Greenbelt Staff and Volunteers Document 92 Breeding Pairs, 112 Fledglings During 2025 Breeding Season
(Essex) — The Osprey population north of Boston and throughout Essex County continued to grow during the 2025 breeding season, marking the eighth consecutive year of population recovery. In its newly released summary report, Essex County Greenbelt Association’s Osprey Program notes that between April and September, staff and volunteers documented 92 breeding pairs across the region — from East Boston to Salisbury and inland to Boxford, Merrimac, and Haverhill. In total, 112 fledglings were confirmed, all of which — along with the adult Osprey — have since migrated south to warmer climates, some reaching as far as South America for the winter.
“Through our Osprey Program, we’ve helped nurture the local Osprey population by installing new nesting platforms, collecting data for research, and raising public awareness about this once-endangered species,” said Dave Rimmer, Greenbelt’s Osprey Program Director. “Our goal is to ensure they continue to thrive in this region for generations to come.”
Data gathered during the 2025 season offers important insight into nesting behaviors, habitat preferences, and long-term population trends in northeastern Massachusetts. As part of the program, 40 trained volunteer community scientists monitored nests and documented breeding activity throughout the region, submitting over 2,000 online observation reports.
“We simply could not collect all this information without our talented and dedicated group of volunteers,” said Rimmer. “They are truly the lifeblood of the program.”
Greenbelt also collaborated with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation to place aluminum leg bands issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on 31 chicks. Since 2013, Greenbelt has tagged approximately 425 Osprey chicks to aid in long-term tracking and conservation efforts.
A highlight of the 2025 season was Greenbelt’s popular OspreyCam, located on an active nest atop a wooden platform in the salt marsh behind Lobsta Land Restaurant in Gloucester. The live-streaming webcam drew more than 75,000 views during the breeding season, allowing the public to follow the nesting activity of longtime residents Annie and Squam in real time. The pair successfully raised two chicks this year and have fledged a total of 18 chicks since the camera was installed in 2018.
Learn more about Greenbelt’s Osprey Program: ecga.org/osprey
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Osprey photo credit: Steve Pucci
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