In the little bay between Plandome and Port Washington, an Osprey nesting platform stood for many years.
Ospreys, the beautiful fishing eagles whose population returned following the prohibition of DDT, nested on the platform for many years.
When a storm or old age destroyed their nesting platform, the Ospreys relocated to a roadside electric pole near their original platform.
Following this, someone thoughtfully constructed a new nesting platform in the original spot. Unfortunately, the platform was much lower than the original platform and far lower than an electric pole.
The Ospreys have continued to use the electric pole for their nest, as recently as last spring.
After the Ospreys migrated in the fall, PSEG-LI affixed three cones atop the electric pole to prevent another nest, which is in their interest as well as the birds’ interest.
When I drove past the pole yesterday, the female Osprey was standing, bewildered, between the cones atop the pole.
I think it is likely that the Ospreys will relocate to another electric pole since the new nesting platform is low enough for easy access by ground predators, including humans, and will therefore not be viable as a nest site.
When this situation occurred on Cross Bay Boulevard at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Don Riepe, a specialist in this area, constructed an Osprey nesting platform of equivalent height alongside the electric pole on which the Ospreys were nesting.
The Ospreys relocated to the platform and all was well.
Could we not do the same here?
It’s probably too late for this year but it would be a shame to lose the nesting Ospreys after so many years.
Melanie Miller
Great Neck
