Osprey Banding

Spearheaded by long-term volunteer Bill Snyder, FBBO has banded 119 young Osprey since 1998. Ospreys build their nest on platforms placed on top of telephone poles, usually not far from water. During early summer we monitor Osprey platforms for nesting activity and return in June and July to band the recently hatched nestlings. Each year, volunteers and interested guests, under the supervision of Bill and master bander Jim Gruber climb the platforms and band the chicks.

Despite having banded a relatively small number of Osprey, we have had two recoveries. A nestling banded in July 2002 was found approximately 2,100 miles from FBBO in Trinidad in November later that same year. Our second recovery was of a nestling banded in July of 2008 that was found in Ecuador in November of 2008. Ecuador is approximately 2,700 miles away from FBBO.

Osprey banding at Chino Farm provides a great way for volunteers to interact with these icons of the Chesapeake Bay region. The data collected from banding Osprey helps us determine how far they travel during migration and where they might winter. It also provides an opportunity to determine how many young Osprey hatch and eventually fledge from the nest platforms on the farm.