The ospreys are fledging at Jordan Lake – taking their first flights.
Male osprey fledgling. Note his orange eye. Adults have a golden eye.
This is a female osprey fledgling. Her dark feathered “brooch” marks her gender.
A little easier to see her dark neck patch.
By far the easiest way to tell that these ospreys are fledglings are by the white “rivets” on their feathers.
The “rivets” are white dots at the ends of their feathers and will wear off as they age.
Ospreys go south for the winter, some go all the way to South America.
The adults leave first in the fall and then the fledgling females.
The young male ospreys are the last to leave the lake.
I caught this fledgling, hatched this year, fishing at the lake this morning.
With the freeze projected for tonight he may too be gone tomorrow.
Note his still orange fledgling eye and the white edging to his flight feathers – marks of a youngster.
doc ellen's journey 