Shore Environment

Osprey Nest Saved in Brick, With Some Help From JCP&L

A family of osprey will have a safer place to live thanks to an effort by Jersey Central Power and Light company this week…

by
Daniel Nee
June 10, 2016

A JCP&L crew relocates an osprey nest that was build amidst electrical equipment. (Photo: Judy Tunis)

A family of osprey will have a safer place to live thanks to an effort by Jersey Central Power and Light company this week.

The electrical utility crew worked carefully to lift an osprey nest off a utility pole in the Sailor’s Quay development in Brick, then placed the nest back in place on a wooden platform located away from the potentially dangerous wires. The platform was added to the top of the utility pole so the birds could continue to access their home in a safe way.

A JCP&L crew relocates an osprey nest that was build amidst electrical equipment. (Photo: Judy Tunis)

“Now we wait for a successful hatch and fledge,” said Judy Tunis, a resident who shared photos of the transfer with Shorebeat.

As New Jersey’s osprey population – once decimated and in danger of collapsing altogether – has grown and thrived in recent years, the seabirds of prey have been finding new locations for their nests, including on utility wires. Ron Morano, a company spokesman, has told Shorebeat in the past that osprey nests can sometimes contact electrical equipment, causing a fire. Additionally, the birds’ wings can touch electrified equipment, producing a deadly situation.