Osprey and Eagle

Sugden Park, Naples, Florida

January 18, 2014

All photos are © Marshall Faintich

I was looking for warblers along the lake at Sugen Park when a male Osprey flew overhead carrying a fish that he had just caught. A pair of Ospreys were building a nest on a platform there, and were sometimes joined, or pestered, by a third Osprey. The male Osprey circled the lake near the platform several times as he called for his mate.

The male Oprey flew over a line of trees and out of sight. A few minutes later, the female Osprey appeared carrying a partially eaten fish - perhaps the fish had been brought the her by the male Osprey. The Osprey seemed to be agitated, was calling for her mate, and circled several times before landing on a perch with her fish.

However, she didn't stay there very long, and soon took off again. She flew over the trees. A minute or so later, she was flying back over the trees and towards the lake. The female Osprey seemed more interested in finding her mate than eating her fish.

Once again, she flew back over the tree line, but quickly reappeared, but this time without the fish. A Basic III, sub-adult, Bald Eagle was on her tail. After chasing the female Osprey away, the Bald Eagle flew back over the tree line and out of sight.

I took a path to the other side of the tree line along a canal. The Bald Eagle was perched in a tree, and let me get fairly close before taking off.

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