Day 113 Kinky Bird

April 1, 2015

(This is part of a 365 project during my 70th year where I write and illustrate a blog on each day's gift.)

Just over three miles from my home, Downs Park on the Chesapeake Bay is a treasure of gifts. 

On a walk today, I noticed a tall tree that had offered a cradle gift to an osprey. Four branches at the top were the perfect crotch for the bird to assemble its large nest of sticks. As I crossed the bridge connecting two parts of the park, I looked at the nest and noticed a bird moving in it. Large birds, these fish-eating raptors can grow to 24 inches in length with a 71-inch wingspan. I suspect the one I saw was a female sitting on her eggs because every minute or so, she changed position as if she were sitting on lumpy seat cushions. 

The Chesapeake Bay, another treasure in our area, is home to many ospreys that usually build their nests near the water. This one located its resting place a little further away than some. Many people may not know that these are kinky raptors. When they fly, their wings are always bowed downward to form an M shape.

Of course, I stopped to snap some photos. Although a longer lens would have been better suited to shoot my avian subject, I had my longest lens with me, a 300 mm.  While I stood there for about ten minutes, a woman walked past me, talking on her cell phone and unaware of the awesome bird above. She missed an opportunity, connecting with business rather than nature. I would not have seen the osprey myself if I had been walking in the other direction, perhaps a good reason for varying one’s journeys and changing direction from time to time. 

My gift today is an osprey in her nest.

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> Day 114 Venus Envy

Watch an osprey cam in Woods hole, Massachusetts:
http://www.whoi.edu/ospreycam/page.do?pid=41055

You can read my other posts on this project here:
http://bjschupp.blogspot.com/2014/12/365-gifts.html