge. He has been exploring the saltmarshes and really seems to like a spot called Ludlams Pond in North Dennis. He has visited there for several hours over the last three days.

August 27, 2014
We have a new Project OspreyTrack co-sponsor this year. Residents at the Meredith Bay Colony Club in Meredith, NH have been watching an Osprey nest on a cell tower next to their facility for the last couple years and contributed funds to help support the project in 2014. Many thanks to Carolyn Sutcliffe (chief Osprey watcher) for her coordination and support.

August 26, 2014
Tilton left the nest area between 10 and 11 am on August 19. He ended his first day next to the Colebrook River Lake in northern CT. By 7am the next morning he was on Highland Lake near Winchester Center and then Burr Pond for most of the morning. In the afternoon he was on the move again and ended that day in Croton Falls Reservoir in New York – already about 180 miles from home.

On the 21st, after spending a couple hours fishing on Croton Falls Reservoir, he was off again. By 1pm he was perched along the Hudson River near Ossining. He spent the rest of the day there and roosted there overnight. On the 22nd he followed the Hudson south, right over the Tappan Zee Bridge, crossed Staten Island and over to New Jersey. He roosted along a stream near Linwood. On the 23rd, he continued south to Cape May, then doubled back to the Cape May National Wildlife Refuge, where he spent the rest of that day and the 24th hunting along the east shore of Delaware Bay. On the morning of the 25th he was still there.

You can also follow our birds with the interactive map link, via Twitter @OspreyNH, or with the new free smartphone app from Movebank: www.movebank.org/node/26985

August 20, 2014
Tilton surprised us and headed south yesterday afternoon. By day's end he was in CT.

August 20, 2014
Tilton has been doing a little exploring within his dad’s hunting range. He has visited Silver Lake and made it almost to Franklin along the Winnipesaukee River. But, most of his points are close to the nest where regular meals are still being provided by Donovan.

August 13, 2014
Tilton was tagged on August 12, 2014 at Donovan’s nest in the town of Tilton. He is one of two chicks fledged at this nest this year. He is a brother to Jill and Chip who were tagged here in 2012. We caught him after a three and half hour wait. The photo show Dr. Rob Bierregaard removing Tilton from the trap on the nest 45 feet up on a pole. A huge thanks to Donovan Tree Experts for providing the bucket truck and driver.