Saturday morning was unusual, as mornings go. As I sipped my morning coffee, watching sanderlings scurry and scuffle along the intertidal zone, a black bellied plover decided to join them. I had managed to grab only a few photographs of the unusual occasion when I looked up to see, not one, but three, Osprey hovering over the water, close to shore. Where churning breakers make their peace, and surrender themselves to the sandy shore, is usually a place for children and their doting parents, but not a place for these mighty raptors. At least not while I’m on the beach. I watched as this splendid creature dropped to the water’s surface, touching his sharp talons to the rumbling sea and ultimately deciding to leave behind whatever had captured his gaze. He rose, again, into the air. I stood directly in his flight path and he gazed at me briefly as if in wonder. Effortlessly, he turned, glancing toward the rising sun. The spectacular trio flew off together into the northeast wind, all but unnoticed by sleepy beachcombers greeting the start of a new day. It was an unusual morning, as mornings go.

This morning I could see a dark bird in the distance as I walked out on Barnegat Light Beach. I suddenly realized that it was to dark and large to be a black-baked gull. A juvenile Osprey spent a good portion of the morning hanging out on various portions of the beach. That's not something I'm generally used to seeing, and it seemed that human presence wasn't something that he was all to keen on. Eventually he left but not without letting me take a few photos, even if they were at a distance. No luck finding piping plover chicks. I know I heard the adults last week but I just can't locate them. The photo was taken with the Canon 600mm hand held. #iLoveNature #iLoveWildlife #WildlifePhotography in #NewJersey #Nature in #NorthAmerica #USA #Osprey #DrDADBooks #AreYouAFish #Canon #WildlifeConservation

Kayaking the coastal inland waterways can lead to interesting perspectives and encounters. Animals that might act predictably to an encounter on land seem more inquisitive about an approach by water. This female osprey (notice her beautiful necklace) was clearly concerned about my approach by water. Although I was still quite distant from her nesting platform, she decided to investigate and throw me a few threatening looks. I am certain she did not mistake me for a fish but she certainly knew something was fishy.

By now, she and her young have made the migratory trek to South America for the winter. She will return in the spring but her young will likely remain there until the reach 3 to 4 years of age. They may return when it is time for them to raise families of their own. #Osprey

One of my absolute favorite birds is the Osprey. They are industrious, hard working birds. Unlike the eagle, that would rather steal a meal rather than catch it on its own, Osprey spend their time fishing. They are excellent anglers, having successful catch rates of up to 70%. Their toes are unique amongst birds, in that their outer toe is reversible. This allows them to grasp prey with two toes behind and two in the front, unlike the usual one behind and three in the front, of most other raptors. The pads on their feet are equipped with small barbs that make handling slippery fish easier. I look forward to their return to New Jersey in spring, and visiting them when I can in Florida, during the winter. #iLoveNature #iLoveWildife #WildlifePhotography in #NewJersey #Nature in #America #USA #Osprey #DrDADBooks #AreYouAFish #Canon #Bringit #Photography #Picoftheday #Photooftheday

While mom is home alone tending to the nest built primarily by her mate, another osprey attempts to drop by. The visit is not welcome, and she manages to fend off the unwanted arrival. These osprey chose a bare dead tree on the edge of a parking lot in Flamingo as their nest for 2015. They are smarter than they seem. They realize that they can tolerate the proximity to humans better than a lot of other predatory birds. It provides them, and their offspring, with a modicum of safety that other osprey, nesting farther away, may not enjoy. Another couple has chosen a nest on a walking bridge tower, not 10 feet from where human activity is frequent. That nest is busy each and every year I visit Flamingo. Smart birds! #iLoveNature #iLoveBirds #iLoveWildlife #WildlifePhotography in #Flamingo #EvergladesNationalPark #Nature in #Florida #America #USA #Canon #DrDADBooks #AreYouAFish #Bringit #Photography #Picoftheday #Photooftheday

Kayaking some of the New Jersey intercoastal waterways over the last few weeks has given me the opportunity to see some of our migrating shorebirds with a different perspective. It has also given some of our birds the opportunity to see me in a different perspective, too. Most seem indifferent, a few remain as wary as they always are, but several, including nesting osprey, seem to be much more wary than they would be had I approached them on land. Most of the nesting osprey, near enough to the waterways, will take to the air to check me out. A few have seemed downright annoyed, as in this photo. And on one occasion I thought I might actually come under attack. It the birds become excited I do my best to get by them as quickly and quietly as possible. Osprey survive on a diet of fish, and are the only North American Raptor able to dive into water to catch fish and then fly away. Though I think this bird might like to eat me, I don't think it was looking at me adoringly, at all! #iLoveBirds #iLoveNature #iloveWildlife #WildlifePhotography in #NewJersey #Nature in #NorthAmerica #DrDADBooks #AreYouAFish #Osprey #Canon #WildlifePhotography

An Osprey flies over its nest near Cape May, New Jersey. Thanks to extensive conservation efforts and abandonment of the use of certain pesticides, these (and many other) beautiful birds are returning in increasing numbers across our country. Eagles were far from the only birds affected by the widespread use of DDT. Osprey are beautifully talented, hard working birds. Unlike eagles, most of what they eat they catch themselves. They are also able to dive, completely submerge, and then escape the water with prey in talons and fly away. I have yet to meet an osprey that I don't like! #ILoveWildlife #ILoveBirds #birds #birding #Osprey #WildlifePhotography in #NewJersey

One of my favorite raptors glares at me from the nest, though I doubt it does so with any adoration. Osprey are fairly protective of their nests. Without seeing both birds in a mated pair it can be difficult to distinguish between male and female. When they are both present, the female is generally larger, and the brownish "necklace" across her white chest is generally darker and more pronounced than in the male. There is a good deal of crossover, so identifying the sex of any single bird can be difficult. That being said, males are generally the first to arrive at nesting sites. They will begin their nest building before the female arrives, trying to make sure they've created a happy place to please their mate. Men better start to worry that women don't find out about this or we might all be in big trouble! #iloveNature #iLoveWildlife #iLoveBirds #WildlifePhotography in #NewJersey #Nature in #NorthAmerica #America #USA #DrDADBooks #ChildrensBooks #AreYouAFish #FindYourPark #FYPyes #Opresy #ThompsonBeach

A pair of Osprey have made a nest in a dead tree on the edge of a parking lot in Flamingo. The nest is only about 20 feet in the air, so I spent the better part of several hours watching the two of them working. Standing on the top of my SUV, I was able to get a very close look at the operation in progress. This young lady spent the majority of her time struggling with this one stick that she just couldn't seem to make fit. No matter how hard she tried something just wasn't right. At times she put her whole body into the effort, pushing the stick with her chest or wings. Eventually, the stick became one of the outside branches of the nest. One thing is certain, Osprey are not lazy birds. #ILoveNature #ILoveWildlife #Wildlifephotography in #Florida #Nature in #America #USA #Osprey

#NestBuilding #FloridaEverglades #Flamingo #Canon #DrDADBooks #Bringit #Photography #Picoftheday #Photooftheday

As the effects of DDT slowly leaches out of the environment, the population of birds like the Osprey and Eagle slowly rebound. Osprey have, once again, become a common sight on and along shorelines. This will inevitably bring these big birds in close proximity to humans. That being said, this male did not like my proximity to its nest on land or in the water. Although it never actually attacked me, I wondered if he might night try on several passes by. I kept a close eye on him and tried to keep my distance from the nest. There was no way of misinterpreting his intent gaze. I'm certain that he is frowning. If I were an osprey, I guess I would, too. #iLoveNature #iLoveWildlife #WildlifePhotography in #NewJersey #Nature in #NorthAmerica #USA #DrDADBooks #AreYouAFish #Canon #WildlifeConservation

I've seen that look before! I'm out in a public place, perhaps like this beach in Cape May and I'm carrying my big lenses and cameras. Someone walks by. They look at me with crazy eyes. I'm not sure if they think I'm nuts (no comment) or they are envious of my equipment. This osprey continues to stare straight at me, and for a second I wonder if it's going to take a dive for me. I mean, osprey do have a reversible talon. Maybe she's going to grab the camera and fly off? Imagine the photographs she could take. Maybe she's just angry at the paparazzi for trying to snap pictures of her every waking moment! MAYBE she just thinks that something's fishy and I look like a good meal! Okay, I'm outta here!!

#ILoveWildlfe #ILoveNature #Wildlife in #NewJersey #birds #birding #Osprey #CapeMay