Osprey Vs Eagle
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Osprey may be the ultimate fisherman, but they have a nemesis, the much larger and more powerful Bald Eagle, who will not think twice about stealing the Osprey’s hard-earned meal.
This past summer from our boat, we watched an Eagle leave its perch and purposely pursue an Osprey who had just caught a fish.
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Eagle in hot pursuit of an Osprey with its fish
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The Osprey’s maneuvers were well-played by the Eagle. There were so many close incidences, I feared the Osprey would get hurt.
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The relentless pursuit went on for a couple of intense minutes.
Finally, the Osprey reached the point s/he had had enough and released the fish.
The Eagle immediately went for the fish that hit the water below.
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“It was all about the fish”
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The Eagle was quick to snatch the fish from the water and took off with his steal.
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I watched the Osprey fly off in the opposite direction, I hoped heading to a perch for a much needed rest for a bit before returning to its fishing.
Unfortunately, I’ve seen this scene play out over and over many times around the Chesapeake Bay. The Eagle does not always win. Sometimes the Osprey luckily succeeds in tiring out the Eagle first, who’ll suddenly quit the chase and go back to its tree to perch…..and hopefully sulk. hehehe
When I see that, it’s a big hooray for the Osprey! 🙂
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Osprey With Their Catch
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I’ll continue with another Osprey post. Here are more Osprey carrying or are perched with their fish catch from this past summer.
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You may have heard an Osprey sometimes called a fish hawk or a sea hawk. In reality, an Osprey is a raptor but it is not a hawk. Hawks, eagles, and harriers are part of the family Accipitridae, whereas Osprey are the sole members of the family Pandionidae.
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For sure, Osprey have the ultimate combination of keen eyesight, agility, timing, strong talons, and expertise in catching fish.
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At strike, the Osprey’s talons are especially adapted to swivel one of its three front toes to the back, giving the Osprey two front and two rear talons to firmly grasp the slippery fish. Beneath their toes, they also have sharp spicules to ensure the grip is extra tight. No other bird of prey has this ability.
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After all that hard work, there may be times an Osprey does not make it back to its perch with its meal, as you’ll see in my next post.
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Two Osprey at Eastern Neck NWR
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Our Chesapeake Bay Osprey have long departed for South America, and still this past week I’ve caught sightings of northern Osprey migrants passing through on their mission south.
Two days ago I saw an Osprey flying over Rock Hall harbor while attending the Great Train Robbery Bike Fest at the bulkhead. “Free Bird” blaring and seeing an Osprey, pretty darn cool!
And then another awesome sighting yesterday while visiting the refuge! Not just one, but I saw two juvenile Osprey, both fishing at the Eastern Neck bridge at the same time.
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Osprey diving for a successful catch – Oct 17, 2022
(Osprey and fall colors!)
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The second juvenile showed off its impressive fishing skills, snagging two fish.
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Osprey (juvenile) with his two-fish meal – Oct 17, 2022
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Both Osprey headed in opposite directions and perched with their meals.
Osprey are said to travel alone during their fall migration to South America. But maybe these two are defying the general practice. 😉
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Side note: The WP woes continue with trying to comment on different blogs. I am leaving comments that never show up, sometimes my “like” doesn’t show either. Here are some of you that I have left recent comments and/or likes so you know my dilemma with you and that I have been keeping up and enjoying your posts!
Pepper Heaven’s Sunshine
Sheri View from the Back
HJ Avian101 Photography
Jane’s Heartsong
Sunny Days in Seattle
Hien Neihtn
Cindy Knoke
Dragonfly Effect
Gunta Movin’ On
Tracy Notes-In-Nature
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1-2-3 Cute As Can Be – #20, #21, #22 & #23
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Will I ever catch up? No 😁
Instead of doubling up my series of three little bird species’ captures, I’m doubling the double. Say what???
That’s a dozen cuties this time! 😉
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Carolina Chickadee
Length 3.9-4.7 inches (10-12 cm)
Weight 0.3-0.4 oz (8-12 g)
Wingspan 5.9-7.9 inches (15-20 cm)
My Backyard
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Tufted Titmouse
Length 5.5-6.3 inches (14-16 cm)
Weight 0.6-0.9 oz (18-26 g)
Wingspan 7.9-10.2 inches (20-26 cm)
My Backyard
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Common Yellowthroat
Length 4.3-5.1 inches (11-13 cm)
Weight 0.3-0.3 oz (9-10 g)
Wingspan 5.9-7.5 inches (15-19 cm)
Eastern Neck NWR
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Carolina Wren
Length 4.7-5.5 inches (12-14 cm)
Weight 0.6-0.8 oz (18-22 g)
Wingspan 11.4 inches (29 cm)
Eastern Neck NWR
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Red-eyed Vireo
Length 4.7-5.1 inches (12-13 cm)
Weight 0.4-0.9 oz (12-26 g)
Wingspan 9.1-9.8 inches (23-25 cm)
My Backyard
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Golden-crowned Kinglet
Length 3.1-4.3 inches (8-11 cm)
Weight 0.1-0.3 oz (4-8 g)
Wingspan 5.5-7.1 inches (14-18 cm)
My Backyard
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Black-throated Green Warbler
Length 4.3-4.7 inches (11-12 cm)
Weight 0.3-0.4 oz (7-11 g)
Wingspan 6.7-7.9 inches (17-20 cm)
My Backyard
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Cape May Warbler
Length 4.7-5.1 inches (12-13 cm)
Weight 0.4-0.5 oz (10.2-15.2 g)
Wingspan 7.9-8.7 inches (20-22 cm)
My Backyard
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Bay-breasted Warbler
(my photographed lifer #270 🤗)
Length 5.5 inches (14 cm)
Weight 0.3-0.6 oz (10-17 g)
Wingspan 7.9-8.7 inches (20-22 cm)
My Backyard
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Eastern Wood-Pewee
Length 5.9 inches (15 cm)
Weight 0.3-0.7 oz (10-19 g)
Wingspan 9.1-10.2 inches (23-26 cm)
My Backyard
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Eastern Phoebe
Length 5.5-6.7 inches (14-17 cm)
Weight 0.6-0.7 oz (16-21 g)
Wingspan 10.2-11.0 inches (26-28 cm)
Eastern Neck NWR
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American Goldfinch (male)
Length 4.3-5.1 inches (11-13 cm)
Weight 0.4-0.7 oz (11-20 g)
Wingspan 7.5-8.7 inches (19-22 cm)
My Backyard
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I hope at least one of those made you smile!
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1-2-3 Medium Bird Jubilee – #10 & #11
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Another double-up series post with one of my ‘bird series’, sharing recent photos of six medium-sized birds, out and about, giving me a chance before taking off again!
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Belted Kingfisher (female)
Length 11.0-13.8 inches (28-35 cm)
Weight 4.9-6.0 oz (140-170 g)
Wingspan 18.9-22.8 inches (48-58 cm)
Chesapeake Farms
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Brown Thrasher
Length 9.1-11.8 inches (23-30 cm)
Weight 2.1-3.1 oz (61-89 g)
Wingspan 11.4-12.6 inches (29-32 cm)
Chesapeake Farms
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Cedar Waxwing (juvenile)
Length 5.5-6.7 inches (14-17 cm)
Weight 1.1 oz (32 g)
Wingspan 8.7-11.8 inches (22-30 cm)
Eastern Neck NWR
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Great Crested Flycatcher
Length 6.7-8.3 inches (17-21 cm)
Weight 0.9-1.4 oz (27-40 g)
Wingspan 13.4 inches (34 cm)
My backyard
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Mourning Dove
Length 9.1-13.4 inches (23-34 cm)
Weight 3.4-6.0 oz (96-170 g)
Wingspan 17.7 inches (45 cm)
My backyard
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Eastern Kingbird
Length 7.5-9.1 inches (19-23 cm)
Weight 1.2-1.9 oz (33-55 g)
Wingspan 13.0-15.0 inches (33-38 cm)
Eastern Neck NWR
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Snowy Egret
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What a lovely surprise to find this Snowy Egret below the Eastern Neck bridge at low tide when I was departing the refuge the other day!
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Snowy Egret
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Our Chesapeake Bay resident egrets have mostly migrated south to warmer regions for the winter. This Snowy is possibly on migration from further north of us and taking time for a food fuel-up and rest at the refuge.
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Snowy Egret
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Don’t you just love those golden slippers?!!
With a glance in the above photo, you can see the back of this egret’s legs are also yellow. This egret swishes its feet in the water, using those bright yellow toes as worm lures to bait fish.
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Well, Hello There!
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On a side note, I have worked with WP Chat and have made some changes to my site settings. I am not optimistic just yet, but we will see. For those of you who have been having problems commenting on my blog, would you try again to see if the commenting issue still exists? Can you comment without using WP Reader? Or must you use WP Reader still? I appreciate your assistance, my friends!
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1-2-3 Cute As Can Be – #18 & #19
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With the warbler fall migration in full swing, I am sharing a 2-for-1 post on my series of three little birdie captures, with the added bonus of these all being warblers. That’s six charmers!
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Northern Parula
Length 4.3-4.7 inches (11-12 cm)
Weight 0.2-0.4 oz (5-11 g)
Wingspan 6.3-7.1 inches (16-18 cm)
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Magnolia Warbler
Length 4.3-5.1 inches (11-13 cm)
Weight 0.2-0.5 oz (6-15 g)
Wingspan 6.3-7.9 inches (16-20 cm)
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Common Yellowthroat
Length 4.3-5.1 in (11-13 cm)
Weight 0.3-0.3 oz (9-10 g)
Wingspan 5.9-7.5 in (15-19 cm)
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Palm Warbler
Length 4.7-5.5 inches (12-14 cm)
Weight 0.3-0.5 oz (7-13 g)
Wingspan 7.9-8.3 inches (20-21 cm)
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Black-and-white Warbler
Length 4.3-5.1 inches (11-13 cm)
Weight 0.3-0.5 oz (8-15 g)
Wingspan 7.1-8.7 inches (18-22 cm)
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This warbler is even prettier from the backside.
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Black-and-white Warbler
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And finally, number six…..
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Black-throated Green Warbler
Length 4.3-4.7 inches (11-12 cm)
Weight 0.3-0.4 oz (7-11 g)
Wingspan 6.7-7.9 inches (17-20 cm)
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“I got this!”
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Osprey with a Fish
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Our Chesapeake Bay Osprey have almost all disappeared for their migration to South America.
There are a few laggers, but now sightings can also be those that left from regions north of us and are passing through, stopping for some fabulous fishing and rest.
We passed by this beauty who was beginning to feast on it’s catch while perched on Light Marker #5 in the Kent Narrows channel.
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Osprey
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Osprey
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Sunrise at Eastern Neck NWR
This morning’s sunrise at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge in Rock Hall, Maryland.
Sandhill Crane
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Sandhill Cranes are considered a rare sighting for the mid-Atlantic States. One had been seen off and on during the summer near my daughter’s home in Delaware, and most notably at Bombay Hook NWR, ten miles east of her. Several times my son-in-law texted or told me he saw it fly over their home, but I could never sight it in my goings back and forth.
Until two weeks ago! Yay!!
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Sandhill Crane
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Sandhill Cranes are approximately the same height as a Great Blue Heron only bulkier.
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Sandhill Crane
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Bay Photos by Donna 