Osprey
Osprey at Quaker Lake
I get many bird questions when campers are visiting Allegany State Park. Some of those questions asked include “Where is the best place to go birding?” or “What is the rarest bird that can be found in the park?”! But the most commonly asked question “is that an Eagle nest I sw when I enter the park?”! I am always happy to say “those birds called an Osprey”! It is truly sad when these birds migrate south because I will no longer get any of these Osprey (Eagle) questions! It has been a week since I saw my last Osprey and I am starting to feel like our local birds have finally headed south.
I wanted to let everyone know that these two amazing Osprey photos were taken by Young Naturalist J this summer. I remember we were across from the Quaker Lake Osprey platform and looking for some Bobolinks in the Grassland. Young Naturalist J saw an Osprey flying around and just started taking pictures with my camera!
So . . . . while looking for some Osprey photos this evening. . . . I came across these pictures that he captured . . . . then said “WOW, these actually turned out much better than I remembered them being” and then cropped them a little. Do you ever get the feeling that some of these kids are naturals when it comes to certain things?
Mon@rch's Nature Blog 
These pictures are really good. And these birds do remind me of Eagles. It would be amazing to fly wouldn’t it? ~ nita~
13 September 2007 at 10:33 pm
Young Naturalist J is indeed a natural! Those are terrific pix!
13 September 2007 at 10:43 pm
Damn. Good. Photos.
13 September 2007 at 10:47 pm
Your young naturalist did a good job with your great camera. The timing on the first photo is excellent. Our Osprey left a while ago.
13 September 2007 at 10:57 pm
I wish I had their ability!
13 September 2007 at 11:03 pm
I’ll never forget seeing those nests the first time we entered the park. They (the birds) are awesome.
13 September 2007 at 11:14 pm
@ Nita – He did do a great job didn’t he? It would be fun for sure!
@ Lynne – He sure is! Thanks
@ Susan – Yep, thanks!
@ Ruth – Pictures were backwards in order (was flying before landing) but he did do a great job! His parents will love these shots!
@ Barb – every day I feel like I am getting older and older! I hear ya! Hey, when are you going to post some new nature photos from you son?
@ toni – almost like a trademark into the park! I will sure miss seeing them!
13 September 2007 at 11:28 pm
Ooooooooooo. thanks for that picture. You had a blogger named Jayne looking for the identity of a vine……Looks like Honeyvine Milkweed or a close cousin. I didn’t have the inclination to open a googleaccount so I could answer her. Thanks for the info on the lens and camera. I will have to continue to try to get good closeups of my flowers with my cheap camera and can enjoy the great shots on the blogs of people like you.
14 September 2007 at 5:15 am
Hey, thanks nouveaufauves! I had someone else say it was a vining milkweed as well.
Wonderful photos Young Naturalist J took of the osprey! Don’t think I’ve ever seen one.
14 September 2007 at 6:45 am
That is an awesome photo! When I was on vacation in Kentucky a few in our group saw these birds, but I was unable to do so. Thanks for the photos! Now I can see I’ve seen them (sort of).
14 September 2007 at 8:18 am
Osprey really are an impressive bird to watch – we used to get to see them fishing right out in front of us on the shore on Topsail Beach, NC. This year, sadly, we only saw one passing by…
14 September 2007 at 8:35 am
Yes, I believe the troops have left for the south. Nothing in or around any of the nests last Saturday.
14 September 2007 at 11:24 am
LOL, Yeah I am in school I am in a study hall s0 i figured that I would check out your blog! Great pictures. The on of it landing is a great picture you can even see its talons
14 September 2007 at 11:28 am
@ nouveaufauves – is that the picture with the bee? believe it or not but big majority of my pictures on this blog (75%) are taking with the Point and Shoot!
@ jayne – Glad you guys connected so quickly! He did good for sure!
@ Moe – Thanks and sorry you didn’t get to see these guys! They are fun to watch! It is funny how they are so big but because they are soo common that I don’t give them time they deserve!
@ marty – They sure are and isn’t it fun to watch them go crash in the water?
@ Mike H. – didn’t know you were around last weekend! I didn’t see them also!
@ Birdbander11 – They never let me use the computer when I was in study hall, but then again they never had internet like they have now! I should be the one telling you good job on the pictures!
14 September 2007 at 1:35 pm
Wonderful osprey pictures by Young Naturalist J–a good combination–J and your camera, Tom.
I have seen osprey nests in northern MN while snowmobiling. They built their nests on the crossbeams of large electric poles and the snowmobile trail went right underneath. I was amazed at how huge they were and hope that someday I will get back in the summer to revisit this osprey nesting area.
14 September 2007 at 1:57 pm
I would like to ask young naturalist J why isn’t he studying during study hall….hmmmmm….Got caught again…You see one thing about having a nature lover for a kid — that is all he thinks about! I love him, I love him, but ugh! J focus (and I don’t mean with a camera!). Work hard in school and save the world….
14 September 2007 at 2:01 pm
oh, I almost forgot – the pictures did turn out great. I remember that day looking for the bobo’s and J grabbing the camera…
14 September 2007 at 2:04 pm
Ohhh yeah, he’s a great photographer, for sure!!
14 September 2007 at 4:44 pm
@ Ruthie – he sure did good for sure! They sure do love nesting on power poles around here also! I do hope you get to see them again!
@ Banderparents – LOL – Busted! And you thought I was a good influence on him! Ha! I remember my allergies were real bad that day!
@ Pam – thanks and he sure is!
14 September 2007 at 6:15 pm
I love these shots – it was also helpful (a lot) when two of them came flying up towards my house just a day ago…. I was watching them and hubby said, “that isn’t an eagle what are they?” And I could say with complete confidence, “why according to naturalist J they are osprey.” Meanwhile, you should have heard Ellen Degeneres joke about Wa. state when we went to the Superbowl. She said, “what the heck is a seahawk? There is no such bird!” and insisted on calling us “the Seattle ospreys” 🙂 *blush* we probably should have used an actual bird. Thanks Naturalist J!
15 September 2007 at 11:08 am
aullori – this is awesome and so glad that this post helped you identify those osprey passing through! I am more than sure J is checking out this page and seeing what happened! Ellen is so funny and missed that for sure! Thanks!
15 September 2007 at 10:16 pm
These are wonderful images and subjects Tom.
16 September 2007 at 12:28 am
They say that the best brders are the ones that start young.I think that may ring true with other things too.
20 September 2007 at 7:06 pm