Two Osprey were flying over the Kiawah River while I was watching the Dolphins on Wednesday.
Osprey are expert hover / divers for fish in the water.
I did not see either of them dive but did enjoy watching the display of their flying skills.
In between stationery hovers they took advantage of the stiff breeze with seemingly effortless swooping.
Hi there!
I saw the dive but I didn’t see the Osprey go into the pond to catch this fish as my view was blocked by a tree. Osprey can completely submerge and work really hard to break free of the water, harder if they caught something. Other times I have witnessed this the Osprey would then make a bee-line for a tree or other secure spot to eat.
Back in my line of sight he shook several times, lightening his load of the excess water while hanging firmly onto lunch. Then he circled around the pond several times with his catch, undecided about where to go.
What he probably knew that I didn’t until a couple minutes later was he was about to be chased by a pair of Bald Eagles hoping to lighten his load. Suddenly he decided to head for the trees and the last I saw of them the Osprey was in the lead.
I had seen a splash up the river where I was watching the Dolphins and thought it might be a strand feeding I had missed. Turns out it was an Osprey using his skills to get lunch!
I was quite surprised when he flew right passed me and continued out to the edge of the ocean where he landed to eat.
I had expected him to turn inland and find a tree and some cover. There had been several Pelicans watching him fish and an Eagle flying over–just a couple of characters that would be happy to take his meal away.
Still wet after his dive to  catch this fish the Osprey shook off then proceeded to consume his meal at a steady pace.
He started at the head and worked meticulously down the fish. I didn’t see a single piece fall although my attention did waver as this process took about 15 minutes.
The Osprey’s attention was diverted a couple of times when a Red Shouldered Hawk was calling on the other side of the pond. The Hawk never came close and the Osprey went back to eating.
A foot bridge crosses the pond and I was able to get a different angle out on the bridge.
I didn’t see him leave and a few minutes later I heard his distinctive call out over a nearby marsh.
Click on any photo for a larger view.
I was idly watching some mallards swim across the big pond at Magnolia Cemetery when I heard the splash. By the time I had him sighted he was out of the water.
Osprey often go completely under when they dive. I’m not sure this pond is deep enough for that but he still had to work very hard to get airborne with his catch.
Finally up in the air, the Osprey hung on to the fish with both feet.
A branch hanging over the water provided a perfect lunch spot with a view.
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