Redland City Council is installing a new pole and osprey nest platform at Sam Sciacca Sportsfield, Capalaba.
Mayor Karen Williams said the works would include the relocation of an existing osprey nest from a sporting field light pole to the new platform.
“The birds have been trying unsuccessfully for about two years to build a nest on top of the light pole near Coolnwynpin Creek,” she said.
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“The nest is on a dubious platform on the lights and sticks fall down in an area where children and families gather, so it’s important Council moves the nesting birds to a more appropriate location.
“The move is also for the safety of the birds as there are electrical components on the lights, and there’s heat even though they are LED lights.
“There is a lot of community interest in the ospreys, and it was a concerned community member who advised us about the nest on the light pole.”
Cr Williams said this would be the second pole and osprey nest platform Council had installed.
“The first was at Wellington Point in 2015 and the ospreys have been successfully breeding at that site every year since then.”
Division 8 Councillor Tracey Huges said the new pole would be located about 100 metres from the existing light pole, and away from the sporting fields.
“It will be in an area where people will be able to appreciate it, near both the footpath and the creek,” Cr Huges said.
“We’ll attract the birds to the new pole by making it taller than the light pole and by moving the existing nest sticks to the platform.”
Cr Huges said there was a real sense of community connection to the ospreys.
“We have a Citizen Science Coastal Raptor Monitoring Program, which is overseen by Council, where community volunteers monitor the raptor nests.
“Ospreys feed exclusively on fish and are not too deterred by people.
“They are a big bird and if you regularly walk along areas where they nest you can see their whole lifecycle happen.”
