March is here! Soon the Ospreys will return to central NC. Although Ospreys leave the Triangle each Autumn, they are a year round resident of North Carolina as a small number of them do spend the winter in our coastal counties (as seen in the last several photos in this post). Now that their breeding season will soon be underway, it’s likely that you’ll see these beautiful pale colored raptors flying overhead carrying large sticks to repair their nests which are scattered along the shorelines of lakes and rivers.It’s serious business as Ospreys reuse the same nesting sites year after year and there is much work to be done to re-enforce the nests.Winter storms have taken their toll on these structures so new sticks, branches, and soft grasses must be added to the nest to ensure that the new brood has a safe and secure home in the months to come.
When their not busy making home renovations, Ospreys may be found soaring over any medium to large body’s of fresh or saltwater areas across our state including ponds, lakes, rivers, marshes, inlets and of course just offshore over the Atlantic Ocean. They are expert fish slayers and are very entertaining to watch as they hunt for a meal. Once they spot their prey, the Osprey will hover in the air while beating its wings before diving toward the water and plunging in, feet-first, to capture its meal. Back in the air, the bird will rearrange the fish in its feet so the fish is facing forward. This fancy footwork reduces drag, making it easier for the osprey to fly, even when carrying the largest of fish in its talons.
Spring has arrived and with it the Ospreys have returned to the Jordan Lake Dam. I was pleased to see several of them hunting on the river during a quick trip this past weekend and as always, the Osprey action did not disappoint! With 7 flying overhead at one time, it was challenging to keep track of them with my camera. Inevitably, I’d be focusing on the wrong bird while another dove as my back was turned but I still managed to get a couple decent shots (or at least a medal for the effort, lol)!
Although Ospreys leave the Triangle each Autumn, they are a year round resident of North Carolina as a small number of them do spend the winter in our coastal counties (as seen in the last several photos in this post). Now that their breeding season is underway, it’s likely that you’ll see these beautiful pale colored raptors flying overhead carrying large sticks to repair their nests which are scattered along the shoreline of Jordan Lake. It’s serious business as Ospreys reuse the same nesting sites year after year and there is much work to be done to reenforce the nests. Winter storms have taken their toll on these structures so new sticks, branches, and soft grasses must be added to the nest to ensure that the new brood has a safe and secure home in the months to come.
When the pair isn’t busy making home renovations, Ospreys may be found soaring over any medium to large body’s of fresh or saltwater areas across our state including ponds, lakes, rivers, marshes, inlets and of course just offshore over the Atlantic Ocean. They are expert fish slayers and are very entertaining to watch as they hunt for a meal. Once they spot their prey, the Osprey will hover in the air while beating its wings before diving toward the water and plunging in, feet-first, to capture its meal. Back in the air, the bird will rearrange the fish in its feet so the fish is facing forward. This fancy footwork reduces drag, making it easier for the osprey to fly, even when carrying the largest of fish in its talons.
It’s always a treat to spend time with the Carolinas two largest raptor species, the Bald Eagle and an Osprey. I spotted these impressive creatures while birding at Huntington Beach State Park in Murrells Inlet SC last week. Both birds favored perching on the top of the same dead tree along Jetty Drive offering me good views throughout the day.
Though these two shared the same roosting site, as seen in the last few photos of this post Bald Eagles and Ospreys are often seen competing with each other for food. In fact, I even got to watch a Bald Eagle harassing an Osprey to drop its fish into the ocean. Once the fish hit the water, the Bald Eagle swooped down to retrieve the Ospreys prize.
Bald Eagles are year round residents of North and South Carolina. They are found across both states from the mountains to the coast and are best spotted near large lakes and rivers. Thanks to conservation efforts, Bald Eagle numbers have been on the rise over the past 20 years so although they aren’t necessarily a common species of bird, your chances of seeing them in the Carolinas are pretty good!
If you’re looking to find an Osprey in the winter, your best bet is to head to the coast of South Carolina as this is the northern boundary of their wintering range.
During the rest of the year, Ospreys are found in both states hunting on rivers, freshwater lakes and ponds as well as in our coastal counties over marshes and along the Atlantic coastline.
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While birding at Jordan Lake in Apex North Carolina, an Osprey flew in and landed in a tree right next to me. Fish in claw, he proceed to eat his catch with no concerns about my presence.
A
common sight along many of North Carolina’s lakes and rivers, Ospreys
are sometimes known as “Fish Hawks”. This is because they are superb
hunters of all that swims below the surface.
Built for success,
they have elongated wings for diving, long legs, sharp talons for
grasping prey and keen eyesight to spot fish from a great distance while
hovering. I had watched this bird make two failed attempts before he arose from the water with a fish in hand (foot). It was pretty cool to see him up close when he came in for a landing!
While sitting on the shoreline of Jordan Lake
yesterday, an Osprey flew in. He landed in a tree right next to me and
ate his breakfast! Yah, it’s kinda gross to watch but it was interesting to see up close.
The
Osprey dines exclusively on live fish. They capture their meals by
hovering over the water at an altitude of up to 200 feet, then dive
feetfirst into the water to catch their prey. Osprey talons are
uniquely adapted to the art of fishing from the air.” Each foot has a
reversible front toe, as well as barbs (called spicules), which help it
hold onto a slippery fish when flying or eating. I’m sure that feature came in handy as the fish here was flipping around while the Osprey was ripping it apart.
