One needs not travel far and wide to experience the wild and natural world. Good luck can bring wildness right to our back door, in this case a door which slides and is made entirely of glass.
I just happened to look out the window to see this soaked Osprey, half-flying and half-swimming towards the shore of our lake at the edge of the lawn. I ran for my camera, but the sharp-eyed raptor saw me approaching the window while I was still quite far inside the house. I stopped in the middle of the room and shot through the window. It had just made landfall and was ready to fly:
The Osprey took off very laboriously with a trophy-size Largemouth Bass. Ospreys weigh about 3.5-4 pounds (1.5-1.8 kilos) and can carry prey that weighs almost as much. The fish was probably too heavy to allow the bird to become airborne while struggling with it while swimming in the water:
On February 27, a Muscovy hen marched across our patio, followed by a single-file row of 10 newly hatched ducklings. She was headed straight for the edge of the lake. They had almost gotten there when a drake appeared, rapidly swimming towards them. I have seen this scenario played out before, as the drake may attack the ducklings if he is intent on mating with the hen. Copulation usually takes place in the water. I took a quick shot with my phone before retrieving my camera.
By the time I got outside, the hen had retreated and gathered her brood up on our lawn, away from the lake. The drake was intent on driving the hen into the water and indeed was hostile toward the ducklings, attacking them and biting two of them. They did not appear to be injured:
The ducklings huddled together. One plucky ducky, the first who had been attacked, decided to confront the drake but then seemed to accept the admonishment of the drake while their mother and nine siblings looked on:
One last look back at the canal on the way back home, as I stopped atop the levee and saw my shadow:
Sunrise view from the corner, a block away from home:
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Linking to:
Weekend Reflections
Saturday's Critters
BirdD'Pot
Camera Critters
All Seasons
Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)
Natasha Musing
Our World Tuesday
Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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Those osprey photos are truly amazing. And the ducklings are very cute. You have some fabulous photos.
ReplyDeleteJust incredible to capture the osprey catching the largemouth bass. Amazing they can fly away with such a heavy load. Bravo on these photos!
ReplyDeleteTop shots.
ReplyDeleteYes sir! I realized it too that great things happen in your backyard
ReplyDeleteWow.....das sind grandiose Aufnahmen. Besonders gut gefallen mir
ReplyDeletedie Aufnahmen vom Fischadler. Eine Serie wunderbarer Fotos hast du mitgebracht.
LG. Karin M.
Spectacular captures of the osprey, especially with the fish in its claws.
ReplyDeleteI'm a virtual New Mexican as well living in Oklahoma. My father was in the US Forest Service and worked on the Santa Fe National forest and we lived in Ranger Stations at Tesuque, Pecos, and Coyote.
stunning morning blue
ReplyDeleteHello Ken,
ReplyDeleteYour do see awesome wildlife sightings right outside your windows. I love the series on the Osprey with the Big mouth Bass. The ducklings are so cute, it is sad they disappeared. Nature can be cruel. The scenery and sky shots are beautiful. Great post and photos, as always! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post.! Take care, have a happy weekend!
The baby ducklings sure are sweet! I love seeing so much here in Florida! It's a blessing!
ReplyDeleteI did not know that about the drakes. Male lions behave similarly.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen drakes killing ducklings - sad. Adore your sky shots.
ReplyDeleteThat's so disheartening about the ducklings. That osprey series of photos is awesome Ken!
ReplyDeleteHave a glorious week ahead & thanks so much for linking up at IRBB this week!
Wow, stunning photos 💚
ReplyDeleteBirds seem so cruel at times, but I guess it is all a part of nature, even if it is disturbing. Your Osprey photos are exceptional and a joy to look through.
ReplyDeleteLife in the animal world can be very fragile, eh? thank you for capturing this whole scenario! Gorgeous images from Osprey catching the fish. Great post for All Seasons, Ken! Thank you so much, Jesh
ReplyDeleteWow! The osprey photos are fantastic ~ you live in a wonderful place ~ not quite sure what happened with the ducklings ~ I have read about birds killing other birds ~ way of nature ~ You always have fantastic photography ~ Bravo to you ~
ReplyDeleteLiving moment by moment,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
The fish looks as though it is shouting for help. I love the way your photos tell a story.
ReplyDeleteThe osprey series is fantastic! I love the expression on the face of that fish, too!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2021/03/oh-tommy.html
Re the ducklings....google "Bruce effect"......lots of male animals do it so that their offspring become dominant. I think of it when ever I hear of a step-father killing a new partners child.
ReplyDeleteThe photos of the osprey with the captured bass were simply amazing and it is so true that everything is someone's dinner. While I can accept that first series, the second one with the drake attacking the Muscovy hen for its own pleasure were distressing especially when I read the accompanying text. I realize from following the provided link that these things do indeed happen but it doesn't make it easier to learn about. The early morning shots were beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMy brother Kenneth! What I especially love on this week's post that you shared from last week's Timeless Thursday is that the series of photos you shared shows a beautiful chronological story! I love how the osprey was shown with its prey and the mother hen had an outing with her kids! Super cute
ReplyDelete