People Give Lake Arrowhead Ospreys a Hand
Ospreys were nearly
wiped out in the United States by the use of DDT, a pesticide
widely used after World War II. The chemical got into the
food chain of ospreys, first in the bottom of the food chain
through insects, then concentrating as each succeeding member
of the chain was consumed.
Fish eaten by ospreys introduced the chemical to the birds, resulting in thin, brittle eggshells that failed. The result was the near extinction of these majestic birds.
In 1962, biologist Rachel Carson produced "Silent Spring," which is generally credited with revealing the connection between DDT and the decimation of ospreys, eagles, falcons and many hawks. DDT was banned in 1972, but by then, many raptors were in severe decline, including Lake Arrowhead's ospreys.
Since then, ospreys and other raptors
have made a near-miraculous comeback, aided by state, local
and federal agencies, private businesses, environmental groups
and individuals like Meeri
Zetterstrom. Thanks to those efforts, ospreys were removed
from Vermont's endangered species list in 2005!
Meeri played a
central role in the restoration of ospreys at Lake Arrowhead,
a scenic manmade lake that straddles the border of Milton
and Georgia, Vt. With a bird's-eye view of the lake and the
dozens of species that call it home, Meeri was among the first
to notice when ospreys returned to fish Arrowhead's waters.
She quickly became determined to help them.
Although many ospreys easily adapt to close human contact, at Lake Arrowhead the sheer volume and close proximity of boaters and fishermen, along with a handful of people who purposely annoyed the birds, kept the birds on edge.
Meeri convinced the state and Central Vermont Public Service to install nesting platforms, put in warning signs and create a buffer zone around an island the birds chose for their home. Those efforts, along with a lengthy education campaign, helped the birds find peace after nearly a decade of effort to help them.
The platforms that
were initially installed were square, with lumber used to
create perches and a rail around the outside. Meeri Zetterstrom,
watching the birds with binoculars over a period of years,
concluded that rounded rails and perches would be better,
as they would be easier for the ospreys to grasp. New platforms
with cedar sticks along the edges were installed, and the
birds quickly made use of them.
Today, ospreys can be seen soaring above Lake Arrowhead throughout the spring, summer and early fall, and nesting on a platform in the northeast corner of the lake and in a downed tree in the northwest corner. Birdwatchers and boaters are urged to give them a wide berth, and to enjoy them through binoculars or on this web site.
Terms of Use - Copyright 2007 Central Vermont Public Service
Copyright 2002-2003 photos CVPS, Gustav W. Verderber, Floyd Scholz
and Department of Fish & Wildlife
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