Rosie and Richmond on Rail by SF Bay Osprey Cam

Osprey Cam’s Last Season

SF Bay Ospreys Camera Decommissioning Announcement
April 13, 2026

In 2017 Golden Gate Bird Alliance installed two SF Bay Ospreys cameras to bring the Port of Richmond’s Whirley Crane Osprey pair, Rosie and Richmond, into the homes of admirers around the world. For over nine years the cameras have followed the lives of Rosie and Richmond as they built and maintained their nest, raised chicks, and returned year after year. The SF Bay Osprey Cam achieved its goal to bring birds and bird conservation to a new audience, connecting people to nature through the lives of our local Osprey.

With a heavy heart we announce this will be the final year of the SF Bay Ospreys cam live stream. We want to express our sincere gratitude for all the volunteers who dedicated heroic amounts of time setting up the program, educating viewers, banding the nestlings, and serving as camera operators, video editors, and fish matrix masters. They made the program possible. Most importantly, we would like to thank you, everyone at home who watched Rosie, Richmond, and this year’s new female, Wendy. Thank you to everyone who participated in building this incredible community through social media and the live chat. Just like the birds will continue to go about their lives without the cams, we know this community will live on.

This year Rosie did not return but Richmond found a new mate, a young female named Wendy. When Rosie did not return from migration this year, and their light pole nest was removed, Richmond returned to the Whirley Crane, where he single-talonedly built an impressive new nest. Only time will tell if Richmond and Wendy are successful in laying eggs and raising chicks. The cameras will continue to stream and capture their lives for the remainder of this final season.

When will the stream end?

Our biggest priority is not disturbing the Ospreys. If Richmond and Wendy successfully hatch chicks, we will wait until October when all the chicks have fully fledged and dispersed. If they are unsuccessful and leave the area sooner, we will end the stream in July. 

Why are we decommissioning the SF Bay Ospreys cameras?

  • Ospreys are a conservation success story, and GGBA’s strategic plan is to turn our bandwidth and primary focus to species that need our help most. In addition to staff and volunteer time, the monthly cost of streaming,website hosting and maintenance, and live chat will be used to protect and enhance habitat for species in decline.
  • The Whirley Crane is aging. Because of its structural issues, accessing the camera equipment and the nest area is difficult and expensive.
  • This program cannot run without our dedicated volunteers, but the number of hours it takes to monitor the cameras, provide an optimal viewing experience, research and log details of all fish brought to the Whirley Crane, and share special moments via YouTube and Facebook are long, and our current volunteers are ready to reclaim some of those hours for other projects.

What will remain on the website and where can I find the information?

  • Website: The historic information from the SFBayOspreys.org website will be migrated to a page on the goldengatebirdalliance.org website in October 2026.
  • Live Chat: GGBA is rolling out a new chatting feature for the entire community on Discord. In October 2026 the current Live Chat on SFBayOspreys.org will end but a dedicated channel on GGBA’s Discord tool will be created and all chatters will be invited to join. More to come on the new Discord tool, and the current Live Chat will remain up and running through September 2026.
  • Facebook page and YouTube channel: Both social media accounts will remain active for the foreseeable future.
  • Fish Counting Matrix: the invaluable data collected from 2018-2024, and again in 2026, will be made available on GGBA’s website.

What will GGBA do with the cameras and equipment?

We’ve reached out to partner organizations with other wildlife cams to see if they will accept a donation of the cameras. We hope to have our equipment used elsewhere and we’ll share more as we learn. 

Do you have more questions?

Email sfbayospreys@goldengatebirds.org for more information.

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Golden Gate Bird Alliance is deeply grateful to the many individuals and organizations that have made this first-ever SF Bay Ospreys camera project possible. We’d like to thank the following for their crucial cooperation and support:

S.F. Bay Osprey Coalition

WWOC Live Chat community 

Cindy Margulis, Tony Brake, Craig Griffeath, Robin, and Dianne Ayres

City of Richmond and Port of Richmond

Joe Pifer, Tim Sears, and HDOnTap

Craig Newmark, Founder Craigslist

Contra Costa County Fish and Wildlife Committee

Golden Gate Raptor Observatory

John Ehrenfeld

Mary Austin

PG&E

Richmond Museum Association

Rosie the Riveter National Park

S.S. Red Oak Victory Ship & Museum