The camera, made possible by the East Hill Foundation, will give guests a view of the inside of an osprey nest from Tifft’s website and social channels
BUFFALO, NY –Tifft Nature Preserve announced today it has installed a new, high-definition wildlife monitoring camera to live-stream footage of the osprey nesting platform on the Preserve. The camera, located on the north side of Lake Kirsty, has the potential to capture video of an active osprey nest and digitally broadcast to the Tifft Nature Preserve website and social channels for worldwide viewing. Preserve visitors will also be able to view the live feed via a new digital screen inside the Herb & Jane Darling Environmental Education Center.
Osprey, which migrate back to Buffalo from southern climates in mid- to late-March, are large birds of prey that inhabit coastal regions and mate for life. The osprey nesting platform was installed atop a utility pole near Lake Kirsty at Tifft in 2010 as part of the New York Power Authority’s Habitat Improvement Projects. Since 2011, an active nesting osprey pair has returned to Tifft each year. In 2017, the pair of osprey produced three fledglings – the highest number to date.
Until now, Tifft visitors and staff have only been able to observe nest activity from the ground level, using the nesting pair’s behaviors as clues to understand what is taking place in the nest. This camera, made possible by the East Hill Foundation, is affixed above the nesting platform, giving viewers a look at what’s happening inside the nest and providing more information regarding this osprey pair. Based on the current live-stream, the female osprey appears to be sitting on at least three eggs. The osprey have also been videographed building their nest, hunting and feeding.
“Tifft Nature Preserve is home to approximately 160 species of birds each year, some seasonally and others year-round. We’re thrilled to offer birders, animal lovers and outdoor enthusiasts a front row seat to osprey season at Tifft,” said Marisa Wiggleworth, president and CEO of the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences. “This cutting-edge, non-intrustive camera will give us the opportunity to observe, study and marvel at these incredible birds – and potentially their hatching eggs – from a safe distance without disturbing them. We are grateful to the East Hill Foundation for making it possible.”
While the osprey usually remain at Tifft Nature Preserve through August, the camera is slated to be up and running year-round. Throughout fall and winter, the camera will give viewers a beautiful look at Lake Kirsty, as well as the wildlife that call the Preserve home.
For additional information about Tifft Nature Preserve, including visitor center operating hours, visit www.tifft.org.
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ABOUT TIFFT NATURE PRESERVE
Tifft Nature Preserve is a 264-acre urban wetland preserve and wildlife refuge on reclaimed former industrial land in South Buffalo’s Outer Harbor. A leader in environmental conservation and a regional birding destination, Tifft provides year-round outdoor recreation and educational programming for children and adults. Governed by the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences alongside the Buffalo Museum of Science, the Preserve features five miles of beautiful trails, diverse habitats, boardwalks and a newly-renovated Herb & Jane Darling Environmental Education Center. For more information, please visit www.tifft.org.
ABOUT THE BUFFALO MUSEUM OF SCIENCE
Rooted in the belief that science creates opportunities and shapes our world, the Buffalo Museum of Science is a non-profit educational institution dedicated to providing relevant science programming to learners of all ages in the Buffalo Niagara region. Through interactive science studios and exhibits designed for multi-generational learning, the Museum showcases its extensive collection of more than 700,000 specimens and artifacts representing all facets of the natural world with an emphasis on Western New York. With a focus on raising the science literacy in the Buffalo Niagara area and beyond, the Museum offers hands-on workshops, camps, panel discussions, guided tours and enhance learning opportunities for its guests and community. Opened in 1929 in Buffalo’s Olmsted-designed Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, the Museum recently installed its eighth interactive science studio marking the completion of the Museum’s 9-year-long transformation of its guest experience. The Buffalo Museum of Science is governed by the Buffalo Society of Natural Sciences alongside Tifft Nature Preserve in South Buffalo, a 264-acre urban wetland preserve on reclaimed former industrial land. Learn more at www.sciencebuff.org.
