Osprey's nesting

I was sitting on the balcony this morning with a cup of coffee. I looked up and an Osprey flew over the trees carrying a tree limb that had to be an inch, inch and a half in diameter and four or five feet long. He/she was heading towards the end of the cove. I have seen many nests at Rimini on the flats around Pack's and Elliott's landings. This is the first time I have seen one actually hauling limbs to build one. What a powerful bird to carry a limb that size. Of course my phone and iPad were inside laying on the coffee table so no pictures. I would have loved to have a photo of that.

Large, beautiful birds indeed. Be careful reeling in small, skidder crappie around a nesting pair. They will at times swoop down and attack your crappie as it nears the boat. Have had this happen on several occasions on Lake Russell. Not fun if one gets tangled in your line!

They will steal anything they can pick up. Crappie, shad, trout. Gets old real quick when all you feed is osprey instead of striper. Or when they steal your crappie.

yesterday, on lake barkley in kentucky, i was watching a pair in a nest for over 2 hours. they were taking turns bringing limbs to enlarge/repair the nest. i had previously assumed they just picked up limbs floating on the water or lying on the shore. these birds took turns, they never left the nest unguarded, flying above trees and then diving down into the outside edge of the trees bare limbs grabbing a limb with both talons. with the accelerated speed and body weight the osprey just snapped the branch off and then flew to the next with the limb. they used their beaks to weave the limb into the next.

Wow. That would have been something to see!

it was impressive. however during those same couple of hours they mated 3 times. that kinda made the nest repair average. lol. first time i have observed raptors mate. fortunate i was able to capture the events with camera. i seek out raptors at lbl and reel foot lake to observe and take pictures of on those days the wind is too high to try and fish. enjoy observing what God created for us.

Saw a pair of osprey building their next atop one of the channel marker poles in Lake Russell this past weekend. They'll build on practically every other one in that lake. The osprey are plentiful around here.

My wife does not fish but will come along with me to take pictures.....here are some bird pictures you may enjoy she has taken..... one eagle....the rest Osprey.....we see these all the time and you can get your boat right up close to the nest...

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Very nice!! I always enjoy the bird photos! Thanks for posting.

Your wife is pretty good with the camera! Thanks for sharing those pictures.