Friends Build New Osprey Nest Platform –
In a true joint effort, the Friends of the Mashpee National Wildlife Refuge (FMNWR) assisted partner organization Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR) to build and install a new osprey nest platform in the marsh behind Amy Brown Road in Mashpee. 
WBNERR Stewardship Coordinator, James Rassman, led the effort, assisted by FMNWR Directors MaryKay Fox and Glenn Davis, volunteer Neil Barkin, and a curious neighbor who lent the team a forgotten, but crucial wrench. Wearing boots and facemasks, the team was able to successfully build and raise the platform during a tricky high tide on March 27, 2021.
The osprey is one of the iconic wildlife species on Cape Cod, and the Mashpee Refuge is fortunate to host a number of nesting pairs which raise their young each year. The Friends group supports ongoing efforts to build and repair platforms in the area, which provide safe nesting places away from utility poles, rooftops and other hazardous locations for these majestic birds.
Thanks to all who helped, as well as homeowners on Amy Brown Road who allowed us to access the site from their property. Now we wait and hope to see how quickly the new site is claimed as home by a pair of returning osprey. We’ll post an update when the new platform is adopted!
