Only in Maine: Bird’s Nest Catches Fire, Knocks Out Power

Every couple of weeks we seem to end up with a news story that perfectly fits the 'only in Maine' category. This particular story seems to be another good fit for our growing list. And the best part? It doesn't appear that there was any harm done to birds or humans.

According to WMTW, an Osprey nest at the top of a telephone pole caught fire Thursday night knocking out power to thousands in Hancock County. Officials say they are not sure if the nest was currently home to a bird or not, though they did have power restored to customers by Friday morning.

The Osprey, also known to some as the fish hawk, is a considerably large bird here in Maine. Its wingspan can often reach widths of up to six feet. True to their nickname, they only eat fish. You can see osprey swooping down out of trees and plucking fish out of bodies of water all around the state. They also have very sharp and spiny talons that make latching onto their prey easier.

After all the research I had been doing about Ospreys and what had happened involving the burning nest, I inadvertently stumbled across this sweet YouTube live feed. Apparently, unbeknownst to me, there is a 24/7 live stream of an Osprey's nest on Hog Island here in Maine. This is all well and good, but now I can't stop watching this thing. It's like when we had the April the Giraffe cam. I will never do anything productive again a long as I, or this bird, lives.

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