Scrolling through pics to find one to post this evening and I came across this one taken in April. A bit of an unusual orientation (portrait) but I like it. It seems to help emphasize the Osprey’s sizable wingspan (up to six feet) and the view of its talons shows one of the reasons these raptors are so adept at snagging fish.
Juvenile Osprey tests its wings
This past weekend gave me my first look at the young ones at this nest and they definitely are not small. With Dad and its sibling nearby, one of the juveniles did a few test flaps of its wings – nearly hitting Dad upside the head at one point. 😉 I am guessing it will be a few more weeks before these two are ready to go anywhere.
Back off!
When I stumbled upon this male Osprey Friday in Grand Lake, Colorado, we both were a bit surprised. Our emotions however were quite different as while I was excited, he seemed pretty darned annoyed about my presence. I’ve had a few people react like that to me too. 😉
Osprey comes in for picture perfect landing
This male Osprey was returning to its mate and its nest on this day in Longmont, Colorado. He was absolutely gorgeous and this image showcases the striking coloring and large wingspan on these raptors.
This image was taken on May 17, 2015. By now the nests should have sizeable young ones in them – something which I hope to investigate this weekend.
There’s a lot more pics of the Osprey I saw on my previous visit in the gallery here.
Osprey enjoys sushi for breakfast
It’s been a while since I have posted a pic of these cool raptors. This image was taken last month in Longmont, Colorado at one of the many nest locations in and around the city.
Since I was there last, the pair has successfully hatched three little ones. I’ll definitely need to head up there soon to check them out.
If you’re interested, this particular nest actually has a live webcam on it. Check it out here.
“Get away from my fish!”
A male Osprey jealously guards its catch while devouring it on a pole. The look he gave me probably fits in the ‘if looks could kill’ category. 😉
Actually, the pair of Osprey at this location are extremely tolerant of people as their nest is in a public park with plenty of onlookers; I was just lucky enough to capture this amusing expression. The pair has four eggs they are keeping warm, the first of which should hatch this coming week.
Scroll down for a look at all the images I captured on this day of these gorgeous birds.
Osprey on alert as Turkey Vultures fly over
Watching the behavior of animals is always fascinating and yesterday I saw some interesting stuff. My son and I were observing an Osprey nest and taking pictures of them when some large birds appeared in the sky and began circling.
The male Osprey became alerted to the presence of these interlopers and began circling his mate and their nest (presumably with some hatchlings). It was obvious he did not like the fact these other birds were nearby, even though they never really came close.
The other birds were Turkey Vultures, some of which we tracked down later and got pictures of (see my post from earlier today). Given that they normally feed on carrion, they didn’t really present a threat to the Osprey nest but the parental protective instinct of the Osprey was on full display.
Here you see the male Osprey on one of its rounds as the vultures pass behind.
Male Osprey looking for love
While taking pictures of an #Osprey nest in Longmont, Colorado recently, this suitor came by for a visit. Needless to say, the male and female residents of the nest were far less than thrilled with this new interloper. They became quite vocal and the nesting male took flight and made sure this visitor never got too close.
Bringing home sushi for breakfast
A female Osprey returns to her nest with a freshly caught perch in her talons. If there is one thing these fabulous hawks are known for more than anything it is their extraordinary fishing ability. If needed, they will dive into the water, entirely submerging themselves.
Helping them snag and carry their prey is a reversible outer toe. This also allows them to easily carry their catch parallel to their direction of flight helping to limit wind resistance. If you view this image full screen, you can actually see that is how this Osprey is carrying the fish. Taken in Longmont, Colorado.
Osprey flyby
This male Osprey was circling the nest of another pair of Osprey in Longmont, Colorado. I tend to think he had thoughts of moving in on the home and perhaps the female that was there as well. The other male however would have no part of it and soon chased this interloper off.
Osprey spend their winters along Mexico’s coast and in South America. Summers see them migrate to the northwestern United States and much of Canada. Here in Colorado we have seen a welcome increase in their summertime presence. This has been helped by the many manmade nesting sites that have been established for them along the Colorado Front Range and in the mountain areas.
If you want to see more of these cool birds, you can find some of my pics of them here. Also, below the main image is the complete gallery of images from this day.