JCP&L expands osprey protection program
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A crowd gathers on Market Street to watch the lighting of the massive menorah on Independence Mall for the third night of Hanukkah, December, 26, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, the regional director of Chabad Lubavitch, says the blessings and lights the candles for the third night of Hanukkah, December 26, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Children and adults gather under the massive menorah on Independence Mall as Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, the regional director of Chabad Lubavitch, says the blessings and lights the candles for the third night of Hanukkah December 26, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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The party continues at Independence Mall where 700 people gathered for suvganiot, dancing, and singing. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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The party continues at Independence Mall where 700 people gathered for suvganiot, dancing, and singing. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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The party continues at Independence Mall where 700 people gathered for suvganiot, dancing, and singing. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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The party continues at Independence Mall where 700 people gathered for suvganiot, dancing, and singing. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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The party continues at Independence Mall where 700 people gathered for suvganiot, dancing, and singing. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Choni Melecki plays keyboard and background music for Peretz Chein, who sang traditional Judaic and holiday songs. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Spectators wave and cheer as the parade passes through Center City on its way to Independence Mall. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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More than 250 cars participate in Philadelphia's 10th Annual Car Menorah Parade December 26, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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More than 250 cars participate in Philadelphia's 10th Annual Car Menorah Parade December 26, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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More than 250 cars participate in Philadelphia's 10th Annual Car Menorah Parade December 26, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Children hang from the windows as the parade makes its way down the Ben Franklin Parkway toward City Hall. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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More than 250 cars gather on the Ben Franklin Parkway for the 10th Annual Car Menorah Parade December 26, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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A driver captures the spectacle of 250 cars adorned with lit electric menorahs as they line up for the 10th Annual Car Menorah Parade put on by Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, the regional director of Chabad Lubavitch, an Orthodox Jewish movement. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Rabbi Abraham Shemtov, the regional director of Lubavitch, leads a Maariv (evening prayer service) before the beginning of the 10th Annual Car Menorah Parade in Philadelphia on the third night of Hanukkah. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Benjamin and Amiati Coplon secure their car menorah in preperation for the 10th Annual Car Menorah Parade in Philadelphia on December 26, 2016. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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Arthur Sauerhaft, from Chester, Pennsylvania, puts batteries into his car menorah in preparation for the 10th Annual Car Menorah Parade in Philadelphia. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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More than 250 cars gather on the Ben Franklin Parkway to parade through the city with lit electric menorahs atop their roofs in celebration of the third night of Hanukkah. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
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A newly banded nestling and its mother keeping watch above at the Sedge Island Wildlife Management Area in Barnegat Bay. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Another close approach by an osprey while Ben Wurst works in a nest. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Ben Wurst tagging a chick while the mother osprey passes very close to the nest. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Osprey chicks huddling in the nest. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Ben Wurst raises his hand as an osprey approaches the nest. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Ben Wurst ready to access an osprey nest. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Ben Wurst unloading a ladder from the boat to access an osprey nest. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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(Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Bands used to identify ospreys. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Approaching an osprey nest within Sedges Islands State Wildlife Management Area. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Two osprey chicks huddled together. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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The small boat Ben Wurst uses on his osprey survey and banding missions. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Ben Wurst removing trash from an osprey nest. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Osprey chicks huddling in the nest. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
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Author Justin Auciello holds an osprey chick. (Photo: Ben Wurst/CWF)
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A little teaser of what's to come later in this gallery. This is a curious osprey nestling looking directly into the camera of CWF's Ben Wurst. (Justin Auciello for WHYY)
An electric utility that serves the Jersey Shore is expanding an osprey protection program.
A Jersey Central Power & Light spokesman says crews will survey existing and potential osprey nesting locations on the utility’s poles and equipment.
They’ll then built new nesting platforms that will protect the raptors from potential electrocution and install specialized devices on JCP&L property to discourage nesting.
The utility says it has already identified nests in Monmouth Beach, Oceanport, Ocean, Spring Lake Heights, Brick, and Bayville that require attention.
“As the osprey population continues to grow, we appreciate the proactive protection work being done by JCP&L,” said Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager, Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. “To an osprey, a utility pole near the coast seems like an ideal spot to perch or build a nest, but it could jeopardize their health. This comprehensive JCP&L program will help ospreys coexist with the demands of our modern society.”
[RELATED: N.J. osprey population continues to grow]
In 2016, JCP&L successfully moved osprey nests in Brick and Union Beach to newly constructed platforms near the original nesting sites.
Wurst and JCP&L linemen joined forces in July to rescue a young osprey entangled in monofilament. Read more here and watch the video.
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