NATURE: Season Of The Osprey

By Jennifer Robinson / Web Producer

Published October 21, 2021 at 11:47 AM PDT

Male osprey delivers a stick to the nest as his mate incubates their eggs. Greenwich, Conn.

Wednesday, May 1, 2024 at 8 p.m. on KPBS TV / Stream now with KPBS Passport!

Follow the Struggles and Triumphs of Aquatic Hawks

An osprey soars over a small saltmarsh at the delta of the Connecticut River. From somewhere along the east coast of South America, he has just flown 4,000 miles to the place that is imprinted on his memory since birth, the saltmarsh where he will rejoin his mate. Witness their reunion in NATURE “Season Of The Osprey.”

Become a KPBS sponsor

A veteran pair of ospreys return home to a Connecticut saltmarsh. Over one summer they must battle their enemies, withstand the elements, and hunt hundreds of fish, all to raise the next generation of these consummate sea hawks.

Foxes, deer, and scores of migrating shorebirds bring summer’s hustle and bustle back to the saltmarsh as the reunited pair mates and broods their eggs. Other osprey parents see their eggs snatched by predators that prowl the night. But this osprey pair is battle-tested. Over the course of one summer, they fend off enemies, catch hundreds of fish, and raise their tiny chicks into the next generation of these consummate sea hawks.

Within moments after the first chick hatches from her egg, a ritual begins that will play out every day for the next two months. Dad brings in a fresh fish, while mom tears tender pieces of it and delicately feeds the chicks.

This blue-chip Nature special explores the life of this incredible raptor with a depth and intimacy never before attempted. Shot in and around Great Island Marsh, where the Connecticut River meets the Long Island Sound, filmmaker Jacob Steinberg achieved unlimited access to an osprey nest and offers a rich look at this unique species known for its life-long partnerships, dynamic social interactions and masterful hunting prowess.

The ospreys are having a housing crisis. They want to nest up high, but there are not enough spots for the birds that have come to breed. The only way for the young, less-experienced birds to get a good nest site is to steal one.

“Osprey are beloved birds, and yet they lacked a definitive wildlife film,” said Steinberg. “The moment I began observing the family that would become the film’s iconic subjects, I knew theirs was a story that would resonate with Nature viewers.”

1 of 9

Female osprey stands guard over her nestlings. Greenwich, Conn.

Courtesy of © Jacob Steinberg

2 of 9

Sunrise greets female osprey as she incubates her eggs.

Courtesy of © Jacob Steinberg

3 of 9

Male osprey stands over his mate as she incubates their eggs in the nest. Greenwich, Conn.

Courtesy of © Jacob Steinberg

4 of 9

Male osprey delivers a stick to the nest as his mate incubates their eggs. Greenwich, Conn.

Courtesy of Michael Fleisch / © Jacob Steinberg

5 of 9

Close-up of female osprey as she incubates her eggs in the nest. Greenwich, Conn.

Courtesy of © Jacob Steinberg

6 of 9

Close-up of female osprey as she stands guard over her nest.

Courtesy of © Jacob Steinberg

7 of 9

Juvenile osprey stands atop his nest.

8 of 9

Juvenile ospreys look up at their mother atop the nest.

9 of 9

Juvenile ospreys practice flapping their wings in the rain as they gain strength for their first flight. Greenwich, Conn.

Watch On Your Schedule: This episode is available to stream with KPBS Passport, a benefit for members supporting KPBS at $60 or more yearly, using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn how to activate your benefit now.

After their parents leave the nest for the winter, their three young ones are left to fend for themselves. The parents don't teach the young ospreys how to dive and catch fish, so they must teach themselves.

Join The Conversation: NATURE is on Facebook, Instagram #NaturePBS

Become a KPBS sponsor

Credits: NATURE is a production of The WNET Group for PBS. Fred Kaufman is executive producer. Bill Murphy is series producer. A production of The WNET Group and Blue Ant Commissioning USA LLC in association with CosmoVision Media Group, LLC for Love Nature. Peter Hamilton is executive producer for CosmoVision Media Group, LLC. For Love Nature, James Manfull is executive producer. The documentary is filmed and produced by Jacob Steinberg. Written by Janet Hess and edited by Jim Isler. Paul Giamatti narrates.

Filmmaker Jacob Steinberg reflects on the long process of making “Season of the Osprey,” the challenges of working in the ospreys’ element, and how he gained the trust of the subjects in order to capture the unique, intimate footage of the film.

NATURE: Season Of The Osprey

Tags

Fact-based local news is essential