Osprey at the ‘Fly-up’ Window at the Metcalf

The usual food for osprey are fish. And the Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge has plenty of them in some ponds that are usually accessible all year long. Visitors to the refuge can sit in their cars on the main road and wait for the birds' dinnertime.

And the attack is swift ...

...and wet. Now, to get it home, as seen below.

The raptor often uses its talons to line up the fish parallel with its body to reduce wind resistance, which is helpful when transporting the larger fish. With a meal firmly in its talons, the osprey heads away, possibly to a nest of youngsters.

Another bird that takes advantage of the fish population at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge is the Great Blue Heron. We'll show that bird's "slow and steady" techniques later this week on this website.