Osprey watching at Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park
Given that the bald eagle is our majestic national symbol, we can all be excused if it is the first raptor that comes to mind when we think about fish-hunting birds. Here in Maine, while bald eagles are thankfully somewhat common and are wonderful to admire, we shouldn’t forget about appreciating the ospreys that return to our salt and freshwater shores each spring.
Ospreys are highly skilled hunters who often outperform eagles. In fact, eagles frequently let the ospreys do the dirty work of catching fish and then harass the osprey mid-flight until it drops the fish – which the eagle then snatches.
There are numerous ways to learn more about ospreys in Maine. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has a good raptor page that includes information on ospreys. Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park has a resident pair of ospreys that can be observed seasonally and there are regularly scheduled program times when the public can view the birds with staff present to discuss the life history and ecology of these special creatures.
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