Ospreys are a common sight along the New Jersey shore during summer months.

Each year myself and other dedicated volunteers conduct surveys of osprey nests by boat. Photo by Northside Jim.

We use ladders to access nests. Photo by Northside Jim.

We count the number of young produced.

While checking nests the adults circle nests and often dive bomb banders, like myself.

Dive bombed like this. Photo by Northside Jim.

And this… Photo by Jim Northside Jim.

Young are banded for future tracking.

This year a color auxiliary band is being deployed on young that are produced on Barnegat Bay.

The bands will allow us and “Osprey Watchers” to ID individuals birds and we will learn a great deal about their dispersion, site fidelity, life span, etc…

While checking nests, with or without young, we clean out any trash that we find. Photo by Northside Jim.

After surveying a nest the adults return to care for their young.