September, 9th - "Fall is for planting" osprey platforms, that is!! Besides siting some more perennials or trees in your yard, I like to install some osprey platforms each fall. Sometimes new platforms are erected to replace old predator prone 4-post platforms with newer style 1-post platforms, or we install platforms in new locations in suitable habitat (almost anywhere near water). Today I installed two in Loveladies on the western lagoons that were luckily never developed. Today the property is owned by the federal government and managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service and is part of E.B. Forsythe NWR.The area is certainly unique since most other coastal marshes along barrier islands were filled (54% of all wetlands in US have been filled already!!) to create human housing developments prior to protection in the 1970's.
I had a great crew today, a former co-worker, Jeff Sloane and his intern/bio. tech. crew from USFWS and Jeff W. with NJDFW. I had the pleasure of inviting Bill Clarke, a M.D. from Maryland who has an undeveloped lot in Loveladies Harbor who had read the previous article in the Sandpaper and decided to support our work by making a generous donation in support of enhancing osprey nesting habitat and protecting shorebird habitat. Bill had e-mailed me to inquire about the feasability of installing a platform near another nest on a channel marker that he always sails past. I also had Angela Anderson and Ryan Morrill there from the Sandpaper to do a follow up story on how else we (The Conserve Wildlife Foundation of NJ and private donors) are helping to "enhance osprey nesting habitat" along Atlantic Coastal areas of New Jersey. Particulary on the Barnegat Bay where a lack of suitable nesting platforms had decreased productivity in the bay. As of today 27 suitable nesting structures exist that are outside of our "core" colony (Sedge Island WMA) where between 20-30 ospreys nest each year.
I'll post a link for the article, after it gets published next week (it is only available for one week after being posted on the web).
-Ben
1 comment:
Ben,
Excellent work and awesome blog! I had no idea you had this thing kicking until I saw the update on Facebook. There is some great information with some outstanding pictures in here. Some of the osprey closeups are unbelievable.
Keep up the good work!
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