Spokane, Wash. -- One of Spokane’s iconic landmarks has a new pair of wild visitors.
According to local wildlife officials, a pair of osprey have built a nest on top of the U.S. Pavilion in Riverfront Park.
One of the birds could be seen on Monday morning via KREM’s skycam overlooking the park. Video shot from the ground by the Pavilion showed twigs and branches apparently placed atop the landmark by the birds.
"It's a great perch. They have a bird's eye view of everything,” Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman Madonna Leurs said. “I love birds!"
Leurs said that the spot made sense for the birds given its proximity to water and a view that allows the osprey to keep an eye out for nest predators.
"We think it's possible that pair has nested there before. Because Osprey will come back to the same nest spots over and over again,” Leurs said.
The discovery of the nest comes amid construction and renovation work of Riverfront park. According to city plans, lights will be installed on the Pavilion’s cables. It’s not clear if or how the nest will be affected, though.
According to Leurs, osprey nest from the spring months until September. After that, the birds migrate South for the winter. Given that, there’s likely plenty of time for the nest to potentially either relocate the nest or develop a plan to make sure it’s undisturbed.
Calls seeking comment on the nest and construction plans were not immediately returned from the city of Spokane or the construction company hired to complete the Riverfront park work.
Regardless, Leurs remarked that the nest remained a wild and neat feature to the Pavilion.
"One of the reasons we all love living in Spokane. We've got wildlife!” she said.