If you have ever witnessed the beauty of an osprey fishing, then you will know it is an amazing moment when the osprey emerges from the water with a fish.

The osprey circle above water looking into the depths for a fish. Once they see a fish, they dive into the water to grasp it with their long, sharp talons.  The fish puts up a fight and if large enough, the fish will pull the osprey back into the water.

This particular osprey, featured in these photos, has one bent feather hence his name: Bentfeather.  But the bent feather doesn’t prevent him from struggling and succeeding in getting a fish.  If you follow the series of photos below you will see the fish succeeds in pulling Bentfeather back into the water a couple of times before Bentfeather clears the water and is able to fly.

It is a large fish for Bentfeather.  Once Bentfeather secures the fish, he will take it for a ride above the water until the fish stops struggling.  Bentfeather will find a tall tree near the nest where his mate awaits.  He will eat 2/3 of the fish (fishing is hard work) and his partner will get the remaining 1/3.

This is a series of photos I was delighted to capture of Bentfeather’s lunch fishing expedition at Sanibel Island’s Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge.

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