Atlantic Security’s Famed Ospreycam Is Back and Better Than Ever

Atlantic Security, Inc. (ASI) has just announced the return of its Ospreycam for the 2018 season.

The ospreys return to the Mid-Atlantic region in mid-March, right around St. Patrick’s Day, and this year the first sighting of our resident ASI ospreys was on March 16th.

Once an endangered species, the ospreys, also called “fish hawks” have made a strong comeback and are abundant in our Mid Atlantic area during the spring and summer. They typically nest near any water source where fresh fish are plentiful, which makes the Chesapeake Bay region a perfect habitat. With an average length of 22-25 inches and an average wingspan of 4 ½ -6 feet, the osprey is one of the largest birds of prey in North America. While smaller than the bald eagle, the osprey has no trouble standing up to its larger foe and skirmishes between the two species are not uncommon.

Atlantic Security installed its first Ospreycam in 1996. At that time the hard-wired camera was mounted in a tree on the shoreline and aimed at the nest. The image was displayed on a small television monitor in the kitchen of ASI’s president’s home. Eventually the camera was mounted above the nest and the black and white image was replaced with color. As technology rapidly improved, so did the Ospreycam which now wirelessly transmits an HD image straight from the nest to your computer, tablet or phone. Infrared night vision allows night viewing.

The female osprey typically lays 2-3 eggs, with 2 chicks hatching. We have seen 3 chicks hatched and raised successfully on several occasions, and one year even 4 which is very rare. Eggs are laid in April, with chicks hatching mid to late May. This year the first egg was spotted in the nest on April 11. Both the male and female osprey take turns sitting on the eggs and fishing.

Atlantic Security Inc would like to state that webcams such as ours can be valuable educational tools which show daily activity that occurs in the nest. Unfortunately, at times real life is not completely cute and fuzzy, and things such as sibling rivalry, bad weather and predator attacks can occur. These things are part of nature and will occur whether on camera or not. While it is true that we own the camera and equipment, we do not own the ospreys or the nest, nor are we responsible for anything that might happen to the ospreys or the nest while our camera is in place.

Based in Chestertown, Atlantic Security Inc has been protecting fine homes and businesses since 1977. Our Ospreycam can be viewed on the “live camera feed” page of our web site and on our dedicated osprey information page.