raptors

Category

By Osprey Surfing the Riprap

Jordan Lake Dam. Have you ever seen an OSPREY go big wave SURFING? This male osprey came plunging out of the sky and into the river right in front of the thundering waves of the riprap. I don’t know whose heart was beating faster: his or mine… Hope you have a moment to watch the challenge to catch a fish!

By Osprey Shake

Jordan Lake Dam. The female osprey exploded through the leading edge of her own water cloud that she had made as she shook off the Haw River after her dive. The fish she caught is almost a ghost.

female osprey

By Face Off Nest Protection

Jordan Lake Dam. At the tailrace this morning with Becky and Louisa we watched a northern mockingbird protect its nest from a red-tailed hawk. Watch carefully at the beginning and you will see one of the mockingbirds sitting on top of the cupola and it dives down inside the tree to its nest as its mate proceeds to harass the red-tailed hawk into leaving the tree.

By 4th Toe

The backward pointing toe of the bald eagle is the hallux. The hallux works in a fashion similar to the thumbs in humans and it allows the eagle to grab and carry its prey with its feet. In the female bald eagle the hallux can be as long as 2 inches while in the male it’s only 1.25 inches. You can certainly see the size of the hallux on this female!