Congratulations Rachel and Steve!

Our first Osprey chick has broken out of its shell to greet mom and dad in the nest! Read this note and update from Charlie below:

You’ve followed the love story of Rachel and Steve, Hog Island Maine’s resident ospreys, joining them in a springtime reunion after a winter spent apart, celebrating as they turned a nest into a home and protected three precious eggs.

Now the next phase of their lives begins. explore.org is more than ecstatic and perhaps a little humbled to introduce you to their newest chick, hatched June 5 at 12:21 am PT. The next two chicks are due any hour now, so stay tuned to Osprey Cam.

Osprey eggs hatch asynchronously in the order they arrived, so expect to see the next hatchings staggered over the following days, the family growing.

The season’s most tender moments are revealed as the raptor parents raise these vulnerable chicks. You’ll see both mom and dad feeding their young ones fish and shielding them from the elements. Over the course of eight weeks Rachel and Steve will transform the hatchlings into their own independent fledglings.

Never Stop Learning,

Charlie / explore.org