For Thames Water Utilities
Building an osprey tower in a nature reserve
We designed and constructed a unique tower and perch to attract young osprey to an Oxfordshire nature reserve.
A ready-made nest
Research shows that ospreys prefer to take over an existing nest than build a new one. So to encourage young osprey to Pinkhill Meadows nature reserve, our client asked us to construct an osprey tower and perch.
Expertise at all stages
Working closely with an osprey specialist, our skilled welder constructed a nest frame to a precise specification. We transported the nest frame to the site, and used recycled telegraph poles to form the base for the main nest and nearby perch.
On top of the frame, we secured branches to form the edges of the nest to a height of 60cm. The middle was filled with soil and grass – and the whole nest was finished with a dusting of moss. The nest and perch now stand 8m tall, and there are plans to clear the surrounding scrubland to open up a clear vista.
“The build itself could not have gone any smoother; both the perch and the nest were up in a day with very little disturbance to the nature reserve. The construction team were fantastic, professional and lovely people to work with.” Hanna, TWUL.
