News
News
Raptor Retrofit Project
Jim Jenkins
Cranberry Research Foundation, Inc.
3203-B Cranberry Highway
East Wareham, MA 02538
Dear Jim,
I would like to thank you for your help in aiding the growers with the Raptor Retrofit Project. It has taken several years to find the most effective device to prevent outages and osprey kills. Once ospreys set their minds to building nests on utility poles, it is very difficult to discourage them. DAD Line Construction, Inc. has dealt with all the suggested apparatus with an open mind and has been just as eager as the growers in putting an end to this problem.
There has been a long trial and error period and hundreds of trips to bogs just to remove sticks from live poles and clean off nest platforms, before anti-nest devices ware erected. The first anti-nest devices used back in 2000 were triangles, but we learned quickly that they held nesting material in place. We then went to a 10 foot long 4 inch PVC pipe that a company in Montana was implementing with good results. The PVC worked for a couple of years deflecting sticks that were dropped by the birds, until the pressure of the osprey population became more intense. When the birds were more persistent, they finally succeeded to get nesting material to stay on the cross-arms of the poles beside the PVC. We tested spikes as anti-nest devices on only one double-armed pole, and found they did not work either. The spikes were best as anti-perch devices when used between conductors (hot wires) that were too close together on single armed poles. They prevent the birds from conducting electricity if their wings touch 2 conductors at the same time.
Finding the cure-all device to end this dilemma was impossible, but we found the next best thing. A 12 inch black corrugated irrigation pipe, cut lengthwise in half, was the most successful. When placed with the open side down, the roundness of the top aids in deflecting sticks. The wider 12 inch size helps prevent sticks from being able to lodge on the cross-arms better than the 4 inch PVC. It’s not perfect, but it is the best option we have. Nesting platforms were placed on utility poles when other locations for nesting platforms were not available or feasible.
The growers will still need to keep a close eye out on any osprey activity and act quickly if sticks start to accumulate on any of their poles, but their options are so much better than when we started this program. The ospreys are increasing in numbers and are going to continue to find new locations to nest that will make growers unhappy. Nesting platforms will still need to be cleaned off every 3 years or they will get too mounded in the center. The birds can’t make a hollow in the center of the nest to lay their eggs if the nest has grass growing out of it. The nest maintenance for each site has been done in past by DAD (not listed). If this ‘house cleaning’ is not done, the birds will then turn their attentions back to the original problem utility pole, causing more problems. So there will need to be general maintenance that DAD is able to continue at the growers’ request.
Attached is a list of growers, bog sites and what was installed in the last few years. Much of what was done previously had to be redone. Also attached are a few pictures of anti-nest devices used through the years including triangles, spikes, PVC and irrigation pipe. A nesting platform is also pictured. Bog visits by DAD to remove sticks from poles were too numerous to count and are therefore not listed. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Joey Mason
Raptor Retrofit Project List
Beaton
(Sandusky)
triangles replaced with spikes,
spikes replaced with irrigation pipe
replace nesting platform
(Atwood)
1 nest platform
replace 4” PVC with irrigation pipe
(Mendal)
replace triangles with irrigation pipe
Decas Cranberry
(Mattapoisett)
1 nesting platform
(Rochester- Long Pond)
2 irrigation pipes
Federal Furnace Cranberry Co.
(White Island)
1 nesting platform
Wayne Hannula
(Shaw)
1 nesting platform
Van Johnson
(Burgess)
replace 2 - 4” PVC with 2 irrigation pipes
replace pole and nesting platform
anti-perch spikes on 6 poles
A.D. Makepeace
(Rosebrook)
Replace 1 PVC, put up 2 irrigation pipes
consulted about new pole and nesting platform put up by grower
(Edwards)
3 irrigation pipes
consulted about new pole and nesting platform put up by grower
(Harwich Old)
triangles replaced with PVC, PVC replaced with irrigation pipe
replace nesting platform
(Harwich New)
replace triangles with irrigation pipe
Slocum Gibbs
insulate center conductor for nest between triangles,
replace triangles with nesting platform
Pete Stearns
(Plymouth)
1 nesting platform
Jim Weston
(Griffith – Carver)
1 irrigation pipe
Triangles don’t work
4” PVC worked a short time
Irrigation pipe, our best anti-nest device
Nesting platform with perch
Removing excess nesting material before the nesting
season from the
nesting platform.
This is important
maintenance that should be done
about every 3 years.
Spikes used as anti-perch device to prevent osprey from
making a
connection between two conductors
Acknowledgements:
Carolyn Demoranville, UMass Cranberry Station, Wareham, MA
Monte Garrett, PacifiCorp, Portland. OR
Rick Harness, EDM International, Fort Collins, CO
Bob Hartman, Kaddas Enterprises, Inc. Salt Lake City, UT
James Kaiser, USGS, Corvallis, OR
Jeff LaFleur, Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association (CCCGA), Wareham, MA
Sam Milodragovitch, Northwestern / Montana Power Co., Butte, MT
Hilary Sandler, UMass Cranberry Station, Wareham, MA
Leo Suazo, USFWS, Lakewood, CO
Funding:
USDA Wildlife Habitat Inhancement Program (WHIP)
The Norcross Wildlife Foundtion
Nuttall Ornithological Club
Individual Donations
References:
Avian Power Line Interction Committee (APLIC). 1996. Suggested Practices for Raptor Protection on Power Lines: State of the Art in 1996, Edison Electric Institute/ Raptor Research Foundation, Washington, D.C.