Conserve Wildlife Blog

Photos from the Field: Cheesequake Osprey Platform Replacement

December 7th, 2017

Boy Scout Dylan Green gives osprey nesting platform a needed upgrade

by Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager

Dylan and his father John pose for a quick portrait in front of one of the new platforms.

This past Sunday we assisted Dylan Green, along with his family and fellow Troop 65 scouts to install three new osprey nesting platforms. The project was done by Dylan as part of his Eagle Scout Service Project. He self funded the project using his own money to purchase the supplies needed to construct the platforms and built the platforms together with his fellow Boy Scouts. The platforms were used to replace two platforms that were in bad condition. The third was installed in a location where a platform used to be located. The osprey population at Cheesequake State Park is small, but it is good habitat for ospreys.

Navigating narrow forest paths, light rain, and swampy marsh conditions did not deter this hardworking crew!! Dylan and his family did a great job with this project! We’ve worked with many Scouts over the years, and Troop 65 is up there with the best! Kudos, Dylan! Thank you for your time and hard work to help ospreys in New Jersey. Thank you to Cheesequake State Park staff for their assistance. If you know of a Boy Scout in the coastal zone who is looking for a service project, then please shoot me an email!

Navigating the wooded edge habitat of Cheesequake State Park with a 16′ osprey platform is never easy!

Dylan Green and fellow scouts raise the first of three platforms. photo by Dave Donnelly/NJDPF

You never know what you’ll find in an osprey nest!

The hardest part of installing an osprey nesting platform is getting the structure to the location where it will be installed.

The shoehorn is the most important tool in successfully installing a platform.

One of the old platforms that was replaced.

This group worked tirelessly to complete the job at hand for the day. We rested long enough for this group photo.

 

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2 Responses to “Photos from the Field: Cheesequake Osprey Platform Replacement”

  1. Linda Barczyn says:

    What a wonderful story. Thanks to the Boy Scouts and others! I love Osprey and am glad so many are passionate to take on this task. GOOD JOB!

  2. Lisa Kennedy says:

    Hi Ben,
    Thanks for sharing this fantastic story. Truly heartening to see young ‘uns take such an interest in an osprey project. Great looking platforms. Well done lads!