{"id":13863,"date":"2017-03-20T08:00:54","date_gmt":"2017-03-20T12:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/?p=13863"},"modified":"2017-06-21T15:25:26","modified_gmt":"2017-06-21T19:25:26","slug":"osprey-watch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2017\/03\/20\/osprey-watch\/","title":{"rendered":"Osprey Watch: Protecting raptors and preventing outages"},"content":{"rendered":"
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At Blackwater; by Jan Master<\/p><\/div>\n

Osprey are one of the Chesapeake Bay region\u2019s crown jewels. The raptors\u2019 return each March causes nature lovers to gaze skyward as the birds\u00a0rebuild their nests for breeding season.\u00a0They seek high ground to keep their young\u00a0safe. They are also highly adaptable making nearly anything a potential site for their\u00a0homes, from trees to utility poles.<\/p>\n

This can bring an unexpected problem for many people who live along the\u00a0bay. As the osprey repair and ready their\u00a0nests for future young, they run the risk of\u00a0causing power outages when they reside\u00a0on utility poles. This can happen when\u00a0dropped sticks or sagging nests come into\u00a0direct contact with electric equipment.<\/p>\n

Not only can this cause an outage, but\u00a0it also endangers the birds.<\/p>\n

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Osprey nest; by Stephen Talabac<\/p><\/div>\n

All about osprey<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the top of the Chesapeake Bay\u2019s food chain soars one of North America\u2019s largest birds of prey and one of the most widespread birds on earth: the osprey.<\/p>\n

At about 24 inches tall with a wingspan of up to 6 feet, the oft-called fish hawk has no predators but competes with the bald eagle for food. With a diet consisting almost exclusively of live fish, this large raptor hovers over the water at an altitude of 50 to 200 feet, diving in feet first to catch its prey.<\/p>\n

The osprey is an avid collector. Its conspicuous nests, found atop dead trees, channel markers and tele-
\nphone poles, have been known to include rubber boots, bicycle tires, Hula Hoops, television antennae, Styrofoam cups and plastic containers\u2014just one more important reason to keep our landscapes and waterways clean, and free of trash and debris.<\/p>\n

Once nearly eradicated in the Chesapeake Bay region, today there are more than 2,000 nesting pairs in the bay area.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

A winning balance<\/strong><\/p>\n

Baltimore Gas and Electric is committed\u00a0to reliably and safely delivering electricity\u00a0to customers but the company also has a\u00a0strong commitment to environmental stewardship and protecting forests, plants, waterways and wildlife in central Maryland.<\/p>\n

For the birds, this meant developing\u00a0Osprey Watch<\/a>\u2014a program that allows\u00a0customers to directly notify the company\u00a0about nests that are sighted on or near\u00a0power lines and poles.<\/p>\n

\u201cProviding reliable electricity is one of\u00a0our basic responsibilities, but when we can\u00a0pair this with keeping ospreys safe, it turns\u00a0into a win-win,\u201d said Chris Burton, vice\u00a0president of electric distribution. \u201cBGE\u2019s\u00a0longstanding commitment to environmental stewardship has always included a comprehensive plan to protect wildlife. Osprey Watch enables everyone to help ensure they have a safe nesting season.\u201d<\/p>\n

The program debuted in 2016, and\u00a0vigilant customers alerted the company 23\u00a0times about nests on electric equipment\u00a0in Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Harford\u00a0counties and Baltimore City.<\/p>\n

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How it works<\/strong><\/p>\n

When BGE is alerted, a trained crew is dispatched to review the situation and take steps to both protect the birds and preventpotential power outages. If no birds or eggs\u00a0are present in the nest, the crew removes\u00a0it and places deterrents to prevent their\u00a0return. If birds or eggs are present, shielding is placed on the equipment to prevent contact. Once they leave for the fall, the nest is then removed.<\/p>\n

With an average of about 12 outages\u00a0caused by ospreys each year, this can\u00a0make a real difference.<\/p>\n

In the right setting, it is sometimes possible to relocate the nest to a safe area. Over the past year, four nesting platforms were installed: two at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, one at the Oyster Harbor Community in Annapolis and one in Pasadena.<\/p>\n

Before any work involving active nests\u00a0on BGE equipment, the company\u2019s Environmental Management Unit reviews the situation to ensure that all proper regulations are followed. The company adheres to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act<\/a> and Bald Eagle Protection Act<\/a> and has a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Special Purpose Utility Permit, which allows certain migratory bird nest relocations.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first year of Osprey Watch was\u00a0a great success. Through this innovation, we listened to our customers and engaged with them in a common mission: keeping the region’s osprey safe and preventing outages. Together, we are redefining smart energy,” said Alexander Nunez, BGE’s senior vice president of regulatory and external affairs and member of the board of Audubon Maryland-DC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Pasadena crew examining a specimen; courtesy of BGE<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n

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Nest ready for installation in Pasadena; courtesy of BGE<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n

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Placement at Chesapeake Bay Foundation; courtesy of BGE<\/p><\/div><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Positive impact<\/strong><\/p>\n

The program\u2019s success was evident when two service operator crews showed up for work June 30, 2016 and were assigned a job to install a new osprey platform.<\/p>\n

A pair had made a utility pole in Pasa- dena their home. Neighbors alerted BGE via Osprey Watch in March, and deter- rents had been placed on the equipment to protect the birds.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The original plan was to transfer the nest to a newly-installed raised platform when they migrated south later in the year. However, the nest caught fire after lightning struck the pole. BGE and the local fire department secured the situation, rescuing three injured chicks that the Owl Moon Raptor Center nursed back to health.<\/p>\n

After the crews installed the platform, they were also tasked with relocating the chicks. After a safety check and a briefing from a raptor expert, technicians carefully placed the chicks into their new home.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Then they witnessed a momentous first.<\/p>\n

The largest chick stood on the edge of the platform, stretched its wings and flew off into the sky.<\/p>\n

\u201cOsprey love to return to the same site year after year,\u201d said Greg Kappler, a BGE environmental scientist. \u201cBy letting us know if they build nests on our equipment, we can all partner to ensure their safe and healthy return.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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In Crisfield; by Kristine Lochart<\/p><\/div>\n

How can you help?<\/strong><\/p>\n

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To notify BGE about a nest, please take the following steps:
\n\u2022 Report the location via ospreywatch@bge.com<\/p>\n

\u2022 If it is easily accessible, send the pole number, located on a placard near eye level.<\/p>\n

\u2022 If the pole is not easily accessible, send the nearest address to the pole and attach photos if possible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Article by Richard Yost<\/strong>\u2014BGE communications manager. Appears in Vol. 20, No. 2\u00a0of the Maryland Natural Resource magazine, spring\u00a02017.<\/em><\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Osprey are one of the Chesapeake Bay region\u2019s crown jewels. The raptors\u2019 return each March causes nature lovers to gaze skyward as the birds\u00a0rebuild their nests for breeding season.\u00a0They seek high ground to keep their young\u00a0safe. They are also highly adaptable making nearly anything a potential site for their\u00a0homes, from trees to utility poles.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":140,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[957,13],"tags":[3168],"class_list":["post-13863","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-appnews","category-wildlife","tag-magazine"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/140"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13863"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13863\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15589,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13863\/revisions\/15589"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}