Last Chick in 'Dunedin Osprey Cam' Nest Dies

The last surviving chick under surveillance in the Dunedin Osprey Cam nest is dead.

Officials made the announcement that "Sparky" the osprey chick who hatched in a nest perch along the Pinellas Trail overlooking Dunedin Stirling Links was removed from the nest for banding Monday. Banding typically occurs when the birds turn six weeks.

Sparky, one of three hatchlings from ospreys parents Pinella and Stirling, "went into shock" after being removed from the nest, according to DunedinOspreyCam.org reports. His siblings disappeared in early May, likely due to weather or predators, DunedinOspreyCam.org reports.

Sparky passed away in the afternoon Monday, June 10. 

The bird will be sent for a necropsy before a final cause of death can be determined. 

Nancy Abouhanna made an announcement to Dunedin Osprey Cam Facebook followers in the late afternoon hours Monday:

Good Afternoon Friends! It has been a very tearful day for us at the Dunedin Cam! Sparky was removed from the nest for banding this morning and went into shock. For those that were watching and saw the truck race away, he was taken to a local rehabber but did not survive. It is thought that he had a weak heart and was unusually small for his age. As more information is passed on to us, I will be sure to post for all our viewers! 

A special thanks to Nancy Abouhanna for posting news our loss. I have been having a hard time trying to gather my thoughts to post this information! - Jean

Nancy's Post:

 It is with great sadness to let everyone here know that our little Sparky has passed away today 06.10.2013 Monday in Dunedin, FL I received word from Barbara Walker that Sparky didn't make it once at the rehab center. I do not know the cause of his death. Please, everyone say prayers everyday to help Pinella and Stirling to begin healing their broken hearts. They need the prayers. Sparky was a survivor from when he was born, bring such joy to his parents with how he grew so handsomely fast and was wingersizing, eating on his own at times. Sparky will never be forgotten and will always be remembered in our thoughts, prayers, souls. May God give peace to his broken hearted parents. 

Two bald eagle chicks were recently found dead on Honeymoon Island. Those birds were also taken for a necropsy. Another pair of eaglets in Dunedin perished a little over a month ago, according to the Tampa Bay Times. It was determined those birds died of avian pox.

Related Coverage

• Baby Bald Eagle Receives Medical Care
• Bald Eagles Making a Comeback in Florida
• Congratulations! It's a Baby Osprey
• First Osprey Hatches in Osprey Cam Nest
• Osprey Courtship Results in Season's First Egg at Dunedin Nest

Editor's Note: This article was updated to reflect the correct origin of an eaglet avian pox case at 12:28 p.m., Tuesday, June 11, 2013.

Sign up for the Dunedin Patch email newsletter to get our top headlines delivered straight to your inbox so you won't miss a thing!