When Opportunity Knocks

For all of the majesty ascribed to Bald Eagles, they have some less than majestic habits, such as eating carrion or road kill and stealing food others have worked hard to catch. I once met an 8-year-old boy who told the story of an eagle swooping down to take a freshly caught fish right off the boy’s rod just after he’d pulled his catch out of the water. The boy’s eyes were wide and his voice emphatic as he recalled the encounter with a fierce bird just about his size.

A few weeks back I was lucky enough to witness a Bald Eagle attempting to steal an Osprey’s catch. I have seen this stunt before a few times, but never this close or with my camera in tow. I think the hope is that the Osprey will give up and drop the fish and fly off, not wanting to tangle with the much larger and heavier eagle.

The Osprey eats fish almost exclusively. Known for its precise diving and talons designed to clutch slippery prey, the bird will often completely submerge as it makes its catch.

I first saw the Osprey making its way to a favorite dining snag, carrying its recent catch, above the river, right where I usually set up to watch whatever might be happening that morning. Suddenly, out of nowhere, an eagle appeared and the Osprey abruptly changed its course as it was forced to begin making evasive maneuvers to hang onto its prey.