Osprey

The close up photos where taken at Tiger Tail beach on Marco Island. our friend here is enjoying a fresh catch.

this was not the nest but a pile of branches on the white sand beach

digging right in

bite size

easy to catch & hold with those talons

finding another spot to eat

Odd that a Osprey nest would have a fishing net hooked on the nest

they must have taken the fish with it away from someone not paying attention

 

Photographed in the wild Marco Island, FL

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Osprey's are fishing birds and can be seen hovering above the water searching for prey. When a fish is spotted, the Osprey dives down and will grab it using its talons. The fish is then flown (head first) to a perch, where it is devoured.

Osprey populations declined in the 1950's & 60's due to pesticides. But they have slowly made a comeback.

Their dark eye stripe makes them look like a masked bandit.

Ospreys have dark brown wings, nape, and an eye stripe. Ospreys also have a white chin, throat, breast, belly, under tail coverts, and legs, yellowish eyes and a curved black bill. They range about 21 to 24 inches in length.

 

Photographed in the wild Kissimmee, FL