Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-24
OSPREYS AND EAGLES.
Our National Bird-No More Re
spectacle Than Turkey Buzzard.

In the valley Of the St. Johns, on
the shores of a creek and near lis
junction With the river, a number Of
ospreys or fish eagles have builded
their nests for many years, The nest
of one year Is repaired for the use Of
the next season, and the birds pre-
serve their unions for life. so obsery-
ers declare. Each nest has a tree to
itself-a lofty pine always, and either
continued use has killed many or the
dead trees are preferred, for a great
majority of those carrying nests are
but skeletons. Yet the sense of
neighborhood is valued. Where un-
limited choice of location is offered
the limits of the settlement are
marked by the growing needs of its
members During the winter the
birds, or some of them, are always
near home; perhaps others seek a
change of location or wander far afield
in search of adventure and change of
food.
The life of these birds is clean
while the bald eagle will eat a de-
cayed fish, the osprey refuses even the
fresh one not caught by itself; while
the bald eagle will chase duck OF
other bird, the osprey confines himself
strictly to his one article. The osprey
never degenerates into a vulture, al
though the bald eagle will drive off
the turkey bu2Zard and feast on car
rion; the osprey scorns such hid6ous
apologies. and goes hungry should his
industry fail of its reward. When
the Sky is overcast or the winds vio-
lent. fishing is done under great diff
eulties in the broad river where this
colony usually labors: then the mem
bers of it seek dinner in the wood
land lakes and ponds still unrufiled by
the storms.
But the labdrer is not unwilling to
fight when he must. The bald eagle
sits on a skeleton pine and watches as
if turned to stone, but wakes to life
when an osprey circles over a school
OF fish. When the osprey plungeS and
energies with the struggling prey
shakes himself free from the clinging
water and flies heavily homeward, Old
Badly screams and darts off in pur-
suit. The osprey hears the cry of
the pursuer and rises-in lessenine
VI.
PUSHES on, but finds himself too low
to strike, and circles in his turn. II
the fish be light, the osprey may win
AT the game. but if it be heavy he is
under handicap and the enemy Sc
cures place above him. screams
again, and darts downward The
, osprey sees his danger. and as the
thunderbolt seems about to strike with
all the impetus of the rush and tho
weight of 20 pounds, armed with dag
ger talon and piercing beak. he re-
leases his prey and strikes upward
with beak and claw in self defense
AT the moment of contact, BaldN
sWerVes ~ extending one curved wins
and continues his course downward
the fish is caught in its descent, ant
by extending the other wing another
! graceful turn is executed. The be
wildered osprey goes off to watch fol
| another fish and Badly sails away t,
ms faVorite perch to eat and diges
his stolen dinner at leisure. Bu
when the fish is light the struggle il
i more equal. Straight for his mes
! or the shelter of the woods goes tn
osprey with the whistling wings an,
eager whistles of the enemy in clos
pursuit. Frequently the mate of tn
pursuer comes out from some point o
vantage to interrupt the flight and L
drive the osprey upward. But if thes
| tactics do not succeed, and the nest i
reached. then the osprey drops hi