Katie Paysinger

My heart is broken. It has been shattered into a billion little pieces that not even my friend’s Shark 2-in-1 Stick and Hand Vac can fix. And even if it could, we all know super glue is a pointless invention, so there is no way to put it back together.
My heart is broken because a bird died. No, not my parakeet that my cat ate when I accidently forgot to put it back into its cage when I was in junior high, but an osprey that lived down the road from my home.
Ospreys are mates for life. A couple moved into the top of a telephone pole just across from Carlton Plants a few blocks from my house several years ago. They built a huge nest and have been returning to it every year after migrating to lay their eggs. My dad even put up a telephone pole amidst our Ponderosa Pines in hopes that one of the offspring would decide to stay close to its parents and move in.
On April 19, my dad informed me that he found one of adult osprey dead in the road. It had obviously been run over by an oncoming vehicle. Its mate has been on the telephone wire looking down at it all week. The two had just laid their eggs.
How will only one parent sit on the eggs and still eat? If it manages even that, how will it consistently bring back food for itself and baby osprey without the help of its mate? It is likely that the remaining adult osprey will die, and with it its offspring.
My dad took the time to call
Oregon Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Autobahn Society to find out what they could do to help the bird family, but it is not likely that much can be done.
I realize this type of thing happens every day. Maybe I am just an oversensitive sap who is being a bit irrational about this pair of birds, but I am really upset. I loved seeing those birds every spring up there with their little birdies.
What really irks me is that this could have been prevented. It is likely the driver who ran over this bird did not do so on purpose, but it is more than likely that the person driving the vehicle was texting, talking on the phone, eating a snack wrap, drinking a latte or a combination of all of four. Is it really too difficult to cut back for one millisecond and enjoy the nature around you while driving and actually pay attention to what you’re doing? I mean, ospreys are kind of big. It wouldn’t be hard to spot one.
This week, in honor of Earth Day, let’s keep in mind that every day is Earth Day. The invention of things to distract us from reality are all great, but I can honestly say that I would rather have my osprey back than my cell phone. We all need to do our part to keep our planet clean and safe. If that is too big of a scope for you, and honestly it can be for me, focus on keeping your neighborhood clean. Don’t drive as much. Recycle all those cereal boxes. If that osprey wasn’t killed by a car, it would have eventually died from pollution. Let’s all try and save the ospreys.