Osprey Nest available at Nepese Marsh

from Fermilab Today, January 26, 2012:

Fermi Natural Areas and Thorne Electric of Carol Stream situated a bird nesting platform at Nepese Marsh on the eastern side of the Fermilab site. Volunteering their services, FNA and Thorne Electric personnel hope that the structure will attract a pair of large birds of prey to nest.

Data suggest that osprey fledglings tend to stay within a couple miles of where they were born. Presently, there is a nesting pair of osprey on the western side of Fermilab's site. They have produced young, one of which may be the future tenant of the Nepese Marsh platform.

There are also bald eagles nesting on Randall Road in Batavia, which is a short flight. Perhaps, if the nesting platform does not interest an osprey, an eagle will take up residence in the coming months.

The platform was a joint effort by laboratory employees volunteering their time to complete various stages of the project, and Tom Eggleston, of the Housing Office, built the nest structure from scrap wood. Hopefully, a feathered friend will move in by spring.

—Dave Shemanske, FESS

See more photos of the nest installation online:

Nepese Osprey Nest