Sometimes You Just Have To Go With What You Have

Last year, a call came in that an Osprey nest had come down with three young birds. They were almost old enough to take first flight.  We had gotten so much rain that the nest was saturated with water and it broke loose from its resting place in the tree.

Osprey nest high in the air on poles or trees, so I knew that I had to make a platform or something to get them off of the ground and safe up in the tree.  I looked at the supplies I had in my building back at Operation Orphan and saw a top I made for a 48-inch-long aquarium.  It was made of wood and hardware cloth; I was pretty sure this would work. I called my friend, Mike, to come help me and we headed over there.

When we arrived at the residence where they were locate, the three youngsters were not far apart, and Mom and Dad were flying back and forth keeping an eye on us. The nest covered a large area and actually came up to my knees (no making fun of me from those that know how short I am – HA).

I had taken rope along and so I tied the rope at each corner of the makeshift shelf and placed some nesting material on it. The property owners gave us a ladder and we pulled the shelf as high into the tree as we could and still be able to reach it to place the babies, then pulled it into the tree. After tying it off, it was ready for the youngsters.

Mike stood guard to make sure the parents didn’t come attack us and one by one, I carried them up the ladder, starting with the youngest one. I got him in the nest and as soon as I let go he went right back to the ground.  I went back down the ladder, picked him up, went back up the ladder, placed him on the shelf and held him for a short time.  Thank goodness when I let go he stayed put.  It was now time for the next bird.  I gathered him up and placed him on the other end of the shelf, once again holding him a short time, and he stayed put.  The third bird went right in the middle.

Everyone stayed put!  The next morning I drove out to check on them.  The youngsters were all in the makeshift nest and they all had full crops, so I knew that the parents were taking care of them.  The shelf could have been bigger, but sometimes you just have to go with what you have!

SIDE NOTE:

I was fortunate enough to be on the ground floor for the reintroduction of Osprey into Ohio.  These birds are both big and beautiful. Osprey are a fishing bird and they smell very strong of fish.  They can be seen nesting high on poles. They lay their eggs in two day intervals and they hatch in the same order. ~ Fran Kitchen

Copyright 2016 – 2018 Fran Kitchen All Rights Reserved

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