The Osprey is sometimes referred to as the 'Sea Eagle' and like its land based cousin, the eagle, is a noble bird with a wing span which often reaches 6 feet across. The Osprey is a raptor with a feathery, almost disoriented look, that reminds one of an absent minded professor. Like the nations symbol, the bald eagle, the Osprey mates for life. Building its nest often in nautical lights and bells. Their nests reach 6 to 10 feet in height and are made from tree branches or driftwood.
For years the US Coast Guard allowed the Osprey to build nests in their lights and bells until the baby birds flew the coup. Afterward , the 'bird-houses' were cleaned out to waite for another nesting cycle to begin and for a new tenant to occupy a nautical marker.
A raptor the Osprey is an efficient fisher, approaching a fish from the rear, it swoops down, always grabbing its prey head first and transpotring their surprised passenger to the nest. The Osprey is tenacious in its resolve and they frequently dive on a fish too large to carry. A fisherman reported having an exhusted bird, with a large prey, land on his boat only to take off again after gaining its stamina.
Almost extinct by the second half of the 1900's the Osprey are rebuilding their population thanks inpart to the Coast Guard.