Osprey Nests In Portsmouth Park 'N Ride: Patch Readers & DOT Help

PORTSMOUTH, RI—A couple of weeks ago, Kristin Shaw, of Portsmouth, sent Patch a question about a wild bird in a nest over the Park 'n Ride. The bird, which she described as big with "a white head and black shoulder feathers," had attracted a flock of human followers. On their way to work, everyone saw the bird and wanted to know more about it.

"We have a question going around Portsmouth," she wrote. "What kind of bird is nesting above the park and ride/ D.O.T station in Portsmouth? Is it a bald eagle? We had hoped you guys would run a story, it’s a pretty cool thing to have in Portsmouth!"

The bird was nesting on top of the light post, she said.

Patch asked the state Department of Transportation, since it's their parking lot, and Lisbeth Pettengill, director of communications, promised to investigate. The DOT didn't know about the bird, she said, until hearing about Shaw's question.

Meanwhile, Patch asked Kristen Fletcher, of Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island. She hadn't heard about that bird in particular but guessed it would be an osprey.

"Probably osprey... there are multiple nests in the area including on the cell tower near the old DOT station on Anthony Road," she said.

That hunch was confirmed by the Audubon Society, Pettingill said.

"Maintenance took multiple photos of the bird’s nest which we then sent to the Audobon Society which told us it is an osprey nest," she said. "Our staff biologists are going out today to check on it."

Osprey are not endangered like the piping plover readers may remember from the kerfuffle in the beach parking lot at Sand Hill Cove. But they are protected. So, they qualified for a sign. On July 18, the state posted a sign letting people know the birds are nesting and to give them space

"Our fabulous maintenance staff put up the sign today," Pettengill said. "Even though they are woefully short handed, they made this a priority. We all hope the birds thrive and thank you for contacting us."

Shaw said she was glad to hear it.

Photo Courtesy Rhode Island Department of Transportation