Our Osprey Garden
Greetings!
Happy New Year Osprey friends! A new season will be upon us in two months! The first Osprey will be arriving early March. We have much to do before that and time is short. We are looking to install an upgraded nest cam and move the older cam to a different nest. We are fortunate to already have a camera fund that will allow us to do all of that.
We will keep an even closer watch this year reporting back to the Center for Conservation Biology with our observations. We are looking forward to a better year for our birds, though, we can make no promises. We can only hope.
I can’t stress enough the importance of contacting your state legislators and telling them your concerns and asking them to support House Bill No. 19. Your voice CAN make a difference. Together We CAN make a difference, but it takes each one of you to contact your State Senator and State Delegate. If you need guidance, please contact us at ospreycbva@gmail.com and we will be happy to help. We are the voice of the Osprey and in Chesapeake Bay, they need help now as much as they ever have.
A BILL to direct the Virginia Institute of Marine Science in collaboration with the Marine Resources Commission and certain stakeholders to study the ecology, fishery impacts, and economic importance of the Atlantic menhaden population in the waters of the Commonwealth; report.
Link to find your representative - https://virginiageneralassembly.gov/house/members/members.php; Link to find your state senator - https://apps.senate.virginia.gov/Senator/
Links to the commissions - Homepage - Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (asmfc.org) and Virginia Marine Resources Commission
Our festival is coming together with phenomenal speakers. We are thrilled that Ann Marie Jacoby, Asst. Director of the Potomac-Chesapeake Dolphin Project will be sharing her knowledge about Dolphins! As many of you know, we have Dolphins in the Potomac River right here in Colonial Beach. We look forward to welcoming Ann Marie to our festival.
Alex Pellegrini is a Naturalist for the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (M-NCPPC) at Patuxent River Park in Prince George’s County, MD and a Farmland Raptor Program Coordinator for the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership. Alex will share his knowledge about our favorite raptor, you won’t want to miss this presentation.
Loren Lustig, an environmentalist and a member of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission will be presenting as well, we have the cream of the crop coming to Colonial Beach to share their knowledge with us! Please make your plans now!
Of course, our Keynote Speaker is Mark Smith, of Mark Smith Photography. I am certain we are in for a real treat with his presentation! Please visit our website for more information about our speakers. https://www.virginiaospreyfoundation.org/presenters
The Virginia Tourism Corporation awarded the Virginia Osprey Foundation with a Marketing Grant in the amount of $2500! We are thrilled and plan to use those funds to bring more visitors to Colonial Beach for the festival. These funds work in two ways. Bringing more folks to Colonial Beach helps our local businesses and economy, while doing that, a bigger attendance at our Osprey Festival means more folks become educated about our beloved raptor and our environment and what they can do to help.
As we look back on our accomplishments in 2023 and 2024, we realize we could not have done these things without your support! Thank you and we look forward to a productive and exciting 2025!
Accomplishments in 2023/ 2024
• Installed Live Nest Camera on Fire Department Osprey nesting platform
• Celebrated Migratory Bird Day at Cooper Library with visiting children
• Lead an “Osprey Walk” at Cooper Library, sharing fun facts with children and their parents while taking a walk to a nearby Osprey nesting platform.
• Partnered with the Beach Art Music and Mentoring (BAMM) and provided Osprey education to the children in Colonial Beach Elementary School’s after school enrichment program.
• Premiered documentary, “The Biggest Little Fish You’ve Never Seen”
• Premiered documentary, “Growing up Osprey”
• Organized the banding of five Osprey chicks in three nests in 2023 with five volunteers assisting.
• Organized the banding of 25 Osprey chicks in 2024 with twelve plus volunteers assisting.
• Collaborated with Dominion Energy, replacing three Osprey Platforms
• Collaborated with Colonial Beach High School including students as volunteers at the Osprey Festival • Collaborated with Colonial Beach Elementary School to include children’s choir at opening the opening ceremony of the Osprey Festival
• Authored the brochure, “Ospreys in Colonial Beach which is distributed free through local businesses.
• Answered numerous inquiries from the public referring them to proper authorities based on subject matter
• Transported injured Ospreys to rehabilitator in 2023
• Hosted the Virginia Osprey Festival in April of 2024
• Supplied data to the Center for Conservation Biology through Osprey Watch
• President spoke at Colonial Beach Community “Newcomer’s Meet-up” to acquaint public with the Viriginia Osprey Foundation
• Participated in Earth Day Clean up and Chesapeake Bay Clean up day
• Produces a monthly newsletter available on our website
• Heather Shank – Rehabilitator, Ambassador Turkey Vulture at Festival- Made donation to help support her mission.
• TREE – Wildlife Rehabilitator, Participant at Festival – made donation to help support her mission.
• The Virginia Osprey Festival in Colonial Beach is the Foundation’s largest annual educational event. The festival is an annual celebration that highlights the beauty and importance of Ospreys and their natural habitats. Held in the Town of Colonial Beach, located along the Potomac River, the festival brings together wildlife enthusiasts, conservationists, and the local community for a day of education, outdoor activities, and family-friendly fun. Attendees can enjoy Osprey-themed exhibits, live demonstrations, nature walks, and informative talks by experts on local wildlife and conservation efforts. The festival also offers opportunities for visitors to learn about the vital role Ospreys play in the ecosystem and how they are being protected through ongoing conservation initiatives. In 2024, the festival offered a variety of exhibitors including the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, the Center for Conservation Biology, George Washington Birthplace Monument, James Monroe’s Birthplace, Northern Neck Master Naturalists, and So. MD Audubon, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, and Potomac Riverkeepers to name a few. In total there were 70 exhibitors and vendors onsite. Educational Opportunities included four lectures by experts in their fields, Trolley and golf cart Osprey nest tours, four wildlife rehabilitators with animal ambassadors, and adult and children’s bird walks. The festival was made possible by approximately 75 dedicated volunteers that assisted the nearly 1500 attendees throughout the day. On Sunday after the festival, the Virginia Master Naturalists led bird walks in one of our nearby parks.
SAVE THE DATE
7th Annual Virginia Osprey Festival in Colonial Beach
April 12, 2025
April 13, 2025
Guided Birdwalks