If you have ever witnessed the beauty of an osprey fishing, then you will know it is an amazing moment when the osprey emerges from the water with a fish.
The osprey circle above water looking into the depths for a fish. Once they see a fish, they dive into the water to grasp it with their long, sharp talons. The fish puts up a fight and if large enough, the fish will pull the osprey back into the water.
This particular osprey, featured in these photos, has one bent feather hence his name: Bentfeather. But the bent feather doesn’t prevent him from struggling and succeeding in getting a fish. If you follow the series of photos below you will see the fish succeeds in pulling Bentfeather back into the water a couple of times before Bentfeather clears the water and is able to fly.
It is a large fish for Bentfeather. Once Bentfeather secures the fish, he will take it for a ride above the water until the fish stops struggling. Bentfeather will find a tall tree near the nest where his mate awaits. He will eat 2/3 of the fish (fishing is hard work) and his partner will get the remaining 1/3.
This is a series of photos I was delighted to capture of Bentfeather’s lunch fishing expedition at Sanibel Island’s Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.