The Halton-North Peel Naturalist Club is spearheading a project to erect an osprey tower alongside Fairy Lake, with a goal of increasing biodiversity in the area.
The club - which is partnering with the Town of Halton Hills, Halton Hills Hydro and Credit Valley Conservation on the plans - says the spot at Rotary Park near Elizabeth Drive was chosen because of its secluded nature, and that Fairy Lake is an ideal habitat for an osprey.
“[It's] a little bit removed from the hustle and bustle of the park across the water, Prospect Park,” said Don Scallen, who is a past president of the Naturalist Club and sits on its board. “It (Fairy Lake) is the only appropriately-sized body of water with a good fish population in Halton Hills.”
Osprey towers are tall structures with a platform at the top, in this case a wooden pallet. This provides safe nesting conditions due to the height, and clear sight lines for flight paths and detecting prey. It should be noted there's no guarantee that an osprey will nest there.
While some local residents have expressed their enthusiasm for the project, for others like Acton's Joyce Lehman, the platform plans raise concerns.
“Actonites are passionate and protective of its recreational opportunities and the sustainability of its wildlife, including the fish and turtles in the lake and surrounding wetlands,” Lehman said in a written statement.
She added: “September is the prime time for turtle hatchlings to migrate back to the waters of Acton, so we have to make sure their success isn’t jeopardized by the proposed ospreys. Fairy Lake can not sustain the fishing so many have come to enjoy if the osprey are eating more of the fish, as well.”
Scallen said he believes there's minimal danger to the turtles as fish are osprey's primary prey.
Acton’s own ‘turtle guy,’ Peter Duncanson of the Halton Hills Turtle Guardians, shared similar sentiments.
“I do not believe the osprey pose any major threat to our local turtle populations,” Duncanson told HaltonHillsToday in an emailed statement.
“Rarely, if ever will you see a turtle swimming at the surface of a body of water away from the shoreline. Ospreys tend to soar down to their prey and pick it off in more open areas of lakes. I believe the awareness that a nesting osprey pair will bring to Fairy Lake will far outweigh any negative points.”
Scallen also contended there's no relationship between osprey and the depletion of fish, noting they may take three or four fish per day from the lake over the breeding season.
A letter Lehman received from the Town of Halton Hills about the project indicates the municipality will also be reducing the amount of maintained turf area through Rotary Park to limit maintenance vehicle activity in the area - something the local woman worries will attract more mosquitoes, which could carry West Nile virus.
Town Director of Parks and Open Space Kevin Okimi said that discussions with the CVC and the Naturalist Club concluded it could be beneficial to reduce the amount of mowing in the area closest to where the osprey tower is being proposed.
"We certainly acknowledge and recognize that those two things are not mutually exclusive. So the osprey tower can happen without the naturalization (reduction in mowing) and the naturalization can happen without the osprey tower.”
Okimi noted the area is already a wetland and “the presence of mosquitoes is going to be there, whether the grass next to it is mowed or not.”
Pathways through the area will continue to be maintained to allow pedestrian trail access to Elmore Drive. Town staff is also completing removal of dead ash trees and will be planting new trees in fall 2022 through Acton Rotary Park and Prospect Park.
Mayor Rick Bonnette said he thinks Halton Hills is very well-suited for an osprey tower because of the town's status as a "Bird-Friendly City."
"Our town boasts a rich natural environment enjoyed by residents and so many of our feathered friends. I’m pleased the municipality is able to support the efforts of the Halton-North Peel Naturalist Club, Credit Valley Conservation Authority and our local hydro to build the osprey tower,” Bonnette said.
More information about the proposed tower can be found on the Town’s website.
Ospreys are birds of prey slightly smaller than bald eagles. They're greatly admired for their majesty, especially when they dive for fish. They're found all over North America, often migrating from Canada down to the United States.
