Osprey Tour on the Upper Tidal James River

Limited Space Available - Five Tour Dates

Osprey are found throughout the world and the 64,000 square miles that make up the Chesapeake Bay's watershed is the largest breeding ground for osprey on the planet. The Discover the James Osprey Tour illustrates the story of breeding successes and failures within the lower Chesapeake Bay. The contrast in breeding successe in the Bay's upper tidal tributaries and the complete failure in the lower tidal tributaries and shorelines of the lower Bay is staggering.

The upper tidal James River exemplifies what a proper osprey ecosystem looks like, with continued sustainable breeding success, while 80 miles away, the lower Chesapeake Bay is suffering a breeding collapse worse than at the height of the DDT disaster when osprey were forced to the brink of extirpation, or local extinction. 

Discover the James and the Center for Conservation Biology have teamed up to offer a unique boat tour, where you will experience a successful breeding osprey ecosystem. Join Michael Academia, M.Sc. Biology, from the Center for Conservation Biology, as he shares and educates you about osprey and a citizen science project called Osprey Watch.

Osprey are migratory raptors arriving from the South in late February and early March, begin to leave in August and are gone by the end of September, as they return to their southern wintering grounds. Learn about the osprey's annual life cycle and experience the visual display of bird's daily interactions with each other and the local bald eagle population.

Ride aboard the Discovery Barge II, aUSCG licensed 24-foot pontoon boat, as you travel into an ecosystem rich with wildlife, history and beautiful scenery. The Discover the James' Osprey Tour takes you through a stretch of the James River known as Jefferson's Reach. Come experience the magical world of osprey, and how their ecosystem works as Capt. Mike Ostrander and Michael Academia bring you closer to osprey than you may have ever seen them.

The Osprey Tour was created to help raise awareness to the osprey's breeding problems and is also a fundraiser for the Center for Conservation Biology. For each paid attendee, 66% of the fee will go to help osprey research through a donation to Osprey Watch & the Center for Conservation Biology.

Osprey Tour Schedule

2-Hour Osprey Tour:  $95 per person

2024 Osprey Tours:

April 27, Saturday, 11:00am - 1:00pm

May 18 - Fully Booked

June 8, Saturday, 11:00am - 1:00pm

July 20, Saturday, 11:00-am - 1:00pm

August 31, Saturday, 11:00am - 1:00pm

For more information or to book an Osprey Tour: 

Contact Capt. Mike at 804-938-2350 or Mike@DiscovertheJames.com