Crane Operator Dismantles Osprey Nest, Residents Upset

An Osprey nest built on top of a crane at Milford Harbor, outside of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) station at 212 Rogers Ave., was dismantled twice, according to the Milford Mirror. Residents were outraged.

Concerned residents contacted the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), who told residents that dismantling the nests was a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which includes the Osprey species, the Mirror reported.

NOAA officials were not a part of the decision to dismantle the nest because the crane was run by a contractor hired to install a new dock at the Harbor, the Mirror reported. NOAA helped track down the contractor in charge of the crane after being contacted by DEEP.

Work at the Milford Harbor has since been completed, and no charges or fines were filed against the crane operator because it is likely the operator did not intentionally commit a crime by destroying the nests, the Mirror reported.

Read the full Milford Mirror story here.