Tuesday, September 2, 2014,

Here’s a trio of shots of a juvenile Osprey I saw at Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge. I was kayaking through on the Lower Carmans River when I took these pics. This stretch of water supports several working Osprey nests and this bird is one of the season’s crop.

Look at this guy. He’s already as big as his parents. That wingspan is over five feet, no exaggeration. This is no small bird. Now check out that beak and those eyes and those talons. Only fish know which of these is the sharpest. Doesn’t he look fierce stamping back and forth on that branch? This could be Edward G. Robinson crying out, “Made it Ma! Top of the world!“, only with better scenery.

Well appearances can be, and often are, deceiving. This is one of those occasions. Instead of being a tough guy or proclaiming his magnificence, this bird is begging, yes begging, for a handout from Mom or Dad. Despite his size, this guy is still more than dependent on a little help from his folks. Think teenager and you’ll get the picture. Oh! My bad. Did I say that out loud? JK