|
|
|
|||||
Poplar Hill Farm: a swing towards sustainabilityCWH has taken up tenancy at Poplar Hill Farm in Easton to demonstrate sustainable farming techniques. (Fall 1998) Wildlife Profile: Barred Owls (Fall 1998) Waterfowl, sunflowers and potholes: a conflict in the prairiesThe Prairie Pothole Region grows much of the nation's sunflowers, to the detriment of waterfowl nesting there. (Fall 1998) Tips on establishing warm season grass meadowsSome things to keep in mind with newly established warm season grass meadows. (Fall 1998) Wildlife habitat restoration begins at Bennett Point property (Fall 1998) The process of restoring wildlife habitat at the Bennett Point property began early last winter with planning the habitats to be built. Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage had already committed to restoring certain acreages of various habitats including wooded wetlands, shallow emergent marshes, and grasslands under the terms of the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant agreement. We had to examine site elevations and soil types more closely to make informed choices as to the species of plants we would try to establish on particular portions of the property. The farm is fairly flat and seasonally wet which places severe limitations on the types of trees, shrubs, grasses and forbs that will grow there. The vegetation will ultimately determine the species of wildlife which will make use of the land. CWH ordered over 20 different species of tree seedlings and whips to begin restoring woodlands on the farm. The planting began in April but was slowed by the wet weather. Next came problems with large acreages of noxious weeds which were left over from the prior farming operation. State law (and common sense) requires that we control these through spraying herbicides which proved to be very expensive. Then we've been hit with a significant drought which has threatened the survival of many of the plantings. Twenty nine acres of Roundup-tolerant corn were planted to provide food for the geese over the winter. CWH plans to fly a cover crop of winter wheat into the corn to take up excess nitrogen, hold soil on the fields, and supply grazing for geese. If wild Canadian geese are to remain a part of our normal winter landscape, we will have to intensively manage the dwindling open spaces we have left in the mid-shore with them in mind. In September we will begin earth moving work on a 40 acre shallow wetland area that we call a " moist soil unit". A low berm (2 to 3 feet high) will be built around a relatively flat area of prior-converted wetland soil (soil that used to support wetland plants before it was drained for farming). Structures called weir boxes will be installed in the berms to allow us to manipulate water levels within the enclosed (impounded) area. Managing the water levels will enable us to control which plants grow within the wetland area. Water depths at full pool will range from 1 to 12 inches. A typical management strategy for a moist soil unit would be to drain most of the water from the impoundment during April of a given year. This stimulates plant growth and exposes mud flats where migrating shorebirds will feed on invertebrates. Then a variety of plants adapted to wet soil conditions can be expected to grow in the partially drained area during the spring and summer to create a nice wet meadow for a variety of wildlife and a substrate for insect growth. Insectivorous birds like swallows, martins, and bluebirds will frequent the area to sample its rich insect life. Ground nesters such as bobwhite quail and meadowlarks will often be seen in the "weedy" looking area nesting, brooding and bugging. Bats will swoop low in the evening to catch dinner on the wing. Reptiles, amphibians, dragonflies, mayflies, butterflies and a wide variety of other life will be found in the wet meadow. A number of factors make the moist soil plants (weeds to some) attractive to wildlife and those of us involved in the critter management field. They are highly nutritious for waterfowl and other birds, relatively drought tolerant, inexpensive to produce relative to agricultural crops, require no pesticides to grow, and rot very slowly after flooding. Some of the more common moist soil plants include foxtail millet, smartweed (several species), barnyardgrass (2 species of wild millet), beggar-ticks (tickseed sunflowers), fall panicum, and chufa. These plants may easily produce over 1,000 lbs/acre of seeds as well as green forage and invertebrate substrate for wildlife. The Bennett Point property contains approximately 170 tillable acres.
The planned conversion of 125 acres of farmland into wetlands will be one
of the largest wetland restorations in the region. The entire project timetable
is approximately two years. CWH will then continue to manage the Bennett
Point property for wildlife. (Ned Gerber) Poplar Hill Farm: a swing towards sustainablility (Fall 1998) In the spring of 1998 Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage took up tenancy at Poplar Hill Farm. Owned by Memorial Health System, Inc., this land is located along the bypass southwest of Easton, MD. Tilling began early this spring for corn and soybeans. A cover crop of winter wheat will be planted this fall to feed migrating Canada geese as part of the Waterfowl Festival Goose Sanctuary Program. Our overall objectives in taking over the farming at Poplar Hill are to demonstrate that sustainable agriculture stewardship can be compatible with our economic and environmental goals, particularly as they relate to human health and wildlife. By using sustainable farming practices CWH is prepared to: 1) reduce pesticides through an IPM (Integrated Pest Management) scouting program, plus herbicide banding with cultivation; 2) reduce dependence on artificial fertilizers by growing legumes for plow down; 3) reduce soil erosion by using cover crops and planting no-till; 4) increase habitat for wildlife by installing buffer strips, wildlife nesting boxes and timely management of headlands; 5) maintain or increase economic viability through cost cutting of variable inputs and improved marketing methods. Some agricultural pesticides (herbicides and insecticides) have increasingly been linked to reproductive and health problems in many wildlife groups as well as in humans. Pesticides used in agriculture are known to contaminate surface and groundwaters, but only recently have herbicides been detected in rainwater. In sustainable farming, herbicides can be reduced by up to 2/3 through a method of application called band spraying. Band spraying not only reduces physical output of herbicides by 2/3, but also reduces purchased input by 2/3. Both pre and post-emergence banding of herbicides with cultivation is one component of a sustainable farming system that is being successfully applied at Poplar This year CWH has demonstrated that insecticides at Poplar Hill Farm can be reduced to a bare minimum through IPM scouting, crop rotations and increased crop diversity (e.g. sorghum, sunflowers). Reductions in overall pesticide use will greatly enhance the wildlife, especially upland birds like quail, that depend on an insect diet during their first few weeks of life. Animal manures can be a good substitute for artificial fertilizer although both artificial and organic manures need to be applied according to a nutrient management program. For Poplar Hill Farm, there is a ready supply of poultry manure available at nearby Peach Blossom Farm that can be applied with the appropriate equipment. The use of artificial fertilizers can also be partly offset by the use of small grain cover crops and legumes. We are planning a greater use of winter cover crops this fall to control soil movement. Field buffer strips, grassed V-ditches and waterways will also be installed. The economic viability of sustainable farming can be maintained or improved through increased marketing techniques such as using forward contracts, hedging, put options, and basis contracts. Reduced pesticide inputs through herbicide banding can produce savings of $10 to $20 per acre. Improved soil conditions through alternative farming practices will increase organic matter and water holding capacity, leading to increased yields. The full beneficial effect of these sustainable agriculture practices
may take several years to determine. In the meantime, CWH would like to
thank the Memorial Health Systems, Inc. for this opportunity to implement
sustainable farming at Poplar Hill Farm. (Michael Robin Haggie) Wildlife Profile: Barred Owls (Fall 1998) Barred Owls get their name from the vertical stripes that grace their chest. They grow to a total length (from the top of their head to the tip of their tail) of 16" to 24" and have a wingspan of 38" to 50". Barred Owls can weigh between 1 and 2 pounds. Although other owls common in the Eastern United States have yellow eyes, the Barred Owl is the only one to have brown eyes. The range of Barred Owls stretches from Maine to Florida west to the Rocky Mountains. They have begun to expand their territory into the Pacific Northwest where their cousin, the Spotted Owl, has created so much controversy. Barred Owls prefer wet woods or swamps or dense forests adjacent to wetlands and water. Great Horned Owls present the greatest threat to Barred Owls. If caught in the Great Horned Owl's territory, a Barred Owl may be killed. In turn, Barred Owls will kill the smaller Screech Owl that may venture into his territory. Barred Owls are birds of prey. Accomplished hunters, Barred Owls have excellent vision and hearing to help locate prey, even at night. A fluffy edge on their flight feathers enables them to fly quietly to surprise their victims. Mice constitute half of the Barred Owl diet, which also consists of frogs, salamanders, fox, flying squirrels, turtles, water snakes, dove, quail, flickers, jays and finches. On occasion, Barred Owls have been reported to wade in shallow water searching for fish! Barred Owls nest in tree cavities and usually return to the same nest year after year. Often these nests are built on top of a squirrel or other nest. The female will lay two or three eggs in February and incubate the eggs for about a month. The young will fledge in about 42 days, however the parents may feed the young throughout the summer. CWH installs nesting boxes for Barred Owls as part of its Wildlife Nesting
Structures program. The boxes are quite large and require a very sturdy
tree for mounting. The preferred location of woodland edges may require
the box be mounted on four 4 x 4 posts. (Chris Pupke) Waterfowl, sunflowers and potholes: a conflict in the prairies (Fall 1998) The Dakotas and Minnesota, between the Missouri and Upper Mississippi Rivers, form part of what is known to geologists and waterfowl biologists as the Prairie Pothole Region, the "Duck Factory" of North America. This pothole region, pockmarked by shallow-water wetlands, was created by the advance and retreat of glaciers during the last ice-age. It extends up into southern Canada encompassing an area of some 300,000 square miles. Even though this area is only 10% of the North American continent's waterfowl breeding habitat, in an average year it will produce 50% of our waterfowl; ducks like the Pintail, Widgeon, Canvasback and Redhead, Mallard and Blue-winged Teal, many of which winter here on the Chesapeake Bay. So what is the connection between sunflowers and Blue-winged Teal? The main concentration of U.S. sunflower production is located in North and South Dakota and Minnesota, with lesser amounts grown in Kansas and Nebraska. The connection comes when we consider that thousands of potholes in the U.S. have been drained for agriculture to grow crops like sunflowers for their oil. How ironic when most of the sunflowers used to feed wild birds are grown in this region and shipped east and across the nation to be sold to fill bird feeders. Potholes are particularly subject to agricultural transgression during years of drought. Lower water levels enable farm machinery to work ground closer to the pothole margins, reducing not only the size of the overall wetland but also the available nesting cover. Reducing circumference to surface area increases the possibility of ground predation on incubating hens as well. When herbicides are used, they have the potential to drift off target and wash off in rainwater thus affecting non-target vegetation like aquatic plants in wetlands, which are waterfowl food plants. Additionally, brood and nesting cover can be adversely affected. A serious consequence of agricultural activity, and not just sunflower production, is the increased use and dependence of farm operators on pesticides. Non-selective insecticides have the capacity to affect a broad spectrum of insects, particularly those in their aquatic larval stages. Many of those insects are preferred duckling food because of their high protein content. Thus, the intensity of agriculture in the Prairie Pothole Region has lead to a dramatic decline in waterfowl productivity. How, as concerned wildlife advocates, can we lessen the impact of agriculture on our nation's waterfowl resource yet maintain the jobs, livelihoods and rural communities in the Midwest and north-central states? This is a vast subject involving agribusiness, multinational corporations, federal cheap food policy, personal consumer habits and monetary investment. This article concentrates on certain consumer habits and sustainable farming practices. We, as consumers, have the choice of purchasing products that are conscientiously produced with less impact on the natural environment. One thing we can do is to encourage USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in the Prairie Pothole Region. By converting the region's farmland to grass nesting buffers and restored wetlands, waterfowl and other wildlife species will benefit. Unfortunately, since Canada does not have the equivalent of a CRP program their region is much more threatened by agribusiness. Secondly, we can purchase more sustainably grown products. Over the past 8 years, Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage (CWH) has endeavored to grow sunflowers, amongst other grains, that are sustainably produced. Sustainable farming involves, in part, practices that include crop rotations, crop diversity, cover crops, Integrated Pest Management, and band-spraying with cultivation. Banding involves a reduction in output of herbicide applied in a 12" band over the row at planting with one or two post-application uses of a heavy residue cultivator. A good crop rotation, which creates diversity, can eliminate the use of insecticides. CWH has tried to interest more farmers on the Eastern Shore of Maryland,
Virginia and Delaware to grow crops in a more sustainable manner by also
increasing a farmer's management capability and by increasing the use of
on-farm inputs, such as green and composted animal manures. One such endeavor
has been the production of sunflowers for the wild bird seed market that
are sustainably grown with no insecticides and only of the normal amount
of herbicides. Sunflowers have been sustainably grown on CWH property or
under contract, harvested and cleaned and packaged in Delaware and distributed
to feed stores and garden centers for wildlife feeding purposes. (Michael
Robin Haggie) Tips on establishing warm season grass meadows (Fall 1998) This spring and early summer, CWH planted 600 acres of warm season grasses for 45 different landowners in the Mid-shore region as part of USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). The CRP program pays farmers and landowners an annual rental to retire their agricultural land and place it into long-term conservation practices. Landowners in some instances will receive 100% cost-share for establishing their meadows (50% USDA; 50% CWH funding). Here are some things to keep in mind with newly established warm season grass meadows: 1) The most important thing to remember is that it will be difficult to see the warm season grasses growing within the first several months of planting. Warm season grasses spend their first years developing very deep roots (some roots can grow 5-6 feet in depth). Once the roots are established, then the upward growth can begin. The grasses will make much more vigorous top growth during the second growing season and will become very obvious to the casual observer. 2) Bluebird boxes on posts make useful and attractive markers for the meadow plantings. It is important to permanently stake the borders of warm season grass areas to avoid spraying mistakes from adjacent agricultural operations that may destroy expensive meadows. 3) Prior to planting the meadow, CWH usually sprays the entire area with the herbicide Roundup to help control the vegetation that naturally competes with the warm season grass plants. 4) Noxious weeds are often "inherited" from previous agricultural operations.
CWH uses a low toxicity herbicide called Plateau 30-60 days after planting
to control weeds in a warm season grass meadow. Plateau does not kill most
wildflowers or the native warm season grasses but will control most noxious
weeds. Plateau works very slowly so results will not be evident for several
weeks. (Ned Gerber) CRP: Wildlife habitat that pays for itselfUSDA's CRP program benefits wildlife and water quality while paying landowners to retire agricultural land. (Spring 1998) Native warm season grassesWarm season grasses have become popular in wildlife management over the last several years. (Spring 1998) Conservation Development: New Landowners Servics Program at CWHLandowner Services advises landowners interested in the permanent preservation and habitat restoration of their properties. (Spring 1998) Wildlife Profile: Osprey (Spring 1998) Bats: a misunderstood mammalMaryland's Little Brown Bat can consume up to 600 mosquitoes in just one hour. (Spring 1998) CWH & ESLC purchase Queen Anne's County farm for preservation & habitat restoration (Spring 1998) Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage (CWH) and the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC), have purchased a 285-acre farm located off Bennett Point Road in Queen Anne's County. This purchase came about as a result of a partnership between the two organizations to preserve land and restore wildlife habitat in the highly developed lower Chester River watershed. Funding for this farm acquisition was provided through a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant. NAWCA is a federal program designed to conserve North American wetland ecosystems and the wildlife that depend on them, particularly migratory birds. NAWCA provides matching funds to states and conservation organizations for land acquisition, restoration and enhancement projects in the United States and Canada. Program funds are derived from taxes charged for offshore oil drilling licenses. CWH and ESLC created their partnership three years ago to identify and preserve open space (wetlands and farmlands) in the lower Chester River watershed. The Route 50 corridor through Queen Anne's County has and will continue to be a site of intense development pressure. Many threatened and endangered species occupy this ecologically sensitive area. The Chester is a crucial travel route for migratory waterfowl along the Atlantic Flyway and holds more wintering Canada geese than any other watershed in Maryland. Recognizing the need to permanently protect some of the key wetland and wetland-associated uplands in the watershed, CWH and ESLC filed a joint grant application to the North American Wetlands Conservation Council in December of 1995. The NAWCA grant was awarded in mid-1996. Shortly thereafter an intense search began to locate a farm fulfilling the conditions of the grant. After nearly 18 months a Queen Anne's County property presented itself as possessing all of the characteristics sought for the program. The owner, Arthur H. Kudner, Jr. was the willing seller. He agreed to the purchase of his 285-acre farm on Bennett Point Road at less than fair market value, due to the limited amount of funds available through NAWCA. The farm has a diversity of habitats -- field, forest, wetland and shoreline. In addition, this property, sandwiched between the growth on Bennett Point and the town of Grasonville, was threatened with county's proposed greenbelt around Queenstown and situated on the Wye River, well within the Chester River watershed boundaries. The sale was completed on December 19. "I am pleased that ESLC's and CWH's stewardship will ensure that this unique property will remain pristine and undeveloped for future generations," says Mr. Kudner. NAWCA funds are also available on a matching basis to restore wetlands and manage wetland ecosystems on the Kudner property. Matching funds will be provided by members of Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage and other funding organizations. The land will then be managed by CWH and enhanced for wildlife and sustainable agriculture practices and preserved forever in a conservation easement held by the Maryland Environmental Trust. "There are many reasons to restore farmland into more productive wildlife habitat in the Chester watershed," explains Ned Gerber, Wildlife Biologist and Director at CWH. "These include protecting endangered and threatened species and their habitat, maintaining biodiversity and enhancing water quality in the Chesapeake Bay. Public opportunities for low impact wildlife-oriented recreation and environmental education are also benefits," he added. The Kudner property contains approximately 170 tillable acres. Under the terms of the NAWCA grant, CWH must restore most of the farm fields into wildlife habitat. The planned conversion of 125 acres of farmland into wetlands will constitute one of the largest wetland restorations in the region. This will help the Mid-Shore regain part of its vital wetland habitat important to waterfowl, warblers, amphibians, butterflies and a diversity of other wildlife species. The timetable for the habitat restoration and enhancement work is two
years. CWH will then continue to manage the property for wildlife. Some
areas of the site will provide compatible supervised birdwatching, hiking
and environmental education opportunities for the public. (Debbie Collison) CRP: Wildlife habitat that pays for itself (Spring 1998) USDA's Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) continues to benefit the wildlife resource and water quality. This is particularly true here on the Eastern Shore where many landowners have utilized the program to restore wildlife habitat on their property while receiving money back from the government for placing agricultural land into long-term conservation practices. "Enhanced CRP" usually pays landowners an annual rental of $100 (or more) per acre to retire 25' to 99' wide buffers along ditches, streams, and wetlands. It also encourages landowners to restore wetland habitats through high annual rental payments and construction cost-sharing. A landowner can sign either a ten or fifteen-year CRP rental agreement, depending on the type of habitat improvement and desired timeline. To maximize wildlife benefits CWH is recommending a mixture of warm season native grasses, trees, and shrubs for CRP buffers established under this enhanced program. These plants cost approximately $300 per acre, however the USDA will cover 87½% of that installation expense. Buffers can have a tremendously positive effect on water quality and wildlife populations. Shallow water habitats for wildlife ("CP-9" in CRP jargon) qualify for the continuous sign-up and typically cost $2,000 per acre to build. USDA will pay half the construction cost and the top soil rental rate (normally $70 to $80 per acre per year) according to the county where the habitat is built. These habitats can be moist soil managed to produce food and cover for many species of wetland wildlife. While many detractors of wildlife management think of these areas as "duck ponds" only, the diversity of wildlife that use them is remarkable (butterflies, rails, dragonflies, shorebirds, waders, bobwhite quail, meadowlarks, and even ducks!). Wetland restorations (otherwise known as "CP-23") qualify for the enhanced program, meaning that the landowner will receive a 50% soil rental rate bonus, just like in the buffer practice. In our area the normal rental is over $100 per acre. USDA normally picks up half the construction cost and other funds are available to cover some of the landowners' 50% share. Very little management is allowed within the CP-23 area so everyone involved needs to understand that wetland design is crucial to achieving the desired habitat objectives. Hydrology, soils, and topography become critical when water level manipulations are prohibited. One could easily end up with an open water pond which lacks the vegetation to provide diverse wetland wildlife habitat. The CRP program is likely our last chance to cost-effectively restore
significant acreages of wildlife habitat on the Delmarva Peninsula. Please
call the CWH office to learn how you can utilize the program to bring back
essential grasslands, woodlands, and wetlands. CWH will be happy to plan,
install and manage the CRP habitats you choose. (Ned Gerber) Native warm season grasses (Spring 1998) A variety of warm season grasses have become very popular in wildlife management over the last several years. At CWH, we see many advantages to warm season grasses. They are clumpy in nature (not solid mats like the cool season grasses) which allows for plenty of room on the ground for wildlife to move freely between the clumps. The natives provide excellent cover during all months of the year and grow well during our hot, dry mid-shore summers. Warm season grasses are beautiful to look at and function to provide a nice visual screen for sensitive habitats like wetlands. They are easy to maintain, requiring little fertility and needing only some managed burning every 3 to 5 years. Switchgrass, one variety of warm season grass, was commonly planted for quail management in Maryland for many years. Others native to this region (big bluestem, little bluestem, Indiangrass, side oats grama, Eastern gamagrass) were almost unheard of until recently. Now the seed for all of these species (except our local broom sedge) is readily available from a variety of commercial sources. It would now be beneficial to have local ecotypes of each species as most of the seed we are using comes from the Midwest. A new herbicide released last spring called "Plateau" makes establishment of these grasses much easier. Prior to the introduction of Plateau, establishment of warm season grasses might best have been described as "plant, mow, and pray". The warm season grass seedlings will generate very little top growth in the first year unless they are released from weed competition. While we all do some praying, it is nice to know during the planting year that the expensive seed has germinated and is growing well. Even during last summer's terrible drought we had big bluestem and Indiangrass grow 4 feet tall and setting seed. The USDA deserves a lot of credit for changing its rules to favor the native grasses. Ten years ago when CWH was in the midst of planting our first CRP ground we were only allowed to use Kentucky 31 fescue (otherwise known as "living concrete") or orchardgrass mixed with clover or lespedeza. CWH just re-signed that particular CRP buffer when the contract expired (hope I'm wiser too!) and will be happy to kill the orchardgrass and plant the natives there. Native grasslands are our rarest habitat type in Maryland and the current CRP options should go a long way to establish significant acreages of these meadows here. Research in the Midwest has shown larger blocks of these grasses to be excellent habitat for many species of grassland birds. It will be interesting to follow grassland bird populations in Maryland as native grassland acreages increase, primarily in relatively narrow 100' wide field buffer strips. Which of our grassland birds use these narrow strips for nesting? A diversity of wildlife will benefit from the establishment of warm
season grass meadows. We have often noted northern harriers hunting mice
in them and bats soaring over in the evening bugging away. Swallows, bumblebees,
butterflies, toads, garter snakes and many other critters will undoubtedly
thrive in these areas. We in the wildlife community are getting ready to
learn a great deal about native grassland habitats in Maryland. I hope
you will join us by planting some warm season grasses on your property.
CWH owns the specialized equipment to plant the fluffy seed that will not
go through a normal agricultural drill. Please give us a call to arrange
a visit to an already established meadow so that you may see firsthand
what these habitats look like. (Ned Gerber) Conservation Development: New Landowner Services Program at CWH (Spring 1998) Richard Pritzlaff, formerly the Development Director at CWH, is heading CWH's newest program to further promote wildlife habitat preservation. The new Landowner Services program provides a consulting service to landowners interested in the preservation and habitat restoration of their properties while achieving maximum financial benefits from a long-term land disposition plan. Initially funded by the Rauch Foundation, the Landowner Services program is emerging as a forward-thinking way to approach the inevitable issue of land development. From tax advantages to limited development plans, there are many strategies that a landowner can employ when deciding the ultimate disposition of their property. The simplest case would be a landowner who wishes to ensure through estate planning that their property will pass intact to their heirs. More complex is the situation of a landowner trying to accomplish the first objective, but also needing some current cash value through limited development or partial land sale. In both cases CWH can offer tax advantages and other options. This allows the landowner to decide what happens to their property, as opposed to letting the IRS or a developer do the decision-making at sometime in the future. The most complex case may involve a landowner willing to sell their property for development to the highest bidder. To limit the potential environmental impact of such a scenario, CWH will advise potential investors on how they can realize market return through a mixture of tax write-offs and cash return, while pursuing limited development and habitat preservation on the purchased property. The worst scenario is if a landowner chooses to do nothing. In this
situation, Uncle Sam will likely dictate land use decisions to a landowner's
heirs in order to satisfy estate taxes. This is unfortunately the reason
behind many past and current land use decisions. Anyone interested in discussing
alternative options can call Richard at 410-822-5100. Wildlife Profile: Osprey (Spring 1998) The Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, is also known as the "fish hawk" because it feeds almost exclusively on live fish. Ospreys are large birds, reaching a length of 21 to 24 inches, with a wingspan of five feet. Due to their tolerance of human activity and their adaptability to artificial nesting structures in close association with waterfront residences, Ospreys have become a treasure of the Chesapeake. Basically opportunists, Ospreys feed on any species that is plentiful or readily accessible in any body of water at any given time. The Osprey's diet consists almost entirely of medium-sized fish which are captured just beneath the water's surface by plunging feet-first from flight. Osprey's feet are specially adapted to hold onto their catch. They have little "spikes" on their feet to help prevent the fish from slipping away. As the bird flies with its catch, the head of the fish is turned to face forward making it more aerodynamic. Osprey's geographic range include shallow water estuarine, river, and lake habitats of all continents except Antarctica. Most Ospreys winter in the tropics and nest in temperate to sub-arctic latitudes. Ospreys return to the Chesapeake Bay in early March. The males appear a few days earlier than the females. Courtship and nest building or repair begin when the pair is reunited. Ospreys three years or older usually mate for life. Younger, less experienced birds arrive and initiate courtship a little later. First-time nesters may spend several weeks locating a mate and a nest site. The pair will then collect branches and shoreline debris used to construct their large nest which can measure over a meter in diameter. In addition to natural nesting tree sites, Ospreys readily use man-made structures such as utility poles, nesting platforms, duck blinds, and buoys. CWH's Osprey Nesting Structure program augments natural nesting habitat and provides a sturdy and safe manmade alternative designed specifically for nesting Ospreys. So far CWH has installed over 400 Osprey platforms in tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay as part of this program. Egg-laying and incubation take place between mid-April and late May. Clutches of 2 to 3 beige, chicken-size eggs with brownish blotches are incubated, principally by the female, for 38-42 days. The male will feed the female during incubation. Nestlings are brooded by the female, fed a diet of fish and begin to resemble adult birds within 40 days. They start preparing for flight at about 55 days of age. Families stay intact near the nest site through July while the fledglings acquire their fishing skills. Adults begin fall migration as soon as fledglings become independent. Juveniles normally migrate the last week of August and often later. They usually leave North America by September, continue south and arrive at their wintering grounds by mid-October. Ospreys winter primarily on the large islands of the Greater Antilles (Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico) and other tropical areas. Juveniles remain south for at least 16 months. Ospreys are perched at the top of the food chain. This proved to be a harmful position in the 1950's through 1970's when organochlorine pesticides, such as DDT, adversely affected their reproductive success, leading to a population decline. DDT builds up in the Osprey, causing the shell of the eggs to become too thin to survive incubation. Ospreys get DDT poisoning by eating fish that have eaten contaminated insects. The banning of some pesticides in the U.S. has enabled Chesapeake Bay Osprey populations to increase by the 1980's to an estimated 2,000 pairs. Talbot County, Maryland is recognized by the National Audubon Society as having one the largest populations of breeding Ospreys. However, Osprey populations continue to face threats. Ospreys breed in North America but return to South America each winter. Young Ospreys stay there for two to three years, reaching breeding age before returning north. Many South American countries still use pesticides that are harmful to the birds. Many of these pesticides are banned from use in the U.S. but are manufactured here and then exported to countries where many of our migrants spend their winters. The successful comeback of the Osprey will continue provided their breeding habitat is protected from development pressures and poor water quality. If pesticide use on their wintering grounds can be regulated perhaps Osprey populations can increase even more. Because Ospreys are an important indicator species due to their placement at the top of the food chain, Ospreys will reflect changes in the quality of their environment. (Andi Pupke) Information on this pages is property of Chesapeake Wildlife Heritage and may not be |