Osprey is expert fish catcher in the Piney Woods By Jay V. Huner |
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Inspiration for bird columns in The Pine Woods Journal often comes easy here on the shores of Cotile Lake in northwest Rapides Parish's piney woods. In early October of this year, I happened to glance over our home and saw an Osprey sweep east to west over our cove beyond our roof top. I was on my way that morning to nearby Kincaid Reservoir to check for fall migrants. Birds were difficult to find but I noticed a bird high in the sky over the water. Bingo, it was another Osprey. In early afternoon, I happened to stop at Boyce Recreation Area on the Red River and, son of a gun, the first bird I saw was an Osprey flying from the river toward the parking area with gizzard shad in its talons! Ospreys are large raptors and come by the name fish hawk honestly as that is pretty much all they eat. They sport barbed pads on the soles of their feet so once caught fish do not slip from their grasp. It is certainly a pleasure to watch Ospreys as they fish. They may perch on snags, circle the water, or hover above the water waiting for fish prey to come to the surface. A quick dive follows sighting prey and, often as not, they rise from the water with an unlucky fish. Larger fish are manipulated so that they face forward for easier flying. Ospreys are basically blackish gray birds with white highlights. The crown and forehead are white along with the breast and belly. There is a distinct dark eye stripe. Wings and back are black. The long wings are held with a distinct backward angle. The call is a series of loud key, key, keys, often heard long before the bird is seen. I am in my mid-60s. I have hunted and fished most of my life but only saw my first Osprey in Louisiana about 30 years ago and I have only seen them regularly during the past decade. The numbers of all raptors declined greatly in the 1950s and 1960s as a consequence of bio-concentration of chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides like DDT and Endrin. These pesticides were removed from use in the 1960s and raptor numbers slowly began to recover to the point now that most are reasonably easy to find. Ospreys are birds of lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and coastal bays. So, too are Bald Eagles, our national bird. Bald Eagles are accomplished fishermen and readily catch and eat fish. They are also lazy birds. Bald Eagles commonly hang around Ospreys and harass Ospreys until they drop and grab the fish they have caught rather than catch their own! Ospreys nest in tree tops using many dead limbs to create a platform for the nest itself. Conservationists have found that Ospreys will readily build their nests on platforms on top of utility poles. As a result, Osprey nest platforms are often seen in coastal nesting areas around the country. And, yes, the hovering U.S. Marine Corps' Osprey airplane takes its name from the Osprey! Jay V. Huner, |
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