Juvenile Osprey in the process of being banded. Photos by George Pitcher (6/25/09)
Better view of juvenile osprey
Local Highland Park resident George Pitcher participated in the banding of two juvenile ospreys at a tidal marsh in Cheesequake, NJ and took the above pictures. The birds were approximately 3-4 months old and were expected to fledge (begin flying) in two weeks. Volunteers and wildlife officials banded the birds, which were sitting on the nesting platform. They used a ladder to remove the birds from the platform, banded them, and then replaced them on the nest. The juveniles ospreys did not appear stressed by the process and the circling osprey parents did not attack the volunteers. The banding is part of a federal/state program to track these previously endangered birds.
During the summer, ospreys can frequently be seen soaring above the Raritan River. They hover and then dive into the river for fish. They are frequently seen above the river. Donaldson Park and Johnson Park are good places to observe them.
Link to Wikipedia Article on Osprey