The nest is 4 feet across and 2 feet deep. More details at the Star Tribune.The nest, atop a 130-foot light pole at Hwy. 169 and Crosstown Hwy. 62, has been home to the distinctive black-and-white raptors for the past five years. When workers began replacing nearby poles last spring, the sight fueled many concerned calls to the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and the nest got a reprieve... MnDOT held off removing the pole until the adults and this year's three offspring were gone. The birds emptied the nest last month and headed back to South America.
Photo credit Renee Jones Schneider, Star Tribune
Wow that's amazing I didn't know Osprey's nested near human populations, but this year I saw one fishing in a local pond here in Edmonton. I was so surprised but also so happy to see it the only other time I ever saw one was in Alaska. I certainly hope that they come back next year and build a new nest
ReplyDeleteIn Florida, where they are year-round residents, they commonly nest in or near developed areas. Several pairs nested near an apartment complex I lived in just outside of Tampa. In a place where you see sandhill cranes and white ibises feeding in suburban medians or strolling through parking lots, it seemed pretty normal.
ReplyDeleteYep, osprey are thriving down here in Florida. I see them everywhere. I think osprey have a much easier time nesting. They like dead trees and open barren spots like the tops of light poles (I have spotted a nest atop a light pole in a parking lot a few miles from my house). Eagles, on the other hand, need live trees and foliage protection for their young. In fact, less scrupulous people frustrated with wildlife protection laws have been known to purposely kill trees with eagles nests, so that the eagles will move away and they can then develop the property. My mother has two eagles named Ozzy and Harriet that live in a tree over her house when they don't have young.
ReplyDelete