Middle Island Rookery Project
Project Status: Complete
The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays’ staff developed a unique artificial nesting structure for Great Blue Heron and Egret. The design needed to meet several criteria: It had to be cost-effective; it needed to be lightweight; it had to be able to handle the harsh conditions found in the Mid-Atlantic coastal region; and it had to look more like a tree than existing nesting structures already in use.
Basic Info about the Project:
- Installed March 2009.
- 28 individual nests.
- Total cost for materials and installation was $13,427.
- Cost-share provided through USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program (WHIP)
- Additional funding provided by Rosemark DesignBuild.
- Decoys mounted to keep Ospreys away and attract Heron and Egrets.
- Nest baskets are made of 3/16” aluminum.
- Located on a privately-owned island between Indian River and Rehoboth Bay.
Project Report