An osprey is seen building its nest on a platform in the town of Cedarburg. Unlike bald eagles, whose heads are completely white, an ospreyﾕs head is white with a black patch on the cheek.

CEDARBURG - Sharon Dane has seen her share of ospreys during the many trips to her parents' home in south Florida.

What she never expected was to see them less than a mile from her town of Cedarburg home. But when the self-described bird nut heard about the pair nesting in the town, she had to see for herself.

"It is neat that they are so close to us here at home," Dane said. "They are beautiful birds. It’s certainly a neat thing to have going on right here in Cedarburg."

Birding expert Noel Cutright said it is the first time he has known them to be in the area. Once among the state’s most endangered birds, the ospreys have made a comeback since organochlorine pesticides like DDT were banned in 1972. The state upgraded the bird to threatened status in 1989.

There are now an estimated 400 pairs in the state, said Cutright, past president of the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology.

Cedarburg’s pair of raptors has been quietly building a nest on a platform in the middle of Hannemann’s Lake off Highway I. They need to be close to water because they feed almost exclusively on fish.

Lisa Curtis can be reached at lcurtis@conleynet.com