Most of the photographers and bird watchers at Jordan Lake
have noted the intense direct stare at them of an osprey as he passes by with his catch.
Is he proud or is it he wants to be certain what the predator – the human – is doing?
I think it is some of both reactions – and thought provoking for me.
Birds have a built-in lens protector that flicks across their eyes.
This third eyelid is called a nictitating membrane.
It allows the bird to still see while its eyes have extra protection.
You can see the translucency as the nictitating membrane slides across the osprey’s eye.
out of the shadows below the causeway the osprey appeared, fish dangling from his talons
this morning this osprey missed his fish….
do you see it?
he went around a second time, dove again and missed it then too
gave up and headed back over the lake
The osprey hit the water at a steep angle and disappeared under the surface.
He slowly emerged and then went under again.
I knew he had a large fish he was fighting…
about a one pound bass.
doc ellen's journey 