northeast-flora-and-fauna

I met another Bald Eagle last spring along the Raritan River. Was this fella the reason the Osprey I saw the same day was in flight, possibly looking for another place to fish? It's impossible to say; though both birds were in the same general area, I saw them over an hour apart, and it's possible they weren't even aware of 1 another. I've seen Bald Eagles there before , sometimes with company . It's more than possible that the same adult eagle was in more than 1 of these pictures [1], and the Duke Farms Bald Eagles probably nest a short distance from these trees "as the crow flies" [2], so this might be their territory. But there are also a lot more eagle out and about than there used to be, and without much closer looks I doubt anyone could conclusively identify individuals. Though most North America [3] is home to Golden Eagles , Bald Eagles are not considered close relatives of the Goldens. They are considered very close relatives of the White-taile...

Last spring I had an Osprey flying over me last spring. These birds are relatively large by raptor standards, only a little smaller than our vultures and bigger than any hawk in my area; eagles are the only eastern raptors that really dwarf them. My Hawk Watch book says that from below they look like a cross between a hawk and a gull; their wings can be as crooked as a gull's but wider and non-pointed like a hawk's. Note though that you don't get a sense of how crooked their wings can get in my pictures. Ospreys can be bullied into dropping a caught fish by an eagle (usually a Bald Eagle ), but my guess is that their size and feeding habits don't lend themselves to conflict with other raptors: They like eating fresh fish, which means our vultures probably ignore them. Hawks and falcons probably recognize that Ospreys are kind of big to be confronting. Ospreys and owls work different hours. May 5, 2023 at Duke Island Park Photo 282300736, (c) jpviolette, some rights r...

Here's another Osprey , this one partially obscured by tree branches. I suspect that even if the Osprey was slightly hidden from me, it probably had a pretty clear view of the water, and at any sign of fish the Osprey would have a shot at scoring a meal.  Although this Osprey seems to be looking intensely at something, many birds of prey give that impression. Trying to read their "expressions" probably isn't something we're particularly good at. November 12, 2022 at Duke Farms Photo 251084576, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

Here's another photogenic bird of prey, an Osprey . I've seen them before at Duke Farms and elsewhere , though AFAIK they don't breed in this exact area. My recollection is that this Osprey was up a tree overlooking one of the Duke Farms lakes. My guess is that the Osprey was in the process of migrating south for the winter - the picture is from last October - but stopped here to rest and do some fishing. Placing Ospreys within the taxonomy of birds is difficult. It's the only living species in its genus and family. Its closest relatives are believed to be hawks and eagles, but it seems unlikely it'll ever to reclassified as either. Are Ospreys seahawks? When people aren't talking about seahawks other than the Seattle Seahawks, Ospreys are a candidate for the bird they're talking about, but seahawk doesn't really refer to any particular species of bird. October 7, 2022 at Duke Farms Photo 249884878, (c) jpviolette, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)

Last week at the Washington Valley Reservoir a largish bird with white-and-dark contrast flew just past me onto a tree branch. My suspicions were quickly confirmed; this was an Osprey . Similar to the nearby Duke Farms where I had also seen 1, I don't believe Ospreys ever nest here, though the reservoir can be a great place to grab a bite to eat before migrating elsewhere. I didn't see it catch a fish, though the abundance of human fishermen there suggests fish are plentiful. As I typically do, I took the 1st relatively clear picture I could get, which in this case was almost directly under the Osprey. I feared that I might be too close for the Osprey's comfort, but the Osprey didn't seem very concerned about me as I moved further away to get a better angle. I have had some success getting Osprey pictures; some individuals seem to accept human activity in their vicinity. (I'm doubtful that a Bald Eagle would have been as accommodating.) Ospreys are among several sp...

Here's someone that was probably migrating through NJ but stopped by the Duke Farms lakes to catch its breath and catch a meal, an Osprey . This fella was obscured by some trees but is still recognizable with that white head with the dark line going through the eyes. In this picture the Osprey was overlooking Otter Lake, though I suspect this is the same Osprey I saw a couple days later at Vista Lake. I suspect this was more of a rest stop for the Osprey since I haven't seen it in over a week now. I'm not sure why an Osprey pair hasn't AFAIK bred on property. It's possible that they'd consider it to be living uncomfortably close to the Duke Farms Bald Eagles . Bald Eagles are known for attacking Ospreys and stealing their fish, and it's possible the eagles would consider Ospreys to be competitors to be run off the property. And it's also possible they'd have run-ins with the Red-tailed Hawks and Great Horned Owls on the property, even though Ospreys ...