Young Osprey Rescued In Its Own Nest

Tuesday, Sept. 5, Utah Power and Idaho Fish and Game cooperatively released an osprey entangled in its own nest. The bird was a recent hatchling occupying a nesting platform erected by Utah Power on the River Road in Firth overlooking the Snake River. Fish and Game was contacted early Tuesday morning at the regional office in Pocatello by Firth resident Paul Mecham. The young osprey, according to Mecham, had been unable to leave the nest above the river because it's right foot was entangled in baler twine. Ospreys traditionally build stick and debris nests near water to be able to fish for their prey. These birds had chosen a well-located pole and platform erected by Utah Power for their nest. Utah Power foreman Dan Bodily says the company is "dedicated to the raptor resources and likes to follow through on issues related to their management". They did follow through when biologists from Fish and Game requested their assistance to free the trapped osprey. Boom truck operator Scott Wardrop strapped a Fish and Game biologist in the boom truck's basket, and maneuvered them within an arm's length of the tangled bird. At one point up to 5 neighboring ospreys circled the nest, feinting toward and crying at the intruders in the basket. The osprey was quickly covered and held still in its nest, and the orange tangle of baler twine cut from around its right talons. Injury to the bird was light and it seemed in decent physical condition so it was freed and allowed to remain in the nest to fledge at its own rate. The nest was quickly cleaned of additional twine and the boom lowered.