June 23, 2004
Ospreys and Bald Eagles
Nest Update: The chicks are about 30 days old, and we're beginning to see some minor wing movement as the young ospreys slowly discover that those awkward appendages might actually be useful one day. We can expect to see the chicks fledging (flying) around 20-27 days from now. See the Gallery for some good wing shots.
Pic of the Week: In the Pic of the Week, what do the three poses have in common? They're all examples of chicks learning to go outside the nest. Ospreys are tidy birds, and when they relieve themselves they attempt to shoot it over the edge of the platform. If you look on the sides of the platform, you can see where they've hit the boards. Sometimes they also hit the cam lens, but fortunately they've done that only once this year.
If you'd like to see what happens when an osprey's aim is off, check out this osprey photo on the Maurice River website.
Contest Reminder: The "Name the Chicks" contest is running from June 20-July 20, 2004. Find out how to enter on our Contest page . Entry in the contest is free.
Ospreys and Bald Eagles
On June 20, 1782, the Second Continental Congress made the bald eagle the national emblem of the United States and placed its image on the Great Seal. Two hundred years later in 1982, June 20 was declared National Bald Eagle Day, and today many states continue to use the day to honor one of America's most enduring patriotic symbols.
Bald eagles are a big attraction at Blackwater Refuge because the area supports the largest nesting population of bald eagles on the Atlantic Coast, north of Florida. Depending on when you visit, spotting a bald eagle at Blackwater Refuge can be as easy as biking down the Wildlife Drive and seeing a pair sitting in a perch tree near the road.
During the months when bald eagles and ospreys are both residing at the Refuge, the two species are not strangers as bald eagles are legendary for their habit of stealing fish from the smaller ospreys. The bald eagle's strategy is to let the osprey do the work of catching the fish, then follow the osprey in the air and harass it until the smaller bird is forced to drop its dinner. In fact, this raptor confrontation has proven to be a popular subject for wildlife artists:
Many accounts of the birds' battles end with the osprey dropping the fish, but in the book The Bald Eagle: Haunts and Habits of a Wilderness Monarch, one of the authors describes an event on a Saskatchewan lake that showed a surprising twist to the usual skirmish:
"The eagle attacked from a few feet above and to one side of the Osprey -- once, twice, and then a third time. On each pass the Osprey visibly flinched, for the eagle's talons barely cleared its back. We anxiously awaited the outcome. Many observers had described how typically the Osprey drops its fish, and with surprising agility the Bald Eagle snatches the fallen prey in midair. We were not prepared for what happened. After three unsuccessful attacks, the eagle turned to brute force. This time coming up fast from behind and below, the eagle flipped onto its back, thrust its talons upward, and ripped the fish right out of the Osprey's grasp. What a sight! After quickly righting itself, the eagle turned and flapped leisurely to deposit the booty on its nest."
At Blackwater Refuge, bald eagles and ospreys often feed in the same general area, so it's not uncommon to see eagles harassing ospreys. Tom Miller, the Park Ranger at Blackwater Refuge, reports that several times he has seen an 
osprey head-off an eagle in order to let its mate get back to the nest with their fish. He also says that it is not unheard of for an eagle to take an osprey chick, but he believes it is rather rare, as eagles appear to be more interested in the ospreys' fish rather than their young.
Tom states that while the ospreys may occasionally lose their dinner, they are not at all cowardly when dealing with the eagles and are in fact very vigilant when protecting their nest from troublemakers.
During the fall and winter months, when the ospreys are in Central and South America, bald eagles often take over the Osprey Cam platform and use it as a riverside perch. But the eagles will always vacate the nest when the ospreys return to claim it again in the spring.
Until next time,
Lisa - webmaster (contact)
Submitted by Bonny, Kathy, Lori