A lone osprey is looking for love in all the wrong places, namely a high-voltage transmission tower, according to Seattle City Light.
The male raptor has been nesting on the tower along the Duwamish River despite the utility’s attempts to shoo the bird to greener pastures. Nest-building material could catch ablaze or cause a short circuit, which might trigger outages or fatally injure the bird.
Crews have been removing the osprey’s building materials periodically since last month, but the resilient bird, apparently unfazed, would start over each time.
What’s more, this year’s nesting season is over. But the 4-pound bird appears determined to be prepared for the next one, perhaps by building a reputation as a handy man.
“He could be trying to make himself more attractive to potential mates,” Seattle City Light wildlife biologist Ron Tressler said.
The utility is looking to install a more family-friendly nesting pad at a nearby location in hopes of luring the bird away from the tower.
As for his quest for a mate, the utility has a message for female ospreys:
“Single Male Osprey Seeks Soul Mate: Good looking, hard worker who’s going places seeks single female for a committed relationship. Brown feathers with a white crown. Piercing yellow eyes. He enjoys long soars over the Duwamish River at sunset and dinners of fresh fish. Lady ospreys, he’s a catch. Contact him near Hamm Creek. Serious inquiries only.”
