March 21, 1991 - Want Osprey Neighbors? Just Build Them a HomeCIO The Suffolk Times • March 21, 1991
Want Osprey Neighbors?
Just Build Them a Home
By Paul Stoutenburah
Calls often come in from people who
would like to put up an osprey platform
in their area. The fish hawk, or osprey,
has become a symbol of the East End
and about this time of year there are
many who are looking for their first
sighting. Osprey platforms are easy to
build. The hard part is to get them up.
Small- diameter telephone poles, or bet-
ter yet, CCA poles (treated against rot)
are ideal but require a good support team
with strong backs.
To overcome the difficulty of heavy
wooden poles, secondhand four -inch
farmer's galvanized irrigation pipe has
been used successfully. Bob Gloria out
at Orient has had exceptionally good
luck with these and over three - quarters
of the 20 or so poles we've put up are
these old 20 -foot irrigation pipes. One
brand of galvanized pipe that has worked
out exceptionally well is Flex -O -Seal.
It's a heavier pipe and will outlast all
others.
Where to locate an osprey platform is
almost anyone's guess. Years ago when
ospreys were plentiful we had them
nesting almost exclusively in old trees
throughout our East End. In the River-
head- Southampton area they actually
nest in the Pine Barrens near ponds and
lakes. Some have established them-
selves near homes where people are
about, but given the choice they un-
doubtedly will select an area as far away
as possible from man's activities. We
have tried to put our platforms in open
areas near the mouths of creeks away
SAS R1,��ye•
1, Wro
Spring
and Easter
Flowers
Corsages - Narcissus
• Easter Lilies - D
• Hydrangea
Doroski's
North.Road, Southold
765-3600
VISA/MASTERCARD/DISCOVER
Focus on
Nature
from people.
Where one can get a truck into the
area of the proposed platform makes it
much easier. Often local governments
will donate old poles and put them up
for you if they can get into the area
without getting stuck. LILCO has been
very cooperative in this respect. Should
you use a wooden pole, it will have to
have two -foot aluminum flashing
around its base about four feet up. This
keeps raccoons from climbing up and
taking the eggs or young. The flashing
is easily acquired at any local lumber
yard.
As for the platform, almost any con-
figuration can be utilized. In Maine I've
seen old wagon wheels atop poles that
worked out very well. In other areas
wooden pallets have been used but both
these in time will rot and have to be re-
placed. While you're at it, I believe it's
worth doing it right the first time. Use
2x4 CCA wood and good heavy galva-
nized nails. Once you have it in place
then it will last for over 20 years. The
reason untreated wood rots is that each
year the osprey builds on the old nest;
when it gets wet it holds the moisture,
which eventually rots the wood. This
won't happen with CCA.
On the platform that is nailed to the
top of the pole we use 1x2 galvanized
or plastic - covered turkey wire to cover
the area. It helps keep the sticks and
debris the osprey brings to his nest
from falling through and thereby makes
the whole unit more rigid.
One thing I feel is most important is
that before you raise the platform you
tie, or work into the wire mesh, short
sections of broken limbs. You don't
Announcements
New Programs/
New Directions
RIVERHEAD — Financial coun-
seling, guidance on reentry into the
job market and a legal information
workshop are among the new pro-
grams at New Directions Center
this month. The center has ex-
panded hours for spring. All pro-
grams require a nominal fee and
preregistration.
New Directions has served as a
resource base for East End women
since 1976. Call 729 -8840 for
more information.
First Aid for Babies
RIVERHEAD —An American Red
Cross course in infant and child car-
diopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) will
be given on Monday afternoons, April
1, 8 and 15, at the Riverhead Nutrition
Center, 201 Howell Ave.
The course offers instruction in giv-
ing first aid to babies or young children
in breathing or heart emergencies. Acci-
dent prevention is included. The cost is
$7, which includes a workbook and cer-
tificate.
For more information call Martha
Sullivan, 727 -3200, ext. 294.
PLATFORM
Tie 8 -10 branches on wire to simulate nest
All wood CCA
1x2 galvanized or
plastic- coated wire
Cross supports 2x4
4x4 center post 18 in. long
f9
4 in. galvanized farmer's irrigation pipe 20 in. long
need to build a whole nest. Six, eight or
10 small branches will do but it seems
to do miracles for us. Last year we put
up a nest with the usual sticks and
before the day was over the nest was
occupied.
Perches Are Nece°sary
Another addition that is worthwhile is
a perch made off the side of the nest
platform — Ix2s are sufficient. Also on
telephone poles you can add four- or
five -foot cross arms of Ix2s just below
the nest to be used for perching.
Head Start Sign -Up
Long Island Head Start offers a free
preschool program for income - eligible
families. Head Start is currently recruit-
ing 3- and 4- year -old children for the
1991 -1992 school year.
Twelve centers throughout Suffolk
County serve income - eligible residents.
For more information as well as referral
to the appropriate center, call Donna
Kaminski at 758 -5200.
FD Scholarships
JAMESPORT —The Jamesport Fire
Department will award two $750 schol-
arships to high school seniors who re-
side in the Jamesport Fire District.
Applications are available at the
guidance offices of Riverhead, Mercy
and Mattituck high schools.
If you are really interested in doing a
good job, a small pole, 10 to 15 feet in
length and about 50 feet or so away
from the nest makes an excellent eating
and resting spot for the "other osprey"
when the nest is occupied.
There's a little work involved in
putting up osprey platforms but the re-
ward can be tremendous. It's particularly
gratifying to me to see a group of peo-
ple work on a project like this so that
they will have their "own osprey" in
their area.
NFCS Opens House
CUTCHOGUE —North Fork
Catholic School will host an open
house on Sunday, March 24. The
public is welcome between 1 and 4
p.m.
Tax Help at CAST
GREENPORT— Assistance with
preparing the income -tax short form for
low- and moderate - income persons in
Southold Town will be offered at
Community Action of Southold Town
(CAST) on Friday, March 22, and again
on Monday and Friday, March 25 and
29, from 1 to 4 p.m. each day.
Assistance will be given at the CAST
office at 110 South St. For more infor-
mation call James Bradberry III, 477-
1510.
All 41dwy
Sod & Seed Lawns • Shrubs - Shade Trees
Stone Driveways
15, 315 -HI Mattituck, N.Y. 11952 298 -4863