Nickname
Osprey Society @South Waterfront , Willamette River, Portland, Oregon
Coordinates
(45.4987, -122.669)
Substrate
Osprey Nest Platform
Description
Along the west bank of the Wilamette River is an 8 ton, 40 foot high osprey nest platform pole specifically fabricated for the osprey by Zidell Marine Company. The osprey has chosen to return to this new neighborhood called South Waterfront for the past 5 years and has nested in several structures until this particular structure was built for it. It is very visible to anyone coming to the neighborhood - just a two block walk from the Portland Aerial Tram and the Portland Streetcar stop at the OHSU commons. It is next to the high rise condos of South Waterfront and the Oregon Health and Science University Center for Health and Healing. The nest has been relocated five different times due to human interference at the site (see the nesting diary on this website). The ospreys have returned to this site despite the disturbances and have demonstrated that they want to be at this site A permanent site has now been established. may be on KGW news station next year.
Followers
None
What to look for
Review All Observations
2012 - spartanmt2012 - Carol in Portland
aAdult Arrival3/25/123/26/12
aOccupiedNoNo
aActive
bEgg Laying4/23/124/23/12
bIncubation Initiation4/24/124/23/12
cClutch Hatching6/3/12
dNestlings1
eFledglings1
eFirst Chick Fledging8/10/12
fChicks Last Observed8/10/12
xNest Failure
xReason For Nest Failure

Select Seasons

Show reports, diaries, and photos from:Current 2012

Activity reports

2012 Nest Activity Report by spartanmt
Adult arrival03/25/2012Nestlings
Nest OccupiedNoFledglings
Nest Active First chick fledging
Egg laying04/23/2012Chicks last observed
Incubation initiation04/24/2012Nest failure
Clutch hatchingReason for nest failure
2012 Nest Activity Report by Carol in Portland
Adult arrival03/26/2012Nestlings1
Nest OccupiedNoFledglings1
Nest Active First chick fledging08/10/2012
Egg laying04/23/2012Chicks last observed08/10/2012
Incubation initiation04/23/2012Nest failure
Clutch hatching06/03/2012Reason for nest failure

Photos of this nest

Nesting Diaries

11/20/2012 by Carol in Portland
The osprey pair this year (which is the fifth year the nest location has been changed ) laid three eggs April 23, April 26 and May 3. this nest is remarkable for the amount of construction that went on around the nest this year. Eggs laid about same time of day at 5-6 pm. incubation started right away. The third egg was pushed out of the nest accidentally on May 6th. The female is thought to be the same as last year as she has a visible spot near the iris of her right eye. this has been observed by an osprey scientist, Dr. Robert Grove who confirmed the spot and thought the osprey is at least 5-10 years old. Only one egg hatched on June 3rd. the other egg remained in nest for about 6 weeks until it was also knocked out. The nestling seemed to make good progress and was seen many times to be eating well. it started wing flappin on July 19th. However it left the nest for its first flight on August 10th and landed in a fence. it did not start flying for 3-4 hours and it was picked up and taken to wildlife Care Center at Audubon. Unfortunately as reported in the Oregonian Newspaper in September "The Audubon Society of Portland’s Wildlife Care Center has euthanized this year's only surviving offspring of a male and female Osprey pair that have nested and raised a family on a platform near the Willamette River " article here - http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/09/young_osprey_from_nest_in_sout.htmland we are waiting for the necropsy results. these results have not been released by Audubon. The Osprey Nest at SouthWaterfront, Portland, Oregon on the banks of the Willamette River Description History of the Osprey Nest at SouthWaterfront 2007-2011. The South Waterfront area of Portland is the location of one of the miracles of nature; a wild migratory bird choosing to nest amid the new development even before its habitat was restored. In the past 5 years, the osprey has been very loyal about returning form a 3500 mile migration to nest near the banks of hte Willamette River adjacent to the SWF condos and the Portland Aerial Tram. In spite of human interventions moving the nest to four different locations and one season of nest destruction, the bird has returned and fought for this site. It is a site that is visible to all people coming to this area and is a great location for educating urban dwellers about the value of nature in a city setting. The story of the osprey begins in 2007 when an osprey pair returned to the industrial area of South Waterfront and built a nest on top of the Pacific Power pole that was erected for the new buildings. Ospreys as a species are known for their "nest fidelity," meaning that they return from their 3,000 mile migration (to Mexico or Central America) to reunite with their mate for life at the nest. After the 2007 nesting season during which the ospreys raised two chicks, the power company had the nest removed and a pointed steel cap put on the power pole for the safety of the birds and the power equipment. Another nest site was not put in place to mitigate this removal. In March 2008, the osprey returned and tried to build on the power pole for 3 days, sliding down the side of the steel cap while clutching a stick in its talon. Finally, they chose to nest on an in-water barge owned by the Zidell Marine company. The company decided they could not leave the nest there and tore it down. Every week the nest was removed and thrown in the river, and each day the ospreys returned to rebuild. After eight weeks of futility, the osprey left and in 2008 they did not have a successful nest. In 2009, Zidell Marine built a specially designed pole for the osprey and put a platform on top for it for the nest. This fabricated pole weighs more than eight tons and stands over forty feet high. It is felt to be the heaviest osprey platfomr pole int he world and is registered as nest #304 on the site www.ospreywatch.com. It was designed to rest on top of the ground instead piercing the ground. Zidell engineers located it on their property right next to the river. For the 2009 season, the osprey accepted this new location, which was only about 50 feet away from prior sites. They successfully raised two chicks. In 2010, the pole remained and a Canada goose took over the nest in early March before the osprey returned. The goose pair laid 6 eggs. The osprey returned from Mexico in late March and fought with the goose for two weeks to retain this nest location. It finally ousted the goose and their eggs, and took over the nest about 2 weeks late. They only hatched one egg, but the chick successfully fledged. In 2011, the Zidell company decided they could not have the platform on their property due to required remediation work and construction on their site. They dismantled it into three parts to send to scrap. The South Waterfront Dog Club Inc. was able to assume legal responsibility for the platform, and with the cooperation of community neighborhood groups, Hoffman Construction, Zidell Marine, Banr Construction and City of Portland Parks Department, they were all able to get the pole moved, reassembled and welded into place. Most of the work was donated and private donations funded the remaining costs of insurance and fencing. This was accomplished with a temporary permit for the 2011 season from the City of Portland Parks Department. The osprey circled the platform as the final welds were being placed, and occupied the platform within 24 hours of the completion of the work on March 28, 2011. This pair raised two chicks and was celebrated by hundreds of people. It has also become a stop for the tour boats that cruise the Willamette River. A great deal of construction and human activity went on around the nest site, and did not disturb the birds. For the 2012 season, the South Waterfront Dog Club Inc. was able to relocate the platform on private property adjacent to the greenway with help from Williams Dame Development Corporation, Hoffman Construction and private donations. The Parks Department intends to begin construction of the new greenway park. The location for the nest is not assured for the 2013 season. However there will be a site for the nest platform in 2014 in the final plans for the Central Greenway due to efforts by the local community in conjunction with Portland parks and Recreation and the oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Watch this 3 minute video taken August 8 to see the close in view of the nest which then pans out to the long range view and demonstrates the amount of construction activity that the birds tolerated: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p9o4H6k9AA&list=FLr5T-LMDIXoAqAMjTEgARbg&index=6&feature=plpp_video We also sponsored a talk by Dr. Robert Grove, one of the foremost experts on NW ospreys and the co-author of the USGS fact sheet on osprey, who will continue to be our advisor. Here is the link to the you-tube videos of this year's nest. There are 35 videos http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXVCfh6l2-I&list=FLr5T-LMDIXoAqAMjTEgARbg&feature=mh_lolz Web site that has been hosted by Zidell Marine with some of the history and links: http://www.zidell.com/Osprey/osprey_01.html Board members of South Waterfront Dog Club: Carol L. Otis cotis@earthlink.net

04/27/2012 by Carol in Portland
spartanmt: 2nd egg laid 4/26/12