Osprey Odyssey: Regency Responds

Jack deVilliers — Regency Centers vice president — just responded on 06880+ to the controversy raging after yesterday’s osprey nest removal. Regency owns the Fresh Market shopping center where the event took place. He writes:

To our neighbors,

As many of you are aware there was a removal of a nesting platform at The Village Center that served as a breeding ground and home for two ospreys. Before any work was done on this we consulted a variety of environmental and wildlife sources to find the best way to avoid having our upcoming construction disturb a nesting environment. We were informed that if the nest was not present before the breeding season then the ospreys would be able to make a new nest somewhere else. There never was any removal of existing eggs or birds at any point.

For those who might be unaware, the upcoming construction work is intended to redo the facade, upgrade the parking, a substantial tree installation, sustainable LED lighting, and a rain garden. However, although our intentions were to mitigate any disturbance to our avian neighbors, we may have missed the mark with seeing the whole picture.

Thanks in part to the community feedback that we have received, we have decided to reinstall the platform as soon as possible. Not only that, but we will modify our construction schedule for the breeding season, and will be providing a buffer area that cannot be disturbed until we can determine the fledglings have safely vacated the area. At which point, we will resume our efforts without any negative effect to the ospreys.

It is extremely important to us that we are good and responsible neighbors, and that includes our feathered friends as well as our human ones. We can’t thank everyone enough for their concern and interest on the topic, and a special thank you to those who reached out to us.

Jack deVilliers – Vice President at Regency Centers
203-635-5562

Osprey on a pole, this afternoon. (Photo/Richard Hyman)