Red-tailed Hawk and Osprey 2

Went to the San Elijo Lagoon for a quick morning walk... the tide was too high but the raptors were up and flying....

 

A resident male Osprey is in pursuit of a young female.. This may be more of courtship flight than a territorial disagreement... but I have never seen an Osprey introducing himself to a new female before so this is something new for me to observe... this will be interesting to keep tabs on...

I did observe this young male a few weeks ago bringing a nesting material into the lagoon but there is no nest site available  he just dropped it in the middle of the lagoon... I have heard rumors from the Conservancy  that they are talking about a platform for the Ospreys..... In this photo... their wings matching in flight... a beautiful sight.....

The resident male, shown in flight behind the young female. The female Osprey in front (with brown speckled markings on the chest..sometimes called a necklace). 

The female Ospreys are bigger.. she also has wider wings.. the male's wings are narrower.. and he may be up to 20% smaller...

Love the way both Ospreys wings are exactly in the same flight position

They fly and chase for a few more minutes and go to perch on their favorite posts..

Now my attention is turned eastward... a Great Blue Heron is in hot pursuit of a Great Egret with a huge Vole in his beak....

Easy to tell a Vole form a rat.. the tail is short on a vole.... This Great Egret was not going to let the GBH take it from him...

 

The Great Blue Heron is fearless and will even harass a Osprey for its fish... The chase ends quickly as the Great Egret veers east and

the GBH decides he has expended enough energy trying to steal the vole and settles at the north west side of the lagoon.......

I am ready to call it a day and head towards the back entrance to check on a Red-tailed Hawk perched on a pole nearby

As soon as I point the camera and click.. he takes flight....

But makes a tight circle back and flies overhead...

Displaying his beautiful markings.. this is one beautiful Red-tailed Hawk... "Buteo jamaicensis"..measures 19 inches long with a wing span

of 49 inches... a big-sized raptor that rules this lagoon...

Gives me a look over and lingers right above for a few seconds.... I saw this hawk take a prey away from a Northern Harrier last week.. "Might is right".. he got the prey

One more shot of the beautiful full spread of his wings. It takes your breath away!....... and it's time for me to say good-bye....

  

Have a wonderful Saturday everyone...