We visit the Heronry at Black River often. On one occasion Susanne Krom of Herons Forever told us about an Osprey nest nearby. It was on a cell tower in the 700 block of Seneca Av SW in south Renton which can be accessed from S 7th St a couple of blocks west of Rainier.

We checked the tower last Wednesday on the way to Black River and noticed the nest was gone. We had some strong winds this winter and thought maybe it had blown down. On the way home we saw two people working on the tower. They were on the platform and we didn't get to talk to them but we wondered if they had anything to do with the nest being gone.

Yesterday we were in the area and decided to check because of the reports by Kathy and others about seeing Osprey. There were two on the tower. We don't know for sure when they returned but could see no nest material on the tower or them bringing any. Hopefully they had just returned and will start the rebuild shortly. We will keep checking anytime we are in Renton.

We talked to a truck driver who works for one of the companies on Seneca. He said he saw the workers remove the nest. We hope they had to remove the nest to accomplish the work they needed to perform and will not bother a new nest. We all have to remember that the cell companies build the towers to provide cell service not as a nest structure and for the most part leave the nests alone.

The Migratory Bird Act only pertains to the time the birds are actively using the nest. The fact that most of these nests are allowed to remain from year to year appears to us that the Cell companies have been fairly lenient about letting the Osprey use them. They could take them down each year when the birds migrate with the hope they won't rebuild.

We checked the tower in the parking lot of Fry's or just south of Coulon Park, I-405 and NE Park. We were there for over an hour and saw no Osprey.


BobnBernie Meyer
Between Renton and Issaquah
Mailto: BobnBernie at comcast.net