Ospreys

[Riosacandaga]

Sunday evening I was out paddling the Sacandaga River from Wells back to home in Benson. Just below a place called Heart’s Delight, you can see it from RT 30 across the river in Hope; I spotted a large dark bird with a bit of white markings. It had a fish in its talons so I thought it may have been a Bald Eagle. As it flew upstream I saw that it was an Osprey. As I continued on I saw three Ospreys at about where the little waterfall comes in from river right in Benson. About a mile further downstream there is a large island. At the head of the island was a Merganser feigning distress and above were two Ospreys in a holding pattern. I had stopped paddling and was coasting in the current when the Osprey closest to me tucked into a dive and hit the water about 15’ off my bow. It was amazing. It came up empty taloned and flew off to the north. I looked down towards the left channel of the island. The other Osprey was just hovering about 30-40’ up with the nearly full moon as a backdrop. I took the right channel to home and was wanting to grab my camera and go back. They would have been gone by the time I walked back to the river and I still had a long bike ride back to Wells to fetch my truck.

[redhawk]

Sunday evening I was out paddling the Sacandaga River from Wells back to home in Benson. Just below a place called Heart’s Delight, you can see it from RT 30 across the river in Hope; I spotted a large dark bird with a bit of white markings. It had a fish in its talons so I thought it may have been a Bald Eagle. As it flew upstream I saw that it was an Osprey. As I continued on I saw three Ospreys at about where the little waterfall comes in from river right in Benson. About a mile further downstream there is a large island. At the head of the island was a Merganser feigning distress and above were two Ospreys in a holding pattern. I had stopped paddling and was coasting in the current when the Osprey closest to me tucked into a dive and hit the water about 15’ off my bow. It was amazing. It came up empty taloned and flew off to the north. I looked down towards the left channel of the island. The other Osprey was just hovering about 30-40’ up with the nearly full moon as a backdrop. I took the right channel to home and was wanting to grab my camera and go back. They would have been gone by the time I walked back to the river and I still had a long bike ride back to Wells to fetch my truck.

Mike, Those osprey are a nesting pair. Their nest is somewhere just south of the confluence of the West and east branches, across the river from the campground. I see them a lot when i walk the dogs through the campground via Karuth Road and a short bushwhack.\

They hang out on Algonquin and by the dam as well.

Hawk

[Riosacandaga]

Redhawk,
There are more than two now... they all must be fleeing urban life for the country....pretty soon the local Osprey won't be able to afford a nest...

[redhawk]

Redhawk,
There are more than two now... they all must be fleeing urban life for the country....pretty soon the local Osprey won't be able to afford a nest...

There is another pair, up Piseco Way. I check and they have young every year. They have been breeding for a while so maybe we're starting to get communities of the offspring.

[Connie Bear Orion]

They are great to watch when they are fishing.

I am a bit jealous of them usually.
They catch more then me.

But its still great to see them.

[sideshow]

I have seen them fish just south of Hearts Delight. My buddy and I were using 4wt rods with Dave's Hoppers, from Ed's. We had caught 4 or 5 each when just about 100 yds downstream we both saw an osprey scoop up a fish, most likely a smallie, that had to be 15". Man, was I envious.

[Adirondack_hunter]

Nice to hear of ospreys there.
I live very close to a big trout stream and last weekend my son while fishing saw two ospreys dive and catch trout for the first time.
He came home empty handed but with the experience of watching them. I know he will never forget that day just like I have never forgotten seeing my first osprey back in 1978 catch a trout on the same stream.

Sideshow, he was envious as well. He called them cheaters!!!

[wildbrookies]

I love watching Ospreys ...they`re such an awesome raptor and predator...

Once, my brother Marzrw and I were camping at a brook trout pond and having a fishless day ...as we watched an Osprey circle overhead...all of a sudden it folded its wings and just dove straight down and smacked the water so hard ,it made a loud noise ...then took off with a good-sized trout in its talons.....it flew to its nest that was on the shoreline and we watched it devour its catch...it was probably chuckling to itself as it watched us paddle around getting skunked...

Wb

[sideshow]

"Sideshow, he was envious as well. He called them cheaters!!!"

We called them something else that ends with "ers!!!" Still, I can't wait to get back on that stretch of river.