With a killing, a high-speed chase, a mugging, and a plot twist worthy of the mystery genera, the story might make a fine movie—if only the participants hadn’t been three birds and a dead fish.
An Osprey caught a large fish and was carrying it off when a sub-adult Bald Eagle, wanting the fish, gave chase. By the time I managed any pictures, they had already made at least one loop around the bay.
With its greater wing loading, the eagle can fly about ten percent faster than the osprey, so during a straight chase, the eagle will overtake the osprey.
However, the smaller osprey is more agile and can make sharper turns. I assume that is the reason the osprey kept banking and turning in tight circles.
On the straight stretch, the eagle was clearly gaining.
It passed just below the osprey in an attempt to dislodge the fish.
As can be seen here, the osprey is still holding onto the fish, but the eagle had been effective.
A moment later, the osprey dropped the fish (see the disturbed water at the bottom of the picture). Meanwhile, the sub-adult eagle, probably now confident of success, flies by overhead.
Suddenly, the game changed: An adult Bald Eagle came from above the fray and plummeted past the others on its way to the fish. It seems the adult had been waiting for the younger eagle to tire both the osprey and itself.
The adult plucked the fish from the Lake and flew off. If the adult really had planned this and bided its time until the other two birds had tired, then that is one canny eagle.
Such a great story to witness, photo and share Alistair! Thanks
Grace, that sequence of pictures spanned only thirty seconds. I knew more or less what was happening as I took it, but it was only when I looked at the pictures that I realized that the eagle that took the prize was not the one that chased the osprey.
Great series of shots! Here is a similar theory. We know the subadult eagle and the osprey were squabbling over the fish. The adult eagle (resident breeder?) then comes over to investigate the kerfuffle knowing that it probably involves food.
By the time the adult gets there the others are tiring and lower in elevation. Both spot the adult approaching with an elevation advantage. The Osprey knows if it hangs onto the fish it will become the target of a dive by the adult. The subadult knows that if it goes after the dropped fish it will be also be attacked.
Instead both abandon fish.
Max, that makes a lot of sense and is probably how it happened.