Who doesn’t love a fantastic water view? Eastern Ospreys certainly do. Typically they make their nests in large dead trees, usually within about 1km of the sea. Or they might find a tall man-made object does the trick. At Manly’s Nolan Reserve, for example, Ospreys have nested on the oval’s spotlights. Closer to home, Pittwater residents have been excited to see an Osprey nest perched on an exceedingly tall crane on a Pittwater Road building site.
The sticks of an Osprey nest are just visible at the top of the crane. Photo: Lesley Stevens
Height is important to Ospreys, fish-eating raptors who like to have a clear view all around when nesting to protect from predators and from pesky, harassing birds such as noisy mynas and magpies. According to Birdlife Australia, the nests can be as large as 2m across and 2m high. The birds bring sticks – plenty of them – to the site and line the nest with seaweed, grass or bark. They will return to the nest year after year to raise their young over winter and spring.
A nesting Eastern Osprey. Image courtesy of Kerri-Lee Harris & Paul Whitington. https://southernforestlife.net
Eastern Ospreys have a wingspan of up to 1.7m, making them not quite as large as the White-bellied Sea-Eagle, and are found along the coast in the Northern Territory and all Australian states except Victoria and Tasmania. In conservations terms they are regarded as secure in some areas but deemed vulnerable in NSW.
What will happen when the Pittwater Road crane has to move on is unknown but in the meantime those with keen eyes – or binoculars – can marvel at yet another of nature’s fascinations.