Our Neighbors Returned, sort of.

I live near a cell tower. Or at least it use to be. I hear that it is not functional for transmitting any longer, but the structure remains. So, I mostly ignored this mild eyesore. Until the Ospreys came. They built one of their grand nests. Out came the binoculars to peek at our new neighbors. As a bird group, they are one of the success stories, with populations restored after focus and attention made on removing lethal pesicides, etc.

Ospreys exhibit strong natal nest-site fidelity, meaning that young osprey breeding for the first time will return to the area where they were reared to search for a nest site. _Treesforlife.org.uk)

The ospreys grew to be our first harbinger of spring with their migrational return to the cell tower. We’d crane our necks watching them train their young to hunt. There would be some teasing and fights with the year round crows. And hearing the telltale sharp calls made me feel less suburban, somehow more wild.

One summer, I arrived home to see the fire department truck and several bystanders standing by our house, watching the nest smouldering. Apparently, the nests sometimes spontaneously combust, sometimes they catch fire from being too close to electric transmission lines. It was sad watching the ospreys circling round and round the remains of their home.

But they returned! And started the nesting again. But for whatever reason, the current owners (Comcast) of the tower, have found the need to eliminate these pesky birds of prey. For the last two years, some climbers have gone up the tower and removed the nests, stick by stick.

It was a beautiful full moon eve, this last March 22nd. As usual, with the lunar calendar, I found myself in an insomniac state, in the middle of the night. I heard the clanging of rock climbing metal and scraping of tools. The boys were at it again. But it was apparent that they were not on the usual clock. They were enjoying being under the bright orb and their elevated status had them feeling emboldened. There were some howls and some camaraderie shouts. So, their task was adventurous and interesting, I get it. But ultimately, the osprey would get the boot.

Today, I saw a young osprey, circling around. I use to get hopeful that they would start all over, building a new nest on the tower, but there is simply too much aggravation and displacement. Surely there are some tall trees that will suffice for a new nest. But I miss my snow bird neighbors.