Friday December 02, 2005

[Photo courtesy of AM, the Navel's San Diego correspondent]

I saw the above while visiting San Diego recently and wrote the following note to the Driscoll Mission Bay Marina:

Hi. I was visiting San Diego recently and someone pointed out an amazing site that I think was in your marina--a boat with an osprey's nest on top of the mast. My friend told me that the boat hasn't been used for 3.5 years because the bird and nest are protected. Is this true or just an urban legend? It certainly is a great story.

Here's what I heard back from Mary-Carol Driscoll:

It's no urban legend - it's true (much to the owner's dismay). The boat has been in our marina since 2000. It was about 2001 when the osprey spied the tall mast and made their home. Osprey like to have a high perch and the mast is the tallest in the basin, hence the attraction. The boat can be moved when the birds aren't "nesting." The owner did move the boat once and removed the nest, but the birds returned within a month. It is quite fun to watch when the birds are nesting. They are excellent hunters, but messy eaters. Hopefully your next visit to San Diego will be during the mating season.