Osprey nest platforms at Pueblo Reservoir

The local electric company, Aquila, at the request of the Colo Division of Wildlife brought equipment to the Pueblo Reservoir recently to install some new Osprey nest platforms and repair a few old ones. The old ones had been placed there in the 90's in a cooperative effort between Arkansas Valley Audubon Society and Aquila. This photo is of one of the platforms placed in the State Wildlife Area on the south side of the reservoir (the water is totally frozen so appears white and has some tree branches sticking up out of the ice in near the short).


Ospreys need very strong nest locations as the nest they build become very large and heavy over the years as have good site fidelity for nest sites. Aquila is involved in providing these artificial nest sites in hopes that the Osprey will use them instead of the utility poles. When Osprey build nests on utility poles, their nests can interfere with the equipment and servicing of the equipment. And the birds can be electocuted which can cause a disruption in electric service and is costly to the utility company to repair.

Osprey are currently on their winter territories along the gulf coast, and further south into Mexico and Central America. They will return in April (tho some return in March). They will nest from May to the end of July.
SeEtta