Cape Coral osprey nest removed from power pole by LCEC as fire hazard

Jul 26, 2023

Ospreys were nesting on a power pole that lit on fire leading to their nest getting removed by the power company. They’re having a rough time for a family simply looking for a home.

Despite neighbors wanting the family to have their own home too, it has proven to be complicated.

Angela and Wayne Manning have watched Lucy and Desi, the names they gave to the two ospreys in Northwest Cape Coral, for a long time. The Mannings have often watched Lucy and Desi build nest after nest on top of the same pole.

"And they work so hard. They really work hard building that nest. And we watched them build a nest, and then it got thrown down. And then they scrambled," Wayne said.

Over the weekend, the nest caught on fire, forcing LCEC to remove the nest, which Lucy and Desi obviously weren't fond of.

"And they spent all day circling trying to land on there, they’d go out, and they’d get a stick and come back and circle and come down this way," Wayne said.

WINK News spoke with Ned Bruha, the owner of Wildlife Whisperer, about the birds of prey situation.

"If they have something to look forward to, such as a platform here, then they’re going to come back. Where are they going to go if they don't have a home to come back to they have nothing to look forward to. They have feelings, also there go through troubles just like us," Bruha said.

Bruha said he's going to build a temporary home using the sticks that survived the fire. Sticks that Lucy and Desi picked from right outside the Manning's home.

"She's developed a relationship with these birds, she’ll come out and she’ll do a little whistle. And the guy he’ll come down and swoop over ahead," Wayne said.

"It's kind of heartbreaking because we’ve watched them build a nest and then rebuild it and try and rebuild it a third time," Wayne said. "It kinda tugs at your heart, knowing how hard they’re working…and they’ve got nothing."

LCEC said they will let the birds nest again but on a different pole. Luckily for the ospreys, it isn't far away from the original nest.

Kathryn Brintnall, the president of the international osprey foundation, said this situation isn't unique for the birds. Typically, these birds will find a place they like and cling to it.

"And the problem when you just remove a nest, and you don't put in a substitute for them to nest, and they all come back, and they will continue to nest, you know, they will nest in inappropriate places, and cause human-wildlife conflict, which nobody wants, we want to embrace our wildlife here," Brintnall said.

On Wednesday, a neighbor volunteered their property for a new nest sight. If all goes well, there won't be any more ruffled feathers in the future for the pair of ospreys.

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