Jordan Lake. The following critters show up as brief clips from this morning: adult chipping sparrow feeding its fledgling, immature red-headed woodpecker, blue-gray gnatcatcher, American crow, American goldfinch, pennant dragonfly, great egret and an osprey. I hope you enjoy these little pieces of my morning!
ospreys of Jordan Lake
TagOsprey Sunrise
Jordan Lake. It is 23 minutes after sunrise. Mom Osprey has gone fishing and is returning to the nest area to feed her two fledglings. They’ve been out flying and trying to catch fish on their own but she is quite willing to help them along – especially first thing in the morning with a nutritious breakfast.
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!
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.
1 Osprey and 2 Fish
Jordan Lake Dam. The male osprey has caught two fish. I can’t tell you whether the small fish was in the process of being caught by the big fish when the osprey caught both fish. Or did the osprey’s talons catch the small fish as it’s talons caught the large fish. I don’t honestly know … an interesting puzzle.
Osprey’s Big Catch!
Jordan Lake Dam. The male osprey went fishing in between the dam’s tail race walls. He disappeared into the rolling waves of the thundering Haw River. When I finally got a clear focus on him, I just stared. I have long known that an osprey can might nigh carry half of his own 3 pounds of weight … but as the osprey swung past me … that is one huge crappie under the bird. Whew!
doc ellen's journey 