# Osprey - wish I'd had my camera...



## Bachflock (Jul 3, 2007)

I'm pretty certain it was an osprey. Myself and my kids were hiking a natural trail next to a lake. There were several rafts of buffleheads, mallards, and countless swan. Then we noticed a big flock of birds flying directly at us about a half mile away. So many birds at it looked like a medium sized flock of starlings. However, we then realized it was more ducks. Easily 200 birds. Then we see the osprey soaring around and quite a bit higher than the ducks. Not sure if it spooked them up or not but they were all pretty unsettled and didn't light until they were on the same end of the lake as the rest of the ducks. 

For some reason I thought osprey were migratory. Through my 10x50 binocs it sure had all the same colorations and general patterning of an osprey. It was a great deal bigger than any hawks as well. Thoughts?


After thought - just found this and confirms what I thought... Osprey Migration What do you think? Osprey or what?


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## chinamigarden (Oct 21, 2005)

Migration is an inexact thing. Different species do not migrate at the same time and there is vast variation within each species. Just today I saw several Red wing Blackbirds. Its possible you saw an osprey, it may have returned from its wintering grounds. I don't know if it would be chasing a flock of ducks as it prefers fish. However in the absence of open water it would take another bird for dinner. 

The raptors have fairly long incubation and long fledgling time. For an osprey this entire process can take 90+ days. In order to have a brood, and have them ready to fend for themselves during migration in the fall, they have to start early.


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## FlyFishingAttorney (Dec 26, 2007)

Bachflock said:


> I'm pretty certain it was an osprey. Myself and my kids were hiking a natural trail next to a lake. There were several rafts of buffleheads, mallards, and countless swan. Then we noticed a big flock of birds flying directly at us about a half mile away. So many birds at it looked like a medium sized flock of starlings. However, we then realized it was more ducks. Easily 200 birds. Then we see the osprey soaring around and quite a bit higher than the ducks. Not sure if it spooked them up or not but they were all pretty unsettled and didn't light until they were on the same end of the lake as the rest of the ducks.
> 
> For some reason I thought osprey were migratory. Through my 10x50 binocs it sure had all the same colorations and general patterning of an osprey. It was a great deal bigger than any hawks as well. Thoughts?
> 
> ...


This time of year it would more likely be a bald eagle. An immature bald eagle could look like an osprey from a distance. Eagles will eat whatever they can, including small ducks like buffleheads.


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## jgoss1205 (Aug 30, 2008)

I saw an osprey less then a week ago looking for fish in the muskegon. I'm positive it was an osprey. Neither of us saw any, i had my camera but no memory card in it, was totally bummed.:banghead3:banghead3


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## Bachflock (Jul 3, 2007)

FlyFishingAttorney said:


> This time of year it would more likely be a bald eagle. An immature bald eagle could look like an osprey from a distance. Eagles will eat whatever they can, including small ducks like buffleheads.


That was the first thing that crossed my mind, that or a redtail hawk. In fact about a month ago I saw a mature bald eagle fly over the road about 300 yards from where we were on foot. However, the underbody was clearly not solid brown, rather white, the wings a medium/drk brown, and the head mostly brown. This bird was significantly larger than a redtail.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

Ospreys are very distinctive for their wing shape, with a noticeable bend at the "wrist" or mid-wing. Ospreys nest at the tops of trees or light poles. Their nests are easily visible, once they are located. I have seen ospreys from mid-Ontario down to the Florida Keys. 

Eagles are very distinctive for their flat wing position while soaring. Also, I find the length:width ratio on eagles very distinctive. The eagle's wing is long for its width, or skinny for its length, depending on your perspective. Last week I saw and eagle in southeast Pennsylvania, which is a good thing considering the population density, and water quality that often is not the best. 

Turkey vultures are distinctive for their v-shaped, or dihedral, wing shape. Additionally, they wobble or oscillate, when soaring. 

Hawks are distinctive for their shorter and wider wing, with a rounded or softly curving trailing edge. Also, hawks that I have seen have white or barred breasts, and barred tail on the underside. I think of hawks as fairly chunky or weighty-looking birds, but this is likely due to their thick plumage. Hawks can be crow-sized, but most are larger.


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## FlyFishingAttorney (Dec 26, 2007)

Bachflock said:


> That was the first thing that crossed my mind, that or a redtail hawk. In fact about a month ago I saw a mature bald eagle fly over the road about 300 yards from where we were on foot. However, the underbody was clearly not solid brown, rather white, the wings a medium/drk brown, and the head mostly brown. This bird was significantly larger than a redtail.


Sounds like an onsprey, then.

Maybe a signal that winter will end very soon.


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## severus (Feb 8, 2000)

Speaking of Bald Eagles, my father-in-law mentioned yesterday that he once saw one dive down onto a body of water talons first. Then it disappeared beneath the water. A moment later it surfaced flapping its wings and flew off with a large fish, which apparently had taken the bird underwater when it was hit. He said it was quite a sight to see.


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## Greenbush future (Sep 8, 2005)

I watched an osprey for 4 days in Florida last week and they seemed like a small hawk in size, mostly harvesting fish, witha a huge stick and clutter built nest. Not as big as you would think but very very good fishing animals.


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## fishcreekspinners (Nov 21, 2008)

Check out this Osprey slideshow and the two fisted catches!
I get kayakers dragging FCS spinners behind them and one sent me this Miguel Lasa Osprey slideshow URL, check it out, its amazing. Guess I need to get a few more posts before I can share it. Be back soon.


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## fishcreekspinners (Nov 21, 2008)

Check out this Osprey slideshow and the two fisted catches!
I get kayakers dragging FCS spinners behind them and one sent me this Miguel Lasa Osprey slideshow URL, check it out, its amazing. Guess I need to get a few more posts before I can share it, be back soon.


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## fishcreekspinners (Nov 21, 2008)

I get kayakers dragging FCS spinners behind them and one sent me this Miguel Lasa Osprey slideshow URL, check it out, its amazing. http://www.miguellasa.com/photos/sspopup.mg?AlbumID=1001578


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## chinamigarden (Oct 21, 2005)

Awesome slideshow. I was especially impressed at the one where the osprey was disguised as a Great Blue Heron. Crafty buggers.


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## Oldgrandman (Nov 16, 2004)

fishcreekspinners said:


> I get kayakers dragging FCS spinners behind them and one sent me this Miguel Lasa Osprey slideshow URL, check it out, its amazing. http://www.miguellasa.com/photos/sspopup.mg?AlbumID=1001578


Nice photography. Looks almost effortless when they go after something but those shots articulate the action nicely. 
I fish by some osprey every year, was out fished by em one day. Two fish came to the nest for em while we were skunked :lol:


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