An injured osprey appears grateful for her rescue by Tampa Electric lineworkers.
At first glance, the mother osprey perched in her platform nest in Apollo Beach seemed just fine. With her two adolescent chicks nestled beside her and their father watching nearby, the scene seemed peaceful from afar. But her human neighbors knew better.
A fishhook had pierced the mother osprey’s wing. Attached was a lead weight and about 15 feet of fishing line — now tangled within her nest, preventing her from flying. The fishing gear had been carelessly left behind, and the osprey suffered the consequences.
Concerned residents first spotted the bird struggling in the water. They managed to cut part of the line and pull her to safety, but before they could remove the hook or untangle the rest, she flew back to her nest — tethered and trapped.
That’s when texts started flying to Jerry Adams, Tampa Electric’s environmental compliance coordinator, known affectionately as the company’s “bird man.”Jerry quickly contacted lineworker supervisor Wayne McClellan. Within thirty minutes, Wayne, along with lineworker Tim Bradley and apprentice Zack Rodriguez, arrived on site with a bucket truck. They were soon joined by a volunteer from the Raptor Center of Tampa Bay.
Zack ascended in the bucket truck while the team below coordinated the delicate operation.
“I made sure I had a good grip on the line as I approached the nest,” Zack explained. “If she tried to fly, I needed that grip.” And she did — flapping and dangling like a kite in the wind, determined to escape despite her injury.
The mother osprey dangled by fishing line as she was lowered to safety.
With steady hands and quiet determination, Zack gently lowered the injured osprey into a waiting net. She was swiftly transported to the Raptor Center, where she rested comfortably for a few days before being released. The osprey, now named Symphony, is back in the nest with her family in the wild.
It’s another happy ending to a Tampa Electric avian rescue, one of about five we’re proud to perform each year. We urge everyone to safely store or dispose of fishing gear to keep our wildlife safe.
Our Avian Protection Plan
Thanks to the abundance of migratory birds, including ospreys, hawks and other large birds of prey in our area, Tampa Electric was the first utility in Florida to establish an Avian Protection Plan. Our plan works to protect our feathered friends from potential injury or death due to contact with power lines or other equipment.
We’re also a member of the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee, which leads the electric utility industry in protecting avian resources while enhancing reliable energy delivery.
To ensure we’re doing everything we can to keep crew members and birds safe, members of our Avian Protection Plan, line personnel, infrastructure designers and electrical contractors receive avian safety training annually.
