Osprey

 

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

 

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

This Osprey is the same as the one below but I took this picture on Monday (Nov 19th) a month and a half later.  The fishing must be good at this spot on the Pedernales!  It hunts from a dead tree overlooking the river and from a powerline stretching across.  Although the Osprey did hover over a spot like it was going in for a fish, it changed its mind, so still no luck of a photo of it catching a fish. The challenge continues.

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

I came across this Osprey hunting over the Pedernales River near Johnson City, TX and was lucky enough to get a few shots of it flying away.  Ospreys migrate from the far north and winter in Texas and deep into South America.  I've seen them along the Texas gulf coast and on inland lakes like Buchanan.  They perch above the water on old tree stumps or pilings where they have a good view for finding a fish dinner.  When they see a fish, they hover above it, kind of like a seagull does, and then drop feet first into the water to grab it.  For comparison, Bald Eagles don't plunge feet-first to grab a fish but instead snatch it from the water's surface as they fly by.  The Osprey is easy to distinguish from a Bald Eagle by their smaller size, all white breast, and the dark bar running through their yellow eye. Unlike other raptors, the Osprey and owls have a toe that can be turned backwards.  This aids the Osprey in grasping a fish and the toe can be turned forward to perch.  Along with Bald Eagles, Ospreys were one of the poster birds for the decline of certain birds due to DDT use.  I hope to see more Ospreys this fall and winter with the challenge of photographing one catching a fish.