Blog # 307 Winged Sentinels

Orpheus with a fish, courtesy of Cindy and Karel Sedlacek. 

Through the decades, many fish and wildlife species have been used to monitor environmental contaminants and ecological changes. Because of the complexity of ecosystems, biological indicators (bioindicators) are increasingly popular tools to evaluate environmental contamination and its impact on environmental health. 

The Stewart Park nest family of 2020, courtesy of Cindy and Karel Sedlacek. Contaminants  travel through the food web and concentrate in the adult Osprey bodies and their progeny.

Ospreys became the Winged Sentinels of environmental degradation in the 1970s when  it was found that the pesticide DDT was thinning their egg shells, pushing them near  extinction. It took 50 years of tireless effort from researchers and volunteers, but Osprey populations have now recovered to sustainable levels. 

In the past, bald eagle carcasses were used to track environmental pollution, but their  scavenger habit made them difficult to study. Today, Ospreys are used as a sentinel  species to evaluate environmental contamination for aquatic ecosystems. The  exponential growth of Osprey in our community attests to the health of our lake and  watershed. Chemical imbalances or contamination of the lake would be reflected in our  resident Osprey population. 

The path of contaminants in an aquatic food chain. 

Unfortunately, DDT is not our only problem. Hazardous pollutants are widespread in the  water and soil. Complex compounds like PCBs are found in the Great Lakes and Hudson River, pulp-mill effluents are in the waters of Western Canada, petroleum 

pollutes Wyoming’s North Platte River, and toxic heavy metals circulate in New Jersey’s  waters. Such contaminants enter the aquatic ecosystem and embed in the sediment, gradually making their way into the aquatic food web and the diet of the Osprey. Osprey health is tracked in these regions, and blood levels of toxic contaminants are carefully  monitored. 

Sitting with his catch, courtesy of Cindy and Karel Sedlacek. 

Long lived Ospreys make them ideal sentinel species because of their fish-eating diet  atop the aquatic food web, their ability to accumulate lipophilic contaminants, and their  sensitivity to many contaminants. Osprey population distribution, abundance, and  changes over time reflect the effects of various contaminants on their reproductive  success; contaminants bio-magnify and are concentrated in the Ospreys’ eggs. 

Smile next time you pass a bulky Osprey nest or see one flying over the lake; it is a  good sign that all is well. Let’s keep it that way: be vigilant to keep our local waters  clean.  

Eyes to the sky!  

Candace 

Candace E. Cornell  

Friends of Salt Point & 

Cayuga Osprey Network  

Lansing, NY  

cec222@gmail.com

GUEST PHOTOGRAPHERS:  

Karel and Cindy Sedlacek, a.k.a. BOGette, are the folks you see 365 days/yr. live streaming (https://livestream.com/karelsedlacek) Red-tailed Hawks on campus and  locally. In the warmer months, they also capture exquisite shots of Cayuga Lake’s  Osprey with their cameras, which are frequently published in this blog. Both tech  wizards at Cornell and accomplished musicians, the Sedlacek’s give us a unique view  of these spectacular raptors. Karel andCindy are Osprey nest monitors for the Cayuga  Lake Osprey Network.  

HELP PROTECT OSPREYS: 

• Keep a distance (100-300 feet) from active nests in the breeding season. If an  animal vocalizes when you are near, you are too close! BACK OFF IMMEDIATELY. • Carry binoculars to view wildlife from a distance. 

• Help keep local waters clean and healthy. Preserve and clean shorelines. • Recycle or dispose of used fishing line and other materials that can entangle  Ospreys and other aquatic animals. 

• Volunteer to monitor Osprey nests with the Cayuga Osprey Network. Write to:  cec222@gmail.com.  

EYES ON OSPREYS 

WATCH! 

Salt Point Osprey Nest Cam 2021 

READ! 

On Osprey Time—a blog on the Ospreys of Salt Point

VISIT! 

Cayuga Lake Osprey Trail

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