Key Takeaways:
- A pair of ospreys have constructed a nest on a lamppost just off the bridge and near to Forest Hill Road for their unhatched young.
- DDT was a commonly used insecticide in the 1950s and 1960s, claims Scott Makepeace, a wildlife biologist at the Department of Natural Resources & Energy Development.
There may be something noticeable in the skyline as cars exit Fredericton’s Princess Margaret Bridge.
A nest for their unhatched young has been built on a lamppost right off the bridge and close to Forest Hill Road by a pair of ospreys.
Ospreys are big raptors with white underparts and dark-brown upperparts. They also have a thin speckled band across their breast and a small white head with a dark crown.
Birding expert Alain Clavette claims that ospreys frequently construct their nests on man-made structures, particularly those with a view of the water.
“They need to be able to explore their territory and fish from the nest when they create a nest,” Clavette said in a phone interview.
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One of the more suitable locations is the nest, which has a direct view of the St. John River. Ospreys eat exclusively fish.
However, it is still debatable whether a busy crossroads is the optimum location for this fauna. Clavette stated that the location was probably fine.
When we ask, “Oh, are they going to be okay?” we must remember that the mother chose that location for the nest. We have to trust her judgment since she spotted helpful something there—possibly from her preferred vantage point—so he remarked.
A few eggs, which will emerge after a 45-day incubation, are probably also living in the nest. After that, the chicks will spend 35 days preparing for their first flight.
According to Clavette, the chicks’ initial flight may be the only time they are ever in danger. He stated it’s doubtful that they will land on the road during takeoff if they aren’t robust enough.
When people observe nests constructed in this manner, he said, they should take a moment to reflect, mainly because people are constantly eradicating natural places around rivers and coastal areas.
According to him, wildlife selects those locations because it cannot find a better option. Something to consider, perhaps there is nothing left outside as a result of our activity.
Ospreys have also recovered after being listed as an endangered species due to insecticide use.
According to Scott Makepeace, a wildlife biologist with the Department of Natural Resources & Energy Development, DDT was a widely used insecticide in the 1950s and 1960s.
In an interview on Friday, he stated, “It was known via studies that an organophosphate insecticide called DDT is the one that everyone would know of, and it caused eggshell thinning in the ospreys. “The adults would sit on their eggs usually, and the eggs would get smashed, but it wasn’t necessarily killing the adults or chicks. The ospreys put on a strong comeback.
Ospreys, according to him, are quite tolerant of people and their behavior; therefore, they wouldn’t mind living in a busy place. Makepeace claimed that the birds are safe where they are.
However, he advised against seeing the birds from here, especially if you’re driving.
Source: Global News
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