Dominion Energy volunteers, Fairfax County Park Authority install osprey nesting platforms in Lorton

LORTON, Va. ( DC News Now ) — Volunteers from Dominion Energy teamed up with the Fairfax County Park Authority (FCPA) to install two nesting sites for osprey in Lorton on Thursday.

According to a statement from Dominion Energy, the bird species had seen a “severe population decline” because of pesticide poisoning and their eggshells becoming thinner. Recently, ospreys have started seeing a comeback in the Lorton area and across the U.S.

Dominion Energy said that the goal of the nesting sites is to bring more breeding ospreys to Laurel Hill Park. It said that the platforms give more options for ospreys to “nest, breed, and raise their young.”

David Lawler, an FCPA ecologist, said that ospreys have been fishing on the Potomac River for hundreds of years. FCPA hopes to mimic ospreys’ ideal nest — in high locations, typically close to the water — to draw them back.

“The pole represents basically a big tree, and the platform gives them a nice, sturdy platform to work on a nest for many years to come, instead of just having one off nests that might not last very well,” Lawler said.

Jonathan Copas, a supervisor of construction and operations for Dominion Energy at Woodbridge, was one of the volunteers who helped Thursday.

“We have a lot of Ospreys in this area, and it just gives them a place to build some nests, and also helps keep them away from our lines,” Copas said.

Copas said that he hopes these nests will help keep birds safe and away from power lines, helping give Dominion customers more reliable energy and fewer outages.

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