During the past week, we have checked on this years active Osprey nests in and around the Berlin Lake Area. Berlin Lake stretches thru three counties in northeastern Ohio, the southwestern corner of Mahoning, the southeastern corner of Portage, and the northeastern corner of Stark. Twenty-four nest sites were found, basically the same count as last year, with one new location, and one less nest removed nearby from a wooden utility pole. Of the nests, 18 are on cell towers, 2 on transmission towers, 2 on wooden utility poles, and 2 on wooden hacking structures, all provided by man. Amazing is the fact that during The Ohio Breeding Bird Atlas of 1982 thru 1987, there were no Osprey nests recorded in Ohio. Hard to believe now, that about twenty years ago, there were only two known nest locations at Berlin Lake. A brief description of Berlin Lake taken from US Army Corps Of Engineers data is, in summer the length of the lake at normal pool is 18.6 miles long, with 70 miles of shoreline, a surface area of 3590 acres, at an elevation of 1025 feet above sea level, and a maximum depth of 76 feet at the dam. To anyone wishing to observe an Osprey nest up close and personal, go to the southeast corner of SR225 and Greenbower Road, a short distance north of the city of Alliance. The nest is about thirty feet off the ground on the edge of the road on an old style wooden utility pole. Check out the residents in the bottom side of the nest, a colony of House Sparrows share it with the Ospreys. Of note, is the fact that within the distance a Crow flies, there are several other sizable bodies of water nearby. Some of the tasty fish available for the Ospreys are Walleye, Large and Smallmouth Bass, Muskie, Crappie, and Bluegill. With 48 adult Ospreys in the area, they can easily be found.


Bob and Denise Lane / Mahoning County

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