Three eggs in the Middle Farms osprey nest!
The osprey couple take turns incubating the eggs on April 25, 2026.
During April, the osprey couple continued to renovate the nest to prepare for eggs. They gathered sticks, sea grass and other nest materials. They also defended the nest from intruding osprey, crows and grackles. It was not all work though – the web cam also captured them hanging out together often on the nest – or on a nearby pole. After the first egg was laid, they took turns incubating and continued to gather material and tend and defend the nest.
On April 18, the first egg was laid.
On April 21, the second egg was laid.
On April 24, the third egg was laid.
The video clips below capture some of the nest activities during the month of April 2026.
APRIL 1: The female osprey delivers a big stick for the nest.
APRIL 1: A crow visits the nest while the osprey are on a nearby pole – but gets chased away by the male and the female heads to the woods to get a stick for the nest.
APRIL 1: The male osprey delivers a stick and digs out the nest while the female chirps – and tries to avoid debris.
APRIL 2: The female stops tending the nest to receive a fish.
APRIL 3: After some work on the nest, the osprey hang together and rest.
APRIL 3: The male osprey delivers some sea grass and tends the nest – but moves out of the way when the female returns.
APRIL 3: The male osprey delivers fish and tends the nest while the female eats at a nearby pole – then she gives a distress call and they both leave the area.
APRIL 3: The male osprey delivers nest material and does some tending before moving to a perch to enjoy the sunset.
APRIL 5: After tending the nest in the early morning, the osprey hanging out together and defend the nest.
APRIL 5: The female osprey interacts with some nearby grackles.
APRIL 7: The female osprey prevents a male from landing.
APRIL 7: Grackles visit the nest while the osprey are away – until the female returns.
APRIL 9: The male osprey gathers a big stick for the nest and digs out.
APRIL 10: The osprey defend the nest – then the intruder lands on the camera and is chased away.
APRIL 10: The male osprey provides some greenery for the nest – and the female has to check it out!
APRIL 11: Each year, the Henry L. Ferguson Museum works with the Fishers Island Fire Department to conduct a controlled burn that preserves the rare marine grassland at Middle Farms. The osprey decided not to stick around to watch the annual spring burn.
APRIL 12: This edited video clip captures an extended time that a female intruder was on the nest after the resident couple returned from gathering nest materials. The male leaves after a while, and eventually the resident female gets fed up with the intruder and lets her know its time to go.
APRIL 14: The male osprey tends the nest – while the female enjoys the sunrise.
APRIL 14: The female osprey does more tending in this evening session. They both eventually leave for the night.
APRIL 15: The male osprey provides another big stick for the nest and does more digging out.
APRIL 16: After the male briefly tends the nest, the osprey enjoy the view.
APRIL 17: Another battle for the osprey nest!
APRIL 18: The female osprey is not impressed by the grackles puffing their feathers.
APRIL 18: First egg laid! Though it can’t be seen in this clip, the female osprey is having contractions, then stands up.
APRIL 19: The male osprey takes a turn incubating the egg while the female remains close by.
APRIL 18: The male osprey returns for another turn incubating the egg and the female continues to remain close.
APRIL 19: This time, the female leaves when the male returns and we get a glimpse of the egg!
APRIL 21: Second Egg! The female is having contractions again – but this time when she stands up, two eggs are visible!
APRIL 23: The osprey suddenly leave when they perceive a threat, but return to tend to the eggs and defend the nest.
APRIL 24: A graceful return to the nest by the female osprey.
APRIL 24: Third Egg! The female osprey has contractions for the third time – but it is difficult to see all three eggs when she stands up.
APRIL 24: The female osprey tends to her eggs during the night.
APRIL 25: The male returns to the nest to provide some early morning relief.
APRIL 25: The female flies by the nest and circles back with a big stick.
APRIL 25: The male osprey delivers fish.
APRIL 25: The female osprey delivers a piece of bark for the nest.
APRIL 25: The male osprey provides sea grass for the nest.
APRIL 25: The female returns with more sea grass and we get a great viewing of the three eggs!
