The osprey fledgling was on a branch about 50 feet above me on a tree only 30 feet away. When an osprey is that close to the water and they spot a fish, they tilt over and drop almost straight down, like a falling rock. You get to see just what I got to see … and I was so close that my long lens couldn’t frame all of the osprey for the complete dive. Whew!
Jordan Lake
TagJordan Lake: Sharp-shinned Hawk Chases an American Crow
The young hawk takes the opportunity to chase an American crow. The hawk is pestering the crow. The crow is much bigger than the hawk’s normal prey of sparrows and warblers. American crows raid hawk nests and steal eggs and chicks. Even though this is a juvenile hawk, he understands the damage a crow can do and decides to remind the crow just how agile a flier is the Sharp-shinned Hawk.
Jordan Lake: Osprey Skipping!
Osprey’s often get rather messy down their chests when they are eating their fish. One way that an osprey can quickly clean his front is to skip across the water, chest parallel to the surface, and at very high speed scrape clean his front, lickety-split. All ospreys do this – but you have to recognize the difference in the dive as they head for a cleaning session if you want to try to catch the action. This fledgling skipped 5 times before going aloft.
Jordan Lake: Sunrise Bald Eagle Fledgling
Against the sunrise softness flows the stiff shine of feathers and the sharpness of beak and talons. Purpose relentlessly driving the 7-8 month old fledgling toward another day of fishing. And, I hope, a day closer to making it through that most dangerous year of life for a bald eagle: its first year of tasting the wind. Fly youngster, fly!
Jordan Lake: Bald Eagle Fledgling Fishing
This youngster had his eye on the fish and successfully caught his mid-morning snack.
Jordan Lake: Bald Eagles; Godiva Challenges Hershey
Godiva was speeding down the lake when she suddenly pulled up vertical. Her mate Hershey was headed her way, also in a hurry. Godiva decided to challenge Hershey, possibly to a death spiral, but he wasn’t in any mood for the high stakes aerial. Hershey streaked over Godiva. Godiva was so mad she about stalled out of the air in her turn around to chase her mate. They both were quickly out of my sight.
