Observations & Images
25 March 2007
Fort De Soto Park, St. Petersburg, FL
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Observations & Images
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A three-day conference pulled me away from Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge but not from going out to watch Ospreys. A sunrise birding trip to Fort De Soto Park resulted in the happenstance finding of Ospreys fishing a tidal pool. Here an Osprey is in its dive toward the water. |
| The Osprey hits the water.... | |
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....and comes up with a fish firmly gripped in its talons. |
| Throughout the hour or so I was there I witnessed two other Ospreys attempt to fish the tidal pool though without any luck. The following shows a selection of images from their attempts. Here an Osprey circles studying the water below for prey. | |
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Once a target fish is selected the bird goes into its dive. |
| The fall is so fast that it is difficult to follow with a camera. The point where the bird shifted its body position to bring its talons forward was always missed due to the rapidity of the attack. | |
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Three images show three different impacts of the Ospreys into the water. |
| Depending on the angle of descent the bird might go entirely under the water or only partially. | |
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The pool was fairly shallow in parts which may have played a part in the failure of the birds to catch any fish. I suspect they probably hit bottom several times. |
| The Ospreys would remain in the water only a few seconds before flying out. | |
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The bird pulls itself out of the water. |
| No fish this time. | |
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The Osprey will now be flying with water-laden feathers. |
| To divest itself of some of this extra weight the bird will shake in midair very similar to a dog with a wet coat. | |