Osprey season in Connecticut is in full swing by June. Osprey are migratory birds that make their solo journeys from South America back to Connecticut sometime in March to mate. Osprey can be found on every continent except Antarctica and in almost all 50 states.
In the 1950’s and 60’s the osprey population plunged. The biggest factor in the osprey’s decline was the use of pesticides - DDT in particular. Pesticide runoff into the waterways accumulated in the tissues of fish, which in turn was getting into the digestive tracts of the osprey, thus affecting their reproductive success. By the time the use of DDT was finally banned in Connecticut in 1970, the osprey population was seriously endangered. In 1974 there were only 9 active nests in the state.
The good news is that the osprey has made a remarkable comeback in the past 50 years. The CT Audubon Society initiated a citizen science partnership in 2014 to monitor the health of ospreys in the state. According to their published data, the osprey population has exploded in the past 7 years – from 210 active nests with 356 fledglings in 2015 to 606 active nests and 835 fledglings in 2022.
This spring I set out to find some walks where you can observe these birds in their habitat. According to the Audubon Society website, ospreys generally return to CT in March and lay their eggs by early April. The eggs hatch in late April to early May. The young fledge after about 60 days, so June should be a great time to observe the nests. I visited the following places in mid-April.
OSPREY TRAIL, Clinton, CT
The Clinton Land Trust has an Osprey Trail walking route map on their website (click here). While out of date, this 2001 map is still a useful guide, especially when used in conjunction with Google Maps. There are newer roads that aren’t shown, and many more nests than originally mapped. I parked in the Shop-Rite parking lot and started by walking east on Route 1, taking a right onto the Causeway. I was pleased to see nest #9 occupied and was able to get some clean views. Continuing to the end, I took a left on Groveway to look for nest #10, which was also happily occupied. I then backtracked and walked along Shore Road, seeing several more occupied nests generally between house #67 and #57. At times it felt awkward, as you are peering between homes and hoping the residents aren’t thinking you are trying to peek in their windows. I turned right onto Beach Park Road, and as I crossed the culvert there were several occupied nests both to the east and the west. I then turned left on Merrill Road which becomes Hammock Parkway, then turned right on W Road (Hammock Parkway and W Road aren’t on the land trust map). W Road dead ends in a mass of reeds, so I almost missed the path, but it was there. This was the best part! A secret path through the reeds that opened occasionally onto an open patch where you could observe yet another osprey nest, before eventually linking to the Clinton Town Beach. I rested for a moment on a park bench watching several egrets fishing in the inlet before continuing north on Waterside Lane. From here I took a right on Osprey Common, which links back to Beach Park Road. This is a private road that is open to foot traffic, but be aware that they have a sign posted that says only resident dogs are allowed. When I reached Beach Park I turned left, and then after the cemetery turned right on Tidewater Lane, another private road that connects to Mallard Lane (which is shown as a dead end on the 2001 map). I recorded a total of 4.9 miles, which would have been over 5 if I had left it recording while I did my grocery shopping afterwards! You can cut down the mileage by doing a shorter loop.
The red line shows my circular route starting at the Shop Rite parking lot
As a Killingworth resident you are entitled to purchase a season pass for use of the Clinton Town Beach at the resident price of $25. Simply go to the guard house at the beach between 9:00am and 3:00pm with proof of residency and they will issue you a pass. Then you can park at the beach and be within easy walking distance of many of the osprey nests.
The secret path through the reeds
FERRY LANDING STATE PARK, Old Lyme, CT
This scenic park is on Ferry Road off Route 156. There is a gazebo and picnic tables alongside the Connecticut River, and a boardwalk that extends south to the confluence with the Lieutenant River. There are several informative plaques about the fish and birds, including two dedicated to ospreys. At the end of the boardwalk there is an observation deck with a bench overlooking the marsh area and an osprey nest platform. I could not tell if there was a bird on the nest or not, as it was very deep and I had forgotten to bring my binoculars. I decided to sit and wait, which proved fruitful because after about 15 minutes I was rewarded as an osprey rose up and flew away, coming back a moment later carrying a twig, presumably for nest reinforcement. The entire walk out and back was about a half mile. The boardwalk is a popular destination for fishermen.
The view from the observation deck. Is there an osprey there?
Yes! It turns out there is an osprey using this nest
FOUNDERS MEMORIAL PARK, Old Saybrook, CT
What an absolute gem of a spot! This very small park, perched on a hill overlooking North Cove to one side and the Ragged Rock Creek Marsh Wildlife Area to the other, is located at the end of Coulter Street. This is a place for quiet contemplation – there is a gazebo and several benches for sitting, but no walking trails. To get your exercise you can park on Main Street, Old Saybrook and walk to the park for a total of one mile roundtrip. There are two occupied nests, one on each side of the hill. I returned a few days later for sunrise and was treated to a myriad of sights and sounds. Along with the osprey pairs there were ducks, egrets, geese, swans and more.
The view from Founders Memorial Park
I was so enthralled with this location I returned a few days later for sunrise
On the marsh side the female sits on the nest. For a time the male was perched on the nearby pole.
Meanwhile on the cove side this female called to her mate perched nearby. I think she was saying "Go get me a fish!"
There are many other places all along the shoreline to watch osprey. I recommend going to the Osprey Nation website (click here) to look at their data map.
For more information, check out the following:
The Spring 2023 issue of Connecticut Woodlands has a great article entitled “The Amazing Osprey” (see page 8). Find the magazine link here
Conservation Without Borders founder, Sacha Dench, has a current website and podcast called Flight of the Osprey focused on osprey migration between the UK and western Africa. Find the website here
The Biome Project episode #6 – The Osprey Reintroduction. I found this 2020 episode as an audio podcast on Spotify, but it is also available as a YouTube video here. This episode is focused on the osprey in the United Kingdom, but much of the information is still relevant to our osprey. It was in this podcast where I learned that osprey have a nictitating membrane (a transparent membrane that sweeps across the eye which helps protect their eyes when they plunge into the water.)
The following resources are available at the Killingworth Library:
Season of the Osprey. A PBS Nature special from 2021 following one osprey couple’s season on the Connecticut River. Narrated by Paul Giamatti. The videography is exceptional.
Return of the Osprey: A Season of Flight and Wonder, by David Gessner. This 2001 nature memoir relates the author’s summer on Cape Cod observing an osprey season.
Wild Wings, by Gill Lewis. This 2011 Young Readers novel (ages 8-12) tells the story of a group of children in Scotland who get involved with an osprey, following its journey and encountering their own obstacles along the way.
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