Name the ospreys

One of the highlights of this spring has been the Osprey Cam. I’ve even checked in on them when it’s dark. Pro-tip you can’t see much. As hoped there are baby osprey now with two of the three eggs hatching. The folks at RichmondOutside.com have decided it’s time to name the parents. Why the parent? Read below for your answer and how to send your name suggestions. I’ll be submitting Mrs. Potts & Chip in honor of T-pot bridge and Baby and Johnny from Dirty River Dancing.

From RichmondOutside.com:

Wait, why the parents, you ask, with all the excitement surrounding the birth of the chicks? Well, it’s simple: In six to eight weeks these babies will fledge. They’ll leave the nest on their first flight. For a month or two they’ll return to the nest frequently, getting stronger in the air and eventually learning to hunt for fish on their own. In other words, there’s plenty of show left, but as the summer winds down the young adults will leave the nest for good. They’ll have to find their own mates and territory.

The parents, on the other hand, are Richmonders. They’ve been returning to this nest site for years. How many I’m not sure, but I’ve watched them for three nesting seasons now. They’ll be the ones returning from their migration (probably to South America) next February/March ready to start mating/nesting/parenting anew. If all goes well, we’ll get to know them over the course of years. How cool is that?

So, here’s what we’ll do: For the next week — through Sunday, May 7 at midnight — we’ll be taking name suggestions. They have to be pairs. Think Ozzie and Harriet, Andrew and Freiden, Levar and Stoney. Anything! Well, not anything, but you get the idea. On Monday, we, along with our awesome partners at the Friends of the James River Park, will cull the list to five or six pairs, and voting will begin at RVAOspreyCam.com. We’ll announce the winning pair at the Friends of the James River Park‘s booth (and online) at Dominion Riverrock on Sunday, May 21 (you’ll also be able to vote at the booth on Friday and Saturday).

So, send us your ideas. You can go to RVAOspreyCam.com and vote on the live chat; email us at andy@richmondoutside; or find us on social media. Message us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.