The Osprey are Back

Much has happened on the South Waterfront osprey front!

Hoffman crew helps move the platform pole.

1. The osprey platform has been relocated to its new location.

From Carol Otis:
"With the permission of Williams Dame Development Corporation and the work of Hoffman Construction Company, the osprey platform pole was moved Dec 1, from its 2011 site on Portland City property, to the adjacent land parcel privately owned by Williams Dame Development Corporation."

Moving a 40 foot, 8 ton steel platform and pole is no small task!

2. The osprey now have their own Facebook page: www.facebook.com/OspreySociety

They also have a new live osprey cam, available via this UStream channel: www.ustream.tv/channel/osprey-society

3. And last but not least, the osprey have returned from their annual Mexican vacation! I received a note today: "First ospreys seen around SWF today March 25 @ 9:30 am!" Check out the live osprey cam for to see the latest.

For more information about the South Waterfront osprey:

• Videos of the entire season: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXVCfh6l2-I&list=FLr5T-LMDIXoAqAMjTEgARbg&feature=mh_lolz
• Zidell's website about the 5 years of the osprey in the SWF: http://www.zidell.com/Osprey/osprey_01.html
• USGS fact sheet about Oregon osprey, co-authored by Dr. Robert Grove, who lectured about the osprey at SWF in October 2011: http://fresc.usgs.gov/products/fs/fs-153-02.pdf

South Waterfront Greenway Hearing Thursday

Here are more details on the Greenway Hearing taking place on Thursday this week:

There will be a neighborhood association meeting on Wednesday at 7:00pm at Umpqua Bank.

According to the Portland Parks Dept, the South Waterfront Greenway Project is "a refinement plan for the Central District section of the South Waterfront Greenway".

I had to poke around their site to educate myself on what the project is all about. There I found a few renderings of the future Greenway:
Future Greenway overhead view
From Curry St
Atwater Cut-away

Save the Osprey Nest

Neighbors, did you know we are in danger of losing our osprey nest?

This is due to the expiration of the temporary permit for the nest platform pole. There is a small article on the Zidell website telling the story of the current platform.

Please see the note below from Carol Otis outlining the situation. If you want to help, you can send a message to Commissioner Nick Fish asking for an appeal.

"Dear Friends of SWF Osprey, 

Attached is one of the last videos I took of the osprey adults and the chick in September 1, 2011 before they left for migration. 

Oct 5: Ospreys in Oregon talk

Join the South Waterfront Birders Group on Wednesday evening for "Ospreys in Oregon", a talk given by osprey expert Dr. Robert Grove. Grove co-wrote the USGS fact sheet on ospreys. 

Carol & Roger will be presenting additional information and videos of our very own South Waterfront osprey. The talk will take place at the Mirabella Auditorium at 6:15pm.

Thanks to Anne Saker of the Oregonian for her coverage of the event here: http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/09/in_southwest_portland_lecture.html

Osprey Update

In an update to my earlier post about the osprey nest, here is proof of the actual osprey, with head poking out...and proof of the bright Portland sunshine.

However, for the real deal, check out this YouTube channel dedicated to our South Waterfront Osprey: carolotis's Channel

South Waterfront Osprey