Photo of the Day #836: Osprey

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An osprey (Pandion haliaetus), photographed in Yellowstone National Park.


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What a magnificent bird! At our summer place in eastern Ontario, it has been exciting to watch the recovery of this raptor over the past two decades. Twenty years ago, there were no ospreys in residence. Then there was one nesting pair, and people actually cheered. Two years later there were three pairs, and now there are at least ten. To watch, from a bass-boat in late August, a couple of recently-fledged youngsters catching a good updraft and soaring until scarcely visible is to feel the grandeur of the natural world, and to feel some hope for the future. And, two years ago, the eagles came back!

We had a nesting pair here on Bainbridge Island, Puget Sound, WA. One day I was fortunate enough to witness the family playing above my house. At least, it looked like play, sort of a vertical game of tag. With backlit sunsjine. They just glowed. I have not seen them since, but that may be because their usual haunt is on the other end of the island.

We have several other raptors here. A healthy community of Bald Eagles, for example, common redtail hawks, and several species of owl. Crows do not. like. eagles.

By Gray Gaffer (not verified) on 27 Jan 2010 #permalink