Osprey

My sister lives 2 streets over and has a beautiful pond. I took a trip over to see what I could photograph. While I was hiking around the pond, an Osprey flew over, carrying a big fish. He didn’t take it from her pond, but the lake is just a short flight from here. She said they come and land in this tree to eat what they catch. He’s watching me as I move around behind him. Look closely at the size of the talons.

I think he’s trying to tell me he knows I’m there.

The fish is almost as big as he is.

It didn’t seem to mind my watching and taking pictures. But it knew where I was at all times. I had to hike a bit to get a frontal shot.

He’d stop long enough to switch position with his foot and to make sure I wasn’t after his meal. Every now and then he’d suggest I leave.

The Osprey is a very large bird with a wingspan of almost 6 ft. They eat mainly fish, and fly with it facing forward. Very aerodynamic.  I watched one on the river, drive a Bald Eagle away in an aerial battle. We found out a few weeks later that it had a nest in that area.

There is an Osprey nest that can be seen from my back deck in the springtime. I watch them build it by flying into the tops of trees and snatching branches in mid flight.

Alligators!!! I love to watch them

We spend some of our free time aboard a boat. We might be out for a few days or a few weeks. We cruise at a slow 5 mph. It’s a slow moving trawler. So we get to see a lot of wildlife that most folks miss. Look at this beauty. Just out of the water and still clean and shiny.

 

This is another good sized gator.

Look at the size of his thigh and claws. It’s not just the teeth you have to worry about.

I have to take my little dog ashore in an inflatable dingy. It has a 2 hp motor but I row most of the time if looking for something to photograph. We had just gotten back into the boat when the little 5 –6 footer raised up in the lily pads with a fish in it’s mouth. He had to raise up and toss it back into his mouth. I was too slow getting the camera ready, but, if you look closely…you can see the fish’s tail.

He was about 10 feet from us.

Look at all the birds sitting around the gator. None of them look nervous. Maybe they know how to tell when they are hungry.

I missed all the action in the next picture. They are 50 to 75 ft away and I zoomed as quick as I could…but missed the fight..or whatever it was. The one with his head out was bellowing and posturing, while I was getting the camera he and another one did the “death roll” thing with water splashin’ and flying everywhere. When they got done, there were 5 of them in the area, just cruising around looking at each other. There are 3 in this picture. The one in the center is quite a bit smaller.

In this photo you can see the same gator and his tail. That is what I meant by posturing. Normally they just glide through the water, but today he had his tail humped up…his head out of the water…just lookin’ as purty as could be. Don’t know if he was trying to impress or show how big he was to drive other males away. It’s the first time I saw this.  Needless to say…I waited until the show was over and every gator had gone on his way, before starting up the river in the dingy with the dog to the beaching spot….and I didn’t row…I fired up the motor and hustled right along. This is not a good time of year to try to get up close and personal. I mind my manners when in their habitat.

White Ibis

I see these all around the Palm Tree farms. They don’t usually visit my yard, but here they are. One flew in, must have found something he liked and then several more showed up. I was able to snap a few pictures but as soon as I opened the door for a better view, they flew away.

I don’t use any pesticides so it’s possible something hatched that they like. They use their bills to probe into the dirt or water for insects and frogs.

The Ibis lined up on the tree limb were on the river.

Rush hour?  I still can’t believe a large flock of birds like this can take off all at once and not fly into each other. No lawyers or lawsuits?  I guess that must be it. Doesn’t pay to have “wing rage”.

female Blue Dasher

Wow!!! Now all I need are the little Dashers.  I spotted this female Blue Dasher at my sister’s place. Her pond is home to a lot of dragonflies. I havn’t seen either the Blue Dasher or the Amberwing since I took their pictures in my yard. I don’t have a pond and am surrounded by woods. 

I love their faces, and their wings are so delicately made.

She’s a bit prettier than in the photo. I couldn’t get her to pose with the sun showing her off the best. Every time I moved she’d fly away. Her color is yellow and brown.

This is the male Blue Dasher. She has some of the yellow that he does, but she doesn’t have the blue.