VIEW Feathered Friends By Dan Kliewer An oil refinery isn’t the best place to raise kids, but in April 2012, a pair of ospreys decided to do just that. They began placing tree limbs and branches atop a tall, hot (200 degrees Fahrenheit) vessel at the CHS Refinery in Laurel, Mont. “It wasn’t a safe location for the birds, especially young birds,” says George Fink, environmental engineer with the refinery. “And the nest would pose a safety issue for equipment and personnel.” Consequently, the decision was made to remove the sticks before a nest could be built. To help encourage the birds to build a nest in a safe location, refinery managers authorized installation of a nesting pole in a nearby field south of the refinery, closer to the Yellowstone River. The osprey pair began to build a nest on the platform, but then abandoned it in favor of another location. No nests were built on the pole in 2013 or 2014. Then in 2015, an osprey pair selected the platform for their nest and successfully raised three fledglings. Refinery employees are waiting to see if the ospreys will return this spring and raise another family on the tower built especially for them. Q 16 MAY/JUNE 2016 CHSINC.COM
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