Osprey nest in crane vexes contractor at Port of Tampa

[Donna]

http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/osprey-nest-in-crane-vexes-contractor-at-port-of-tampa/1163142 continued

TAMPA — Setting out to do a job expected to take only a few days, a salvage crew spotted trouble last week when a bird swirled menacingly around its gear.

Atop the crew's crane, ospreys had built a nest and had chicks.

[valhalla]

Of course, my first reaction was, "why has the crane been sitting idle since February"?  My 2nd reaction was, that he'd going out of business if he has to wait for the chicks to fledge.  So happy that Florida has said enough and is going to move the nest.  Remember, I LOVE Ospreys, but enough is enough.

[Donna]

Osprey eggs removed; nest taken down

Updated: Tuesday, 12 Apr 2011, 5:49 PM EDT
Published : Tuesday, 12 Apr 2011, 4:30 PM EDT

TAMPA - The osprey nest at the top of a crane and in the middle of a standoff with federal wildlife officials has been moved.

A wildlife rescue volunteer went to the top of the crane in a cherry picker just before 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon and removed three eggs.

They are reportedly taking the eggs to the Audubon Center in Orlando, where they will try to save them.

The owner did not have a permit to move the nest or the eggs, but he said he was losing large amounts of money while the crane and his employees sat idle.
 

As a nest of ospreys sits on top of a crane in the Port of Tampa, workers are sitting idle, and the crane's owner says he is losing around $8,000 per day.

Jani Salonen, the crane's owner, says he may have to lay off some of his employees if the impasse over the nest continues.

He estimates he has lost more than $30,000 since he reported the nest and contacted wildlife advocates to help him remove the nest.

(I thought they were going to relocate the nest?) Sad for mom and dad.

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/hillsborough/ospreys-perch-puts-business-in-peril video

[valhalla]

They try to relocate all of the nests, but sometimes they can't be.  Osprey are very welcoming and these eggs can probably be snuck into another nest or two or three with no problems. 

Rt 4 nest has alreadly failed and it looks like the parents have moved on.  A new nest in Deale is going to fail because it is on the power lines - will either catch on fire (one did last year) or blow apart (bad location).  Too late in the season for BGE to do anything.

[Donna]

Osprey eggs survive move

Updated: Wednesday, 13 Apr 2011, 4:36 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 13 Apr 2011, 3:05 PM EDT

MAITLAND, Fla. - One of three Osprey eggs rescued Tuesday is hatching at the Audubon Birds of Prey Center in Maitland, volunteers there confirmed.

This comes a day after the eggs were rushed to be incubated at the center because the owner of a crane removed the nest holding the eggs in Tampa.

The owner did not have a federal permit to remove the eggs, but did so anyway, saying he was losing money while the crane sat idle.

As of noon Wednesday, one of the eggs had a hole in it and the chick inside was opening its mouth, according to Nancy Murrah, a volunteer with the Audubon Center.

Murrah said the other two eggs were doing fine, and were also expected to hatch soon. She said the eggs were close to hatching when they were removed from the nest, which made them less vulnerable to damage from being moved too much.

When all three chicks hatch, volunteers and staff will care for them until they are old enough and well enough to be placed in a foster nest.

Murrah said they will look for an osprey nest with the chicks that are around the same age, and put them in there. She said ospreys are, in general, good parents and will likely care for the new chicks as if they were their own.

coming out
day old chick

[valhalla]

    the osprey!

[Donna]

    the osprey!

I wonder if they had hatched before removal, would they have to leave them there?

[valhalla]

    the osprey!

I wonder if they had hatched before removal, would they have to leave them there?

I don't know about Florida, but once the eggs are laid in Maryland, then all bets are off until the kids leave the nest.  Many boats are unable to move until the ducklings hatch (the most common nesters).  We have found "cooked" eggs on Valhalla (not a very bright mom, just plopped the egg down in our bow pulpit and I found it at a later date). 

[MAK]

  

PS