Hungry...

Another funny little vignette from the life of an osprey...I was watching a juvenile in a tree eating a fish leisurely today. Nibbling, looking around. I was hoping to locate his sibling too, so I was just hanging around scanning all the other trees, listening...then suddenly this chick began food begging desperately as he hung onto the remains if the fish he had. Ah...here comes Dad! He lands on the branch right next to the chick with another small fish. The chick starts inhaling the fish he has, trying to quickly make room for more. If any of you have watched ospreys eat you know how they sometimes struggle with the tail piece...a little too big to swallow, but difficult to get a good hold so they can rip and tear Into smaller bites. This guy was struggling...trying to swallow this huge tail piece, but having to spit it back out, repeatedly, all while whining the way chicks do...looking at Dads fish, trying to swallow his tail piece, food begging...as, once again, I started laughing out loud. He finally ripped his fish into smaller bits, as Dad began eating the other fish. Then he managed to finally swallow the end of the tail. He sat there and watched his Dad finish off the other fish. Too late. He whined as the adult male flew off. Ha ha. They are eating machines this time of year.