Osprey Feeding Behaviour

The image was taken early AM this morning from Point Quay near Devoran as the incoming tide crept back up the creek.

The image of the Osprey below on a dead tree limb was taken among the opposite bank tree line 600+ metres away which might give some viewers an insight into some of the distances we have to cope with while working with these birds and quite often in poor light levels.

The Osprey was already on the dead tree limb waiting for the incoming tide when I arrived and it was a full hour later at 8am when the Osprey plunged into the rising water to take its first fish of the day

The Osprey took its time consuming its mullet perched just above the river level on the wreck of an old Oak tree before moving back up to a higher tree line to digest its meal and it was a full couple of hours before it moved onto a prominent vertical post of a mid-river sand bank to settle down for another hour or so.

At 2pm the Osprey left its post to perform another successful fishing mission and we expected it to return to the far shore to consume it but on this occasion it returned back to same post that it had left.

Dealing with its lively prey on a the very small surface of the post top proved to be quite a challenge for this large Osprey as it had nowhere to anchor the fish while both feet gripped the small post for balance.

By this time Devoran Creek was full !  The Osprey was full !   My camera was full!  but I was running on empty,  It was not for the first time,  Time to head on home for another late pm Breakfast