Month: September 2016

Up and out before 6 a.m.  Now THAT’S unusual for me!

Looking for and interesting sunrise or something else. Didn’t know what – or much care.

Turns out it was this.

Who knew …

(Shoreline at Live Oaks area, GINS. Santa Rosa Sound.)

Today I went out to see if there were any Ospreys left at Fort Pickens.  And I found none at my usual haunts. They must all have flown south for the season.

So, instead, I spotted this Cooper’s Hawk in Osprey territory.

Then, as I was driving out, I spotted what I though was an Eagle way off to the north side of the road.  I wasn’t sure until I got the images home and up on the computer.  Surprise! It’s not only an Osprey, but it appears to be an adult male. Very odd for this late in the year. Maybe he’s decided to hang here with us through the winter.

So … back on the mainland I stop off at Linda’s, where she and Chad are sitting on her front porch having a beer. And guess what!? There, in a tree right across the street sits another friggin’ Osprey!

So, here I had driven all the way out to FP and this damn bird was less than three blocks from home. I was so mad I didn’t even take his picture (well, not a very good one anyhow).

These two youngsters are more than capable of feeding themselves, and most Osprey parents have left, heading for parts south for the winter.

But today one of these guys was just sitting on their home nest, as if he/she was expecting something, when – lo and behold! – mom showed up and dropped a fresh fish in the nest for junior.

Immediately, out of a nearby tree, # 2 shows up and a squabble takes place. Mom leaves. And there is a fair amount of squawking, hopping and wing flapping.

The interloper was sent packing, and the chosen one got to settle down to lunch uninterrupted.

(Sad to report that the fragile chick I was following has disappeared without a trace.)