Osprey whisperers: Charlottetown students hope to attract the majestic birds to a new home

Students at Charlottetown Rural High School hope a new platform high atop a pole will land them closer views of some large birds of prey. 

The new osprey platform was installed on a corner of the school property neighbouring Hermitage Creek, which flows into nearby Ellen's Creek. 

"This particular location is close to the wetlands," said environmental science teacher Rob Redmond. 

"It will be high enough, hopefully, that osprey will look at it as a possible nesting site."

Redmond said the idea came from a former teacher who wondered why the school didn't have an osprey pole, considering Charlottetown Rural's mascot is an osprey, which is also called a raider.

As a next step, Redmond said they would like to put a camera on the nest so they can watch the osprey if they choose the nest. 

"For me, it's [students] appreciating what's around them and the fact that they've created a little bit of habitat for something — that one missing piece might be its location to nest," Redmond said.

"And the fact that they've done something that's worthwhile for nature and for their school, as well."

Grade 11 student Tihan Stapleton helped to build the osprey platform.

"It's just a box with mesh on the bottom, and we're going to throw some sticks in there to try to encourage some ospreys to come and nest," Stapleton said. 

"It's a certain height off the ground, which we've done studies about where ospreys like to nest, and it should work."

The osprey platform is also visible from North River Road, where vehicles and pedestrians will be able to keep an eye on the large birds.

"It's a great location. There's water nearby, great scenery and hopefully they'll be able to fish right over in North River. We've seen osprey here before, so hopefully they'll come nest," Stapleton said.

"Usually by this time, the ospreys are already nesting. So if not this year, then next year, we hope," Stapleton said.