Kids destroy Udall's Cove osprey nest

From CBS 2:

Little Neck residents are outraged after an osprey nest was deliberately set on fire.

CBS2’s Tracee Carrasco reported that state investigators are trying to find who started the blaze along the Nassau-Queens border by the Long Island Sound.

Chris DeGeorge witnessed last Sunday someone setting fire to the osprey nest in Udalls Cove as neighbors said it was set by two boys and a girl.

Udalls Cove is a designated bird sanctuary and ospreys are protected under both federal and state law.

Joseph DeGeorge said it appears the ospreys are trying to build a new nest, but it may be too late in the season for any hatchling to survive.

The reward leading to an arrest has grown to more than $4,000.

Someone at Breezy Point pilfered plover eggs

From DNA Info:

Cops are on the hunt for the bird-brained bandit who swiped all of the eggs from two piping plover nests in Breezy Point, part of the Gateway National Recreation Area where the endangered animals live.

Authorities are hunting for an individual who went up to the two nests on the night of July 3rd, ripped off the wire netting protecting them and swiped the eggs inside, U.S. Park police said.

They believe that one person is responsible because a single set of human footprints was found in the sand.

Piping plovers are considered endangered birds and individuals convicted of violating the law that protects them can be slapped with a hefty fine ranging from $5,000 to $ 250,000 or be tossed behind bars for up to two years, authorities said.

Baby ravens are all grown up

Courtesy of 10000 Birds:

The first ever documented nesting of Common Ravens in New York City ended successfully, with all three nestlings becoming fledglings. The happy change in status from nest-bound birds to flappy free fliers occurred over the last week, with the birds leaving the nest on May 31 and walking along the water tower support on which their nest was built and gradually branching out from there. Yesterday morning, June 7, was the first day that no ravens were detected at the nest site, despite my assiduous efforts.

Happy Mothers Day from Queens Crap

This was the scene last night on a ledge high above Queens:

A mama hawk was protecting her babies from the wind.

The Live HawkCam can be viewed here.