Scientists are sounding the alarm about the plunging number of viable Osprey nests on the Chesapeake Bay this year. What is happening and what might it say about the health of the Bay? Join Chesapeake Forum at the Avalon Theatre in Easton on Tues., Nov. 4th for Lectures on the Shore: Our Disappearing Osprey, an expert panel discussion about some of the factors leading to this crisis.
Each spring, the skies above the Chesapeake Bay come alive with the return of ospreys – majestic raptors whose arrival signals the end of winter and the beginning of nesting season. But beneath this familiar seasonal rhythm lies a troubling story: the world‘s largest breeding population of ospreys is showing signs of distress. The recent loss of more than 90% of viable Osprey nests may be telling us something urgent about the health of the Bay itself.
Our panel of experts includes Greg Kearns, a Senior Park Naturalist/Scientist at the Patuxent River Park for over 40 years; David Reed, Executive Director of the Chesapeake Legal Alliance, and, Will Poston, menhaden Forage Campaign Manager. The panel will explore the complex relationship between ospreys and their primary food source Atlantic menhaden – a small nutrient fish who’s declining availability is triggering starvation, reproductive failure, and unprecedented reproductive short falls among nesting pairs of osprey. Salinity levels, warming waters, harvest, pressures, and water quality will also be examined for their contribution to this ecological unraveling.
Lectures on the Shore will be held at the Avalon Theatre in Easton, Tuesday, Nov. 4th from 6:30 – 8:30 PM. Enjoy light hors d’oeuvres, wine and soft drinks 30 minutes prior to the presentation. Tickets are $60 and are available at https://chesapeakeforum.org.
Chesapeake Forum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing lifelong learning opportunities for residents of the Eastern shore. It is a part of the YMCA of the Chesapeake. To receive Chesapeake Forum’s newsletter, please send your contact information to info@chesapeakeforum.org.
