Ospreys and Electricity Don’t Mix
Saturday March 28, 2009
Ospreys build their large stick nests on open platforms, preferably in locations with wide fields of view. Unfortunately, some birds in Stamford, Connecticut will need to look elsewhere for prime real estate this year. According to the Stamford Advocate, a $90,000 project to replace light towers at Cummings Park has led to less bird-friendly towers that lack the platforms the birds had previously used for nesting.While the intention was not malicious in evicting the birds, significant damage had been done to the towers because of the nesting ospreys. Broken lights, severed wires and blocked access for technicians were common problems. Some birds are attempting to build nests on the new towers, but workers plan to remove the nests to encourage the birds to relocate.
What unusual places have birds built nests in your yard? Share your experiences in the comments!
Osprey Nest
Photo © Steve Ryan
Comments
Some years ago I was walking around Lake Murray in San Diego with a friend and commented on the power lines and osprey there. We had both just retired from the Navy, working in electronics engineering. He had talked to someone from the gas & electric company who had installed some PVC plastic pipe for insulation to protect the birds as if it were a routine thing.
http://www.beakycoot.com/highvoltage.jpg shows the problem area.
I guess the situation in Connecticut is somewhat different.
Cliff