osprey flight

Tag

By twister

Ospreys frequently go completely under water when diving after fish.
This leaves the bird with a lot of very heavy water as excess weight on its body.
They solve the weight problem by shedding the water.
Like a dog, they start at the beak and do a full body, very vigorous, twisting shake back to the tail.
I caught this osprey at the point of the shake reaching his midsection; his beak almost back to its normal position.

WALK2216 May 30 2015 @ 07-33-59 Ebenezer Osprey shake

By eagle family report 5-8-2015 Brassy Chases an Osprey

Brassy doesn’t care who she harasses, like this osprey.
All bald eagles will chase an osprey that is carrying a fish.
The eagle crowds or actually bumps the osprey until it drops its fish.
Usually the eagle snatches the falling fish before it hits the water.
Yes, the bald eagle is a thief.
Osprey is up top and Brassy is closing fast from the lower right.

WALK6192 May 08 2015 07-12-34 New Hope Brassy osprey 2

By fish carry

WALK2243 Mar 28 2015 02-46-08 Haw River Osprey fish carry 1

this is the typical aerodynamic way that an osprey carries its catch
they turn the fish around into this position, mid flight

By building material

WALK0764 Mar 23 2015 05-21-30 Haw River Ace with Stick

I watched as, way downriver, Ace snapped this stick from a tree –
then flew past me carrying it back to the nest as building/repairing material.