Osprey family puts down roots near airport in Lewiston Orchards
Apr. 21—A family of osprey has been spotted at the top of a light pole at a baseball field near the Lewiston-Nez Perce County Regional Airport, prompting officials to consult with a wildlife biologist.
The nest was spotted during a routine, annual inspection by the Federal Aviation Administration on March 11, said Lewiston Airport Director Michael Isaacs at a Tuesday meeting of the airport authority board.
The osprey nest at Airport Park hasn't created any problems, he said.
But the airport is going to work on a plan with a wildlife biologist from the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to decide what to do, Isaacs said.
The reason the airport is getting expert advice is that large birds hitting aircraft can create serious issues, he said.
"We're going to have to take care of that," he said. "We can't have birds and planes mix."
The FAA inspection is one of numerous measures that happen on a regular basis to make sure the facility is safe, he said.
Airport employees inspect the entire premises twice a day, once in the daylight and once when it's dark, looking for potential hazards.
That's in addition to checks of the runways before the arrival or departure of any commercial passenger plane, he said.
In the past, they have spotted and handled other wildlife, such as fox, geese and badgers, Isaacs said.
"We continue to be vigilant for all air safety," he said.
In other business, airport board Chairman Gary Peters announced the date for this year's Radials N' Rivers Fly-In will be Sept. 11, on the same weekend as the Lewiston Roundup.
With a theme of "Never Forget," it will honor heroes past and present on the 20th anniversary of one of the most significant events of this generation, Peters said.
The event, which started in 2017 at the Lewiston airport, draws hundreds and features vintage aircraft. It previously has been held in late June or early July. But this year, organizers decided to have it later partly because of COVID-19.
"Given the COVID restrictions and the amount of people that are going to show up, I think that just gives us a little bit more time for that to run its course and the vaccinations and everything else to work," Peters said.
Last year, instead of having people gather at the airport, the planes flew a course through north central and northern Idaho, as well as eastern Washington, with people watching from their homes, parks and other locations.
Details about the format and how many spectators will be allowed this year will be decided at a later date, Peters said.
Williams may be contacted at ewilliam@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2261.
