The amazing return of Ospreys to Ohio

  • By Bruce Glick
  • July 17, 2013
  • 529
                        
The amazing return of Ospreys to Ohio Columnist Bruce Glick summarizes happenings in the local birding world. This week Bruce reports on the amazing return of nesting Ospreys in Ohio. Read more in the "Gone Birding" column. In the 1989 first edition of Bruce Peterjohn's book, The Birds of Ohio, the author tracked the history of Ospreys in Ohio (more on that later), ending with a paragraph saying that Ospreys had become casual summer visitors again. One unmated Osprey began building a nest in Belmont County in the late 1980s but there were no successful nests anywhere in the state at that time. By the time Peterjohn finished the second edition of his book in 2001 (published by the Wooster Book Company), the Osprey story had changed dramatically. Beginning in 1989 and on into the early 1990's, Ospreys were introduced in a number of states surrounding Ohio, including along the Ohio River in West Virginia. This resulted in more Ospreys showing up in Ohio, and in 1995 the first successful nesting took place in Jefferson County. Peterjohn notes that in the next few years other nests were established at Berlin Reservoir and Salt Fork Lake. His last sentence states that "if Osprey populations continue to increase, additional nesting pairs and summering individuals should be expected in the future". It is now a dozen years later and Birds of Ohio needs another updating. Ospreys have become increasingly common nesting birds in our part of the state. This year there are two nests at Pleasant Hill Lake as well as multiple birds at Berlin Reservoir and others at Tappan Lake, Salt Fork Lake, Seneca Lake and many others. This is really an amazing and wonderful turn of events. It seems that if a nest platform is built at a suitable body of water, the Ospreys will find and use it. Ospreys are not shy about nesting close to human activity. One of the nests at Pleasant Hill is very close to a busy campground, and fishing boats regularly pass right under the nesting platform. The Ospreys don't seem to mind. This makes it possible for people to watch these beautiful birds at close range, something that would have been impossible only a few years ago. Ospreys, like Bald Eagles and Peregrine Falcons were nearly wiped out by pesticide contamination. Peterjohn states that in the 1950s and 1960s, Ospreys became so rare that only a few were sighted during the spring and fall migration seasons. Fortunately the harmful organochlorine pesticides were banned during the late 60s and the recovery began in the following decades. From what I have read, the number of Ospreys now nesting in Ohio far exceeds the small number that may have nested in the 1800s. It's nice to know that even though some species of birds are declining, others like the Osprey are doing well. Hopefully all the data being gathered from breeding bird surveys, Christmas Bird Counts and e-Bird reports will make it possible to help save other species of birds in the future. In the meantime, you might want to stop by one of our area lakes to watch the Ospreys in action. Bruce Glick birderbruce@yahoo.com 330-317-7798


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