A team effort to relocate the nest of an endangered bird has paid off for the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), with osprey spotted incubating eggs in their new home.
In a statement, DEW said the move was able to be undertaken thanks to advice from coastal raptor experts and a collaborative effort from the NPWS Coast and Marine Branch and SA Power Networks.
“Now located on top of a pole, which sits 7.5 metres above the seabed, and about 5m above the water, the nest was repositioned from an old power pole in a parcel of land near an old quarry,” it said.
“While no chicks have hatched yet, NPWS staff are confident that they may soon appear.”
Manager for Kangaroo Island National Parks and Wildlife for NPWS, Mike Greig said osprey were endangered in South Australia, with only eight active breeding pairs recorded on the island in the most recent surveys conducted in 2015-17.
Mr Greig said the new location was chosen to ensure the ospreys would remain undisturbed by people walking or driving near, or underneath the nest.
“The new location will still allow the opportunity for members of the public to monitor activities at the nest throughout the year without disturbing the birds,” he said.
Mr Greig said NPWS staff had been monitoring the nest and, based on bird behaviour, it was likely that egg-laying began in mid-August.
“The incubation time is expected to last 35-43 days, so hatching is imminent,” he said.
Mr Greig reminded visitors not to approach the nest and only observe from a safe distance.
