Jordan Lake State Park

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By Jordan Lake Bald Eagle: Lady Lake
You would think with her brilliant white head and tail, Lady Lake would stand out from any background.
I could see her, but my camera struggled with her brown wings against the green and brown trees.
Even the adult bald eagles are camouflaged … they often manage to stay hidden from both the ospreys who are fishing and me.

By Jordan Lake: Momma Osprey Gets Angry! 5 photos 07-31-2019
Jordan Lake: Momma Osprey Got Angry!
I was tracking dad osprey who had caught a large fish.
Over the shoulders of me and my friend came a swiftly moving very large shadow.
An adult bald eagle was dashing toward dad osprey (unseen here) and wanted his fish.
Momma osprey said no way was the fish that was destined for her fledglings going to go home with the bald eagle.
Dad dashed to the nest while Momma and the eagle pulled some high speed face-offs.
As soon as the eagle was far enough away, Momma Osprey screamed her victory and headed for the nest.

By Osprey Rescue at Jordan Lake Dam 07/27/2019
A female osprey and a number of fishermen were all fishing the riprap. Normally the ospreys see the active fishing lines and avoid them. This morning, perhaps because of the glinting sunshine, the osprey flew into a line. Immediately two of the fishermen rushed to her rescue. Quickly the Army Corps ranger arrived and joined in. It took just under 10 minutes for the 3 kind souls to free the osprey of all the line and release her, unhurt. Thanks to the fishermen and the ranger the osprey flew safely back to her nest and family.

 

 

By Jordan Lake: Osprey Fledgling field id markings, 2 photos

Jordan Lake: The field identification marks on a fledgling Osprey are beautiful and unmistakable. The bright almost red-orange eye is very intense. As an adult the eye would be a clear golden yellow. At the end of each flight and back feather there is a white marking that looks like the head of a “rivet” to me. As the osprey ages these white markings will wear off and be un-noticeable in a 1.5 year-old-osprey.

 

By Jordan Lake Dam: Another Big Bass Capture!
From one end of Jordan Lake to the other, the ospreys are hauling in big bass.
Dad osprey was fishing in the Haw River, inside the riprap at the dam.
Into the flight path of the osprey a great blue heron appeared.
The osprey ignored the squawking heron and concentrated on the bass.
You can see that the raptor was struggling to get the whole fish above the water.
Dad osprey managed the lift and was up and away towards his nest. Whew!