THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 19, 1995 TAG: 9502170241
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 28 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MARY REID BARROW, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park may have real differences over the issue of public access through the refuge to reach the state park, but when it comes to working for wildlife, the two groups are of one accord.
Recently an ecumenical collection of volunteers from the park and refuge and also from the Virginia Marine Science Museum and the Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club gathered in the refuge's workshop area to construct 13 osprey nesting platforms. Three platforms will be put up on Owls Creek as part of the marine science museum expansion.
However the other 10 platforms will replace broken or destroyed osprey nesting sites on Back Bay. Five will be put up in the state park's domain and five in refuge waters, although the dividing line is one that only humans understand.
``The birds don't know the difference,'' acting refuge manager Joe McCauley said.
During the work session, the refuge shop area echoed with the sound of hammers pounding large nails and electric saws tossing wood chips hither and yon as volunteers worked to construct the platforms.
About 30 osprey pairs nest around the waters of Back Bay every year. The big fish hawks will nest on just about anything near or on the water that is tall and gives them an unobstructed 360-degree view. Osprey nest naturally on tree snags but they also like navigation buoys, duck blinds, boat houses and other manmade structures like platforms.
Osprey have made a huge comeback in the whole Chesapeake Bay region since they were nearly decimated by DDT and they are no longer considered a threatened or endangered species. Even so, osprey numbers are limited with only 6,000 to 7,000 of the birds worldwide, said Reese Lukei, a refuge volunteer who coordinated the volunteer effort for the big black and white birds.
Because of this and because the birds' health is an indication of how the environment is doing, refuge and park employees continue to monitor the osprey's progress.
``When there's a wildlife concern, this access issue isn't going to interfere,'' said J.P. Cordill, chief ranger at False Cape State Park.
Cordill and the refuge's McCauley were among the 25 volunteers who spent the morning working in and around the refuge's maintenance area. They helped to hammer together the 4- by 4-foot wooden nesting platform frames, which would hold a base of chain link fencing.
Chuck Butler, False Cape State Park ranger, and refuge volunteer Lukei were among those who nailed the fencing into the platform frames. The strong chain link mesh is just the right size to snag and hold the sticks that make up the bulk of an osprey nest.
Outside Bruce Julian, False Cape State Park volunteer, was operating the noisy power saw. He was transforming utility poles donated by Virginia Power into osprey nesting platform supports.
Volunteers will complete the job by erecting the poles in Back Bay and Owls Creek marshes before March 1 when osprey traditionally arrive back from their winter migration.
Lukei, a hawk expert, said all that needs to be done then is to toss a few sticks up on the platform to give the osprey the general idea.
``This is sure a neat thing for volunteers,'' McCauley said. ``You can do it and it's very concrete and you can see the results within a few months. It's very gratifying.''
Lukei volunteers to help survey Back Bay osprey nests every year. He counts eggs and young and then bands the youngsters before they leave the nest. Last year, he noticed that several of the productive nesting sites were missing, having been blown down in storms.
Lukei talked to park and refuge folks about a volunteer effort to replace the sites. In the meantime, the marine science museum sought Lukei's advice on erecting platforms to attract osprey to Owls Creek. So platforms for the museum were included in the construction, too. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Reese Lukei, right, who coordinated the effort, builds osprey nests
with the help of other volunteers at Back Bay National Wildlife
Refuge.
Photo by MARY REID BARROW
Chuck Butler, manager of False Cape State Park, was among those who
nailed fencing into platform frames for osprey nests.
by CNB