Male Osprey with a fish, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Daggett County, UtahMale Osprey with a fish

It is cloudy and snowing hard outside this morning so I dug into my files and edited these nesting Osprey images I took last year in mid May at Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area in Utah. I absolutely love the Flaming Gorge area and have posted about it before. These images aren’t my best Osprey photos but I like the series, my Nikon D300 was in the shop being repaired so these were all taken with my Nikon D200, I won’t post my techs because there are so many images.

In this frame the male Osprey with a fish in his talons was flying into the nesting platform from below it but he has his eyes locked on the nest.

Male Osprey about to land with prey, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Daggett County, UtahMale Osprey about to land with prey

As he came closer to the platform he flared his wings and tail to slow his flight down, he has released his grip on the fish with one talon, perhaps to enable him to grasp some of the nesting material as he landed.

Male Osprey bringing a fish to the nest, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Daggett County, UtahMale and female Osprey at the nest

In this frame the female can be seen on the nest as the male approaches it.

Male Osprey landing on nest with prey, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Daggett County, UtahMale Osprey landing on the nest

The male focused on landing, as I recall it was fairly breezy when I photographed this Osprey pair.

Male and female Osprey on nest, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Daggett County, UtahMale and female Osprey on nest

The male landed on the nest and flared his wings again.

Pair of Ospreys on the nest, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Daggett County, UtahThe pair of Ospreys on the nest

I expected the male to give the fish to the female…

Male Osprey lifting off with his fish, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Daggett County, UtahMale Osprey lifting off with his fish

But he didn’t. He took flight and landed on a nearby power pole and devoured the fish.

Female Osprey in flight over its nest, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Daggett County, UtahFemale Osprey in flight

Not long after the female took flight and flew over the Flaming Gorge Reservoir, she may have been looking to catch a fish of her own.

Female Osprey about to land on the nest, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Daggett County, UtahFemale Osprey about to land on the nest

She wasn’t gone long and didn’t catch a fish before she flew back onto the nest. There may have already been eggs because neither bird left the nest for very long.

Male Osprey fly by, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Daggett County, UtahMale Osprey fly by

The male flew past the nest before we left them alone and gave me great views of his bright yellow eyes.

The road outside my window has turned white while I have worked on this post and winter still has a grip on Utah but it won’t be all that long before the Ospreys migrate back here to their nesting grounds.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Osprey photos plus facts and information about this species.