Raptors: Part VIII

The Osprey is a fish eating bird found on all continents except Antarctica. Its body is a little larger than a Red Tail Hawk, but its wingspan is nearly as large as a Turkey Vulture. I remember flyfishing once at Ernst Lake in Central British Columbia. I used to spend four or five days camping there -- never seeing another human being; moose, bear, wolves, deer, but no people. It was wonderful. Ernst is a "trophy lake." We're talking a minimum 3 pound trout, an occasional 5 pound trout, and once in a while an 8 pound trout. Here is one of my first photos, of an Osprey who had just caught what appears to be a 3 or 4 pound trout and was showing off as he took several victory laps around the lake:

Notice that the 23" body length of the Osprey is smaller than the trout.

Another time I was flyfishing Lake Chopaka right along the US-Canadian border in Northcentral Washington (once again by myself). Osprey dive into the water to catch their fish. It is quite a sight as is this Osprey feeding on his catch:

Osprey are migrating birds wintering in Canada (and northern parts of the US) and spending their summers in the US and Mexico. Here is a nest I found near Nicola, British Columbia:

And another Osprey nest, near the headwaters of the 1200 mile Columbia River (also British Columbia):

Rarely does an Osprey find Tucson a "feast" but, I did get this photo on a telephone pole near Agua Caliente, the small pond just a couple of miles from us:

As you can see, he has found something to eat.