Ospreys silence Spring Lake fire siren, report says
An osprey nest in Absecon. (Photo: Ben Wurst/New Jersey Osprey Project)
Spring Lake residents won’t be hearing the local fire siren until the fall.
That’s because a pair of ospreys has built a nest inside the siren, according to an Associated Press report. Since osprey nests are legally protected, the only sound coming from the device will be that of hungry hatchlings.
Local firefighters are now relying on pagers and cellphones to alert them of calls, the report said.
From the report:
First responders in the resort about 60 miles north of Atlantic City say so far things have been working smoothly.
Spring Lake officials say they may need to create an alternate place nearby for the birds to nest next year, as they tend to return to the same spot.
Officials say they believe several chicks have hatched, but none was visible from the ground on Tuesday.
Ospreys, also known as “fish hawks,” migrate from their wintering grounds in Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean during the spring.
Most nest along the Atlantic coastline from Sandy Hook to Cape May, according to Ben Wurst, Habitat Program Manager for the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey, who chronicles osprey life at New Jersey Osprey Project.
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