Osprey is Hunted
The topic for today is the fearlessness and tenacity of parents when a predator comes too close.
This is not my first sighting of the osprey at Lakeside Park this year, but the first when I actually managed to get a few sharpish photos. I saw the osprey land in the trees on the far side of the trail. It obviously thought it could sneak in unseen by the nesting birds, but as soon as it set off over the lake, a red-winged blackbird fearlessly headed straight for it:
Undeterred by the difference in size, the talons and sharply curved beak, the blackbird zeroed in on its hapless quarry, forcing it over to the tree line:
It doggedly pursued the osprey and then just as in a wrestling match, tagged with one of the kingbirds, nesting in the tallest tree on that side of the lake. I wish I had more photos, but I could not focus my manual lens fast enough as the birds headed straight toward me. The eastern kingbird actually landed on the back of the osprey and pecked at the back of its neck (Photo of the eastern kingbird from June this year).
Not surprisingly the osprey then left.
Following on in that theme a little later in the morning from the seated area, I watched again as a predator was chased by a red-winged blackbird (which can be seen as a tiny black dot in the opposite corner of the photos):
The night heron was chased until it took refuge in the trees:
I have to end this blog with a photo of the great blue heron who paid no attention to any of the goings-on and even to me:
Copyright © wildlakeside.blogpot.com 2019 Scott Atkinson All Rights Reserved.
This is not my first sighting of the osprey at Lakeside Park this year, but the first when I actually managed to get a few sharpish photos. I saw the osprey land in the trees on the far side of the trail. It obviously thought it could sneak in unseen by the nesting birds, but as soon as it set off over the lake, a red-winged blackbird fearlessly headed straight for it:
Undeterred by the difference in size, the talons and sharply curved beak, the blackbird zeroed in on its hapless quarry, forcing it over to the tree line:
It doggedly pursued the osprey and then just as in a wrestling match, tagged with one of the kingbirds, nesting in the tallest tree on that side of the lake. I wish I had more photos, but I could not focus my manual lens fast enough as the birds headed straight toward me. The eastern kingbird actually landed on the back of the osprey and pecked at the back of its neck (Photo of the eastern kingbird from June this year).
Not surprisingly the osprey then left.
Following on in that theme a little later in the morning from the seated area, I watched again as a predator was chased by a red-winged blackbird (which can be seen as a tiny black dot in the opposite corner of the photos):
The night heron was chased until it took refuge in the trees:
I have to end this blog with a photo of the great blue heron who paid no attention to any of the goings-on and even to me:
Copyright © wildlakeside.blogpot.com 2019 Scott Atkinson All Rights Reserved.
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