Danville Parks and Recreation announced Friday that the Danville Osprey Cam has returned for the 2018 nesting season and can be viewed live on its website, www.PlayDanvilleVA.com.
“We are excited to see the camera live again,” said Department Director Bill Sgrinia. “The Osprey Cam gives viewers a firsthand look at these amazing species of birds of prey who make their home on the banks of the Dan River. Last year, the camera feed was very popular and we hope impacted the community on how it views our natural resources and its eco system.”
In March of 2017, two birds began building a nest on the platform located near Dan Daniel Memorial Park. By early summer, two of the three eggs had hatched and the fledglings were preparing to fly. The osprey family left the platform in the fall; the adults should return sometime this month. During the spring, summer and early fall, the page was viewed 35,815 times.
“It’s hard to gauge when exactly the birds will return to Danville,” said Outdoor Program Coordinator Kyle Autrey. “A lot of factors play into their return, the main factor being weather. Once the water temperature rises a little and fish become more active, we should see the osprey return.”
Autrey decided to turn the camera on so that residents could watch for the arrival of the couple.
“We may even see last year’s offspring return to the nest; however, the parents will probably turn them away quickly,” he added.
Osprey are known to mate for life, provided both birds are healthy, and will return to the same nest annually. Their main diet is fish and they will nest above rivers and other bodies of water. They often make their homes on power lines, which can be dangerous to the birds and can interrupt power services.
Many locations, such as Danville, build nesting platforms to encourage the birds to build their nests elsewhere. While the platform near Dan Daniel has been there for several years, the camera was added in the winter of 2017 during the ospreys’ migration season. The live feed can be viewed at www.PlayDanvilleVA.com/462/Bird-Cam.
