Me, too!
Glander, did you watch the "Incredible Fishing Video" that's linked there? Really amazing.
Baby Ospreys
by palmtree67 100 Replies latest jw friends
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Glander
Yes. I also watch them fishing in a large slough near here. It is amazing to watch them take flight with a good sized fish in their talons.
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elderelite
Sexing raptors can be done if you see a pair side by side. Raptors are sexualy dimorphic, meaning the female is the larger of the two. Once you develop an eye for it you can usually tell them apart singily by size, but other than that there are no obvious differances. What you will find most interesting is that once the hatchlings fledge, they will be BIGGER than parents. By appearance anyway. Young raptors dont have the experiance to fly well so their feathers are bigger (sort of) and they are puffier looking, so that they look freakishly big. As they mature and molt they loose the puffy look and end up looking like the adults you see now :-)
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Glander
Interesting info, Elderlite. Thanks.
I suppose when they hatch the parents will be bringing them food for a time. That will be fun to watch.
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talesin
The female has a necklace of black dots ; the male's chest has none. There are other defining characteristics, but in this pair, it's quite obvious. :))
re recent question, how big a fish can osprey catch, biologistJane Fink writes: Ospreys are thought to carry fish up to half their body size. At times, should the osprey snag a larger than average catch, the bird will not be able to gain altitude and travel a long distance due to the weight of the fish. The osprey must be cautious about the size of fish it captures, due to the function of its foot. All birds of prey share a dual ratcheting system of tendons in their feet which clamp onto their prey or perch. For a short time the bird is unable to let go of the grasped food. Because osprey must see their fish first, they seek out shallow swimming fish. On average, smaller fish are taken more frequently, while the big catch is less typically taken. For the male osprey, smaller more plentiful fish may be more easily taken especially when young need to be fed frequently. (Click for an incredible fishing video.)
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talesin
Today could be the day!
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elderelite
With that i wish you all happy birding :-)
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palmtree67
Today could be the day!
They've been quite restless today, I hope so, too!
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palmtree67
Mr. Osprey brought a clump of dirt/grass for Mrs. Osprey!
How romantic!
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Glander
Yes, I saw that earlier. Not sure what the significance of the clump of turf is to them but they seemed very interested in it for a couple minutes.