Feed Me! Feed Me!

  After our hike yesterday evening, I heard a familiar screaming out front near the pier.  I recognized the voice of the Ospreys as they called with great intensity.  Pondering the fact, I decided to slip out the front door and down the board path.  This bird was nearby and it seemed oblivious to my approach.  Finally, as I neared the pier, I saw my friend.  Yep, Mama Osprey was perched in the pine at the base of the pier.  Her screams were deafening now that I was nigh on right beneath her.  I was curious as to whether her calls were for her fledglings or were these calls for her mate.  I knew that not long ago, she was nesting in the back of the Bayou in one of the tall pines.  Her screams continued even though she spied me below her.  

  In the distance, I could hear other (equally as loud) screeches. Hopefully, the other Osprey would venture her way and not her toward it.  No such luck...she turned and flew westward.  Well, there was nothing for me to do but wait. Since she had perched in the pine once, she would most likely return.  Sure enough within a few minutes, the huge bird glided back to the area.  As she landed on a nearby tree, another Osprey nearly knocked her off her perch.  Ok...so that one was not so agile and had not mastered the art of aerial maneuvers.  Surely, it was a juvenile and all that screaming was it wanting food and Mama trying to guide it during its flight training session.  The youngster still had a lot to learn.  

  While sitting there in the fading sunlight, I could hear another Osprey off in the distance.  Perhaps two of her young survived and the other was demanding attention, too.  Out over the water was a fourth Osprey. This one was searching for fish....perhaps the Dad?  What a glorious feeling it was to observe this incredible family in action!