Often when we have a hurricane actually on shore or close to shore – such as hurricane Erin – a lot of the birds that live on the coastal areas are often pushed far inland. They show up in the Jordan Lake area. I have seen this happen with ibises, immature little blue herons and once even a stork. A lot of the smaller birds also show up such as different sandpipers. So if you get a chance, now through the next couple of days, go out and see what you can find. photo is a local great egret.
Mom Osprey needs to replenish her body and probably her spirits before she leaves for South America on the fall migration. Every once in a while two ospreys will sight the same fish at almost the same time. Mom osprey got to the fish before the male osprey did. The better part of valor makes him float up and over her and out. She happily hauls her fish away.
If you have a moment, I can show you how to tell a fledgling great blue heron from an adult. The quickest way to tell the age is to check the head! The adult has a head crowned with a white stripe that is enclosed in a black stripe and often a plume or two off the backside of the crown. The fledgling has a solid gray-capped head. It has no plumes. There is a big color difference in the body feathers too. Light pearl gray youngster and adult deep slate gray. There are other differences but for standing at the riprap and trying to decide is that a baby or is that an adult remember: it’s pretty much all in the head.
This morning as the sun rose over the Haw River at the Jordan Lake Dam, the ospreys began to fill the sky with graceful flights as they fished for their breakfast.
Quick survey of the breakfast flights at the Jordan Lake Dam tailrace riprap this morning. Just thought I would let y’all get a taste of how active the birds are being. At least three times I saw groups of 15 ospreys up in the air. There were 11 great egrets. 6 to 10 great blue herons. One green heron! If you get a chance, and even if you do not have binoculars or a telephoto lens, bring your chair and sit down at the riprap and just watch. The ospreys are fishing at the upper end of the river by the dam. I hope you get to go by and enjoy them.
When you cannot get close enough to an osprey to see its eye color (red/orange fledgling & yellow adult), especially in flight, and you want to know is it an adult or a fledgling. Take a look at the back of the bird! Fledgling has white points at the end of all of its feathers! Adult has beautiful brown flight feathers. 2 photos (adult left, fledgling right) so you can see the difference! Moncure, July 2025 & August 2014
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