Intriguing Raptor

Hyde Park Drainage Pond

There are a pair of Ospreys nesting in the Hyde Park area.  Usually one sees them flying around the water searching for fish.  I have been observing the Ospreys since Spring.  I find them a fascinating raptor.  The claws on this bird is something else!  They search for fish by flying on steady wing beats and bowed wings or circling high over the water.  They hover briefly before diving feet first to grab a fish.

This Osprey was eating a fish on top of a hydro pole when I arrived.  I parked at the other side to see the Osprey from front.  The fish was much bigger than I thought! 

The pair are in the tree, one up above and the other lower in the tree beside the pond.

This Week Sightings

Week of August 5-9, 2019

I went to Hyde Park, The Coves and Greenway Park this week.  I managed to see a nice variety of birds.  Some are Ospreys, Turkey Vultures, House Wren, Indigo Bunting, Great Blue Herons, Double-crested Cormorant, Belted Kingfishers, Spotted Sandpipers, Eastern Wood Pewee, Red-eyed Vireo and a Great Egret to name a few. 

Double-crested Cormorant

Belted Kingfisher

This Great Blue Heron just finished fishing and is soaked!

Great Egret

Osprey

Gray Catbird

House Wren

Other things I saw through the week.

Painted Turtle

Variable Dancer

Common Whitetail

Cabbage White

My first life Question Mark...a nice surprise!

Question Mark

Cardinal Flower

Grey-headed Coneflower

Strolling Hyde Park

Hyde Park Drainage Pond and Trails

A nice warm day today.  I walked Hyde Park Pond to see what was around.  A Great Blue Heron was busy fishing, a Doubled-crested Cormorant flew in to find some lunch.  An Osprey hit the water from the air three times momentarily disappearing under the water.  

Great Blue Heron

I usually don't see too many Indigo Buntings but today I saw one.  It was a distance away in a dead tree and I can only see the silhouette of the bird.  I didn't have my bins with me.  

Indigo Bunting

Spotted Sandpiper

There were some small frogs in a big puddle.  Dragonflies were flying around mostly Common Whitetails.  I saw a bigger frog jumping up from the water trying to catch a dragonfly.  When I was watching the frog missed a couple of times.

Northern Leopard Frog

I saw my FOY Eastern Amberwing and Halloween Pennant.

Eastern Amberwing

Halloween Pennant

Variable Dancer

There were a few Monarchs around, I found a Viceroy and another Red-Spotted Purple.  There were a few Cabbage Whites and saw two sulphur butterflies for the first time this year.  I was so happy to see them.  They wouldn't settle for a photo.

Viceroy

Red-Spotted Purple