Nine Osprey chicks rescued from their nests during the tornadoes this week on Cape Cod were safely returned to their homes Thursday by a local wildlife organization.
The baby birds were rescued from five separate nests and placed into a shelter operated by Wild Care Cape Cod. The shelter still has three more chicks to release, executive director Stephanie Ellis said.
The group received reports of 11 nests damaged in Tuesday’s storms. But they could only find nine living birds, Ellis said.
Ospreys from the other damaged nests either “hopefully flew the coop” or “were found deceased,” she said.
One of the birds was returned to its nest near a middle school in Chatham, where an electrical wire had fallen into its nest.
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Eversource Energy had to shut down power temporarily in that area Thursday, so that Chatham Fire Department could safely return the bird, Ellis said.
Osprey have been closely monitored since nearly becoming extinct from 1950 to 1960, due to poisonous pesticides, she said.
The rescued Osprey were given examinations by staff at the shelter. They were also fed and cared for while waiting to return to their nests.
. Two chicks from Harwich and two chicks from Dennis were put in a plastic swimming pool with sticks inside an aviary to simulate a nest, Ellis said.
“They’re a bit of a handful to care for, and we still have three more birds to release,” Ellis said.
The group is looking for donations to house and feed the birds.
Information on how to help can be found at https://www.wildcarecapecod.org/donate-today/.
Sofia Saric can be reached at sofia.saric@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @sofia_saric.