As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Thursday, 24 April 2014

Maryland v. Osprey: The battle of the nest

By Susan L. Ruth, Communities Digital News


Osprey nest at MD Transportation traffic camera


WASHINGTON, April 23, 2014 — There has been a battle raging in Maryland over the past week between two federally protected Ospreys and the Terrapin State.

The conflict started a week ago when the Maryland Transportation Authority noticed an Osprey nest being build around a traffic camera along the Chesapeak Bay Bridge.

The large nest was being built at the top of a camera pole located at the toll plaza for the busy bridge.

The first problem was that as the nest grew, the camera’s view was being blocked and second was that the birds did not seem to like sharing their newly chosen nesting area with the camera and started attacking it.

According to the local news source, WTOP, the Transportation Authority reached out to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for assistance in relocating the nest before more damage was done to the $6,000 camera and before any eggs were laid.

Once eggs or young birds are in the nest it becomes more difficult to move and would require a permit.

The nest was removed, and the birds rebuilt another one in the same location on the traffic camera pole.

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