A sneak beak reveals Our Birds are expecting babies in the spring
They have the best seats in the house – nesting lovingly in our south-west light tower and with a bird’s eye view of the action.
Confirmed . . . eggs in the nest mean Rosie and Hutch, the Eastern Osprey pair who have taken up residence at Central Coast Stadium, are expecting in the spring.
And today we can reveal Our Birds, the pair of Eastern Osprey that have made the Stadium their home, will soon be sharing their vantage point with newcomers.
“We can confirm that eggs have been sighted in the nest . . . yes, Rosie and Hutch are expecting and will soon be proud parents for the fourth year in a row,” revealed Kath Casey, Central Coast Stadium’s Venue Manager.
The Coast is home to six breeding pairs of Eastern Osprey and one pair has chosen the Stadium’s light tower as a highly unusual spot to build their nest.
Lovingly named Rosie and Hutch by Stadium patrons, news that Our Birds are expecting again will create much excitement in the community, and especially among environmental groups.
It is unclear how important this breeding pair is to the long-term survival of the species on the East Coast, but environmental experts say it is likely to be important given the relatively low numbers of known breeding pairs.
Central Coast Stadium Assets & Operations Manager Mick Magurren has been keeping a close eye on the Osprey and reporting back to local authorities.
Best seats in the house . . . the special nest set up in the south-west light tower for Rosie and Hutch, the Eastern Osprey pair who call Central Coast Stadium home.
“We’ve been working with Central Coast Council’s Environmental Section and local ecologist Garon Staines to help these important birds keep breeding, without impacting on our staff, or the community’s safety,” says Mick.
“In 2018 the nest above our Stadium was perched on a light tower, close to the lights, making maintenance of the tower difficult and causing the closure of seats in the bay below as sticks and debris continually fell from the nest.
“Building on the success of moving a nest at the Erina depot in 2012, our team worked with some external specialists and installed a purpose-built platform for the pair to nest on in 2019. We also added a CCTV so we can keep an eye on the family.”
For Mick and the Central Coast team, watching the Ospreys return to their nest at the Stadium, and successfully lay eggs for the fourth year in a row, has made all the hard work worth it.
Plus, there’s something special about Our Birds. Eastern Osprey, when they find their match in nature, generally mate for life, and Rosie and Hutch clearly love and support one another.
We’ll be sure to update you on further developments as Our Birds prepare for parenthood in the spring!
Bird’s eye view . . . the light tower on the right of this picture is where the Eastern Osprey pair have set up their home
Rosie keeping her eggs well protected in the light tower nest during the recent Roosters v Dragons NRL game at Central Coast Stadium
