Oh, I thought it the person Oprah. I was like WHAT?!?! LoL
Oprah and Oscar Osprey have been nesting at that location for several years.
For those familiar with Palmetto Dunes, the nest sits atop of the water tower near the firestation on Dalmation Drive, which connects with Queen's Folly road where the rarelt used auxiliary guard gate is positioned.
When going to the beach from the
DVC Resort, the water tower is on the right after crossing Rt 278 into PD.
Osprey (Sea Hawks) are typically monogamous and will return to the same nest each year and add to the structure. The female sits on the eggs (which take 5-6 weeks to hatch), although the make does also sit on the eggs occasionally. There are usually 2-3 eggs laid each season. They are NOT all laid at the same time, so the fledglings will hatch out at different times, often days apart. So, the last to hatch is often at a huge disadvantage to compete for food with its older siblings.
The male is responsible for defending the nest and bringing fish to the nest for the female and eventually the fledglings. This nest is about 1/2 mile from the ocean and closer to numerous lagoons in the area, so there are lots of options for food gathering.
We frequently see osprey circling and pestering eagles, as eagles will try to raid the nest once the eggs hatch. Osprey are impressive raptors, almost 2' from beak to tail with a 4.5 foot wingspan. Eagles are about 32" long with an 80" wingspan.
The orange fibers you can see in the nest are the bindings used for bales of pine straw which is commonly being replaced around the area at this time.
The eggs should start hatching by mid-May. There are at least two eggs in the nest at this time. (When Oprah stands up briefly, I've seen two eggs. She turns the eggs frequently before snuggling back down over them. The eggs are brown and speckled.
Enjoy!
