Published by Connecticut State Environmental Conservation Police
Recently one of our Officers assigned to the Eastern Sector of the Marine District was on patrol at Miller Pond in Waterford when he came across an osprey with a very interesting story to tell.
The officer learned that the osprey he located was a seven-year-old male named “Edwin” who was outfitted with a leg band and a solar-powered satellite transmitter. After doing some research the Officer learned that Edwin was tagged on May 11th 2013 on Fishers Island, NY by a Wildlife Biologist and Biology Professor at The University of North Carolina who was conducting research on the migration patterns of Ospreys. Edwin is an osprey who calls Connecticut home, specifically the East Lyme/ Waterford area.
On August 16th Edwin departed Connecticut and began his annual migration south. Biologists were initially concerned as Edwin was migrating nearly a month earlier than normal. Nevertheless, Edwin travelled south along the east coast through Florida, stopping occasionally in Cuba, Florida Keys and the Dominican Republic. Edwin continued on south through the Caribbean Sea and toward South America travelling through both Columbia and Venezuela. Edwin’s transmitter lost service for several weeks as he travelled through Venezuela, but he was relocated on Valentine’s Day as he travelled past the Rio Solimoes (upper branch of Amazon River). Edwin spent his winter months along the Amazon River and Solimoes River located in the northern and western regions of Brazil. Edwin returned to Connecticut on April 2nd after having traveled over 5,000 miles.
Unfortunately, this migration was Edwin’s last as he passed away shortly after his return to Waterford. An average osprey lifespan is anywhere from five to ten years of age, and in terms of Osprey years, Edwin was an old bird. An old bird with an amazing story.
From ctpost.com/local | By Jim Shay | Thursday, April 28, 2016
