Season of the Osprey

A veteran pair of ospreys return home to a Connecticut saltmarsh. Over one summer they must battle their enemies, withstand the elements, and hunt hundreds of fish, all to raise the next generation of these consummate sea hawks.

Within moments after the first chick hatches from her egg, a ritual begins that will play out every day for the next two months. Dad brings in a fresh fish, while mom tears tender pieces of it and delicately feeds the chicks.

The ospreys are having a housing crisis. They want to nest up high, but there are not enough spots for the birds that have come to breed. The only way for the young, less-experienced birds to get a good nest site is to steal one.

After their parents leave the nest for the winter, their three young ones are left to fend for themselves. The parents don't teach the young ospreys how to dive and catch fish, so they must teach themselves.

Filmmaker Jacob Steinberg reflects on the long process of making “Season of the Osprey,” the challenges of working in the ospreys’ element, and how he gained the trust of the subjects in order to capture the unique, intimate footage of the film.