PSEG replaces osprey pair’s nesting platform in Riverside

PSEG Long Island has installed a new nesting platform for a pair of ospreys left homeless after the power authority took down their Riverside nest earlier this week.

“We replaced the pole with a taller pole that has a state-of-the-art fiberglass platform on top so the birds can safely build their nest in close proximity to the original nesting area and away from the power lines,” said PSEG spokeswoman Elizabeth Flagler.

A 30-pound dish with a 63-inch diameter now rests atop the pole.

It is not clear how long it will take the birds to build a new habitat, but a DEC spokeswoman said ospreys do have the ability to renest before the end of egg-laying season, which can run until late June.

The power authority removed the nest Monday after receiving reports of arcing wires. The nest was occupied by the birds but likely inactive, meaning there were no eggs inside, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

Anyone planning to take down a nest after March 15 is required to notify the state agency. PSEG did not inform DEC officials until after it removed the nest, according to the DEC.

“It was imperative to remove the nest before the birds laid eggs, had chicks and the nest caught fire,” Flagler said earlier this week.

Members of the Flanders and Riverside communities had said they planned to march in protest Saturday if the pole was not in place by then.

“I’m glad they corrected their mistake,” said Kathy Kruel, a board member of the Flanders Riverside Northampton Community Association, a civic group. She said she placed large branches at the base of the tree where the birds are now perched, hoping they will use the materials to rebuild their nest.

Osprey were once endangered due to DDT-induced eggshell thinning, but are now considered a species of special concern. Their nests can be 10 feet high and last for years, according to the DEC.

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.