Another itinerant Osprey

 

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Followers of this blog may recall the longish stopover on La Palma of a ringed Osprey from the north of Scotland last year. Here's the link to the corresponding post:

http://lapalmabirds.blogspot.com/2020/12/osprey-kl9-brief-summary.html

This morning, July 22, I discovered another itinerant bird in the same area. It was devouring a freshly-caught fish on top of the same utility pole used by its predecessor, not far from the Dos Pinos reservoir (Los Llanos de Aridane).

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

This once lifeless irrigation reservoir is now teeming with easy-to-catch Tilapia fish, whose precise origin is unknown. Theories range from deliberate introduction, to accidental escape from other ponds via pipelines and channels, all in connection with an unsuccessful aquiculture project. Motives, dates, and other details are hard to uncover.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

 

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

The bird eventually took flight when a couple of youths, who had been angling only about 70 metres away, inadvertently came too close. The Osprey had difficulty freeing itself from its prey, and flew off with part of the fish still hanging from its talons.