Page 11 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - August '20
P. 11
Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 11
Northern Notes
Outstanding Ospreys known as the river to Australia. The osprey species is at least 11 million years old
hawk, fish hawk and is so well adapted to fishing that it has evolved unique
By Katie Roundtree, or sea hawk. It is characteristics that set it apart from other raptor species. They
Finance Director, Northern considered a raptor, have nostrils that can be closed during dives as well as an oily
Palm Beach County or bird of prey, since waterproof coating on their wings. An osprey’s outer toe is
Improvement District it is carnivorous. reversible, which means they can carry prey (slippery fish) with
Ospreys are beautiful birds Ospreys are two toes in front and two toes behind.
that are often mistaken for sometimes confused The osprey is the only hawk species in North America that eats
other kinds of hawks or eagles. with bald eagles, but live fish almost exclusively, with approximately 80 fish species
White undersides and a crook can be identified Source: Birdsoftheworld.org making up nearly 100 percent of its diet. The raptor can dive
in its narrow wings, distinguish by their white as deep as three feet into the water for fish, but prefers to hunt
this bird as it soars above underparts. Eagles and ospreys frequent similar habitats and in shallower areas. When carrying their prey back to the nest,
the water. Adults are dark sometimes compete for food. Eagles often force ospreys to drop ospreys will arrange the fish so that it is upright, head forward to
brown above with brownish- fish that they have caught and then steal them in midair. ease wind resistance. Ospreys are great anglers—successful in
black marks on the wings and These birds are the second most widely distributed raptor one out of four dives for fish! Because of this appetite, these birds
brown speckling on the breast. The head is white with a dark species, after the peregrine falcon, and can be found on every can be found near ponds, rivers, lakes and coastal waterways
brown crown and a brown streak down the cheek. It is a very continent except Antarctica. What is even more interesting around the world. It is the only raptor that plunges or dives into
distinctive fish-hawk, formerly classified with other hawks but is that all of the ospreys around the world are part of a single the water feet first to catch fish with its talons.
now placed in a separate family of its own. This species is also species, with the exception of the eastern osprey which is native Ospreys construct their nests at the tops of dead trees, atop
power poles, on man-made nesting platforms and sometimes on
buoys, chimneys, or other structures. The nests are most often
used year after year and can become up to 10 feet high as more
nesting material is added each breeding season. Ospreys usually
mate for life.
An osprey can live 15 to 20 years. The oldest known was
just over 25 years old. During that long lifetime, the migratory
birds can travel over 160,000 miles. In fact, in 2008, an osprey
being tracked by researchers flew an amazing 2,700 miles in just
13 days, traveling from Massachusetts to French Guiana, South
America!
These birds are unique raptors, built for hunting and can be
spotted around our waterways. Keep a lookout for these beautiful
birds next time you’re outside.
Sources: mnn.com, fws.gov, nationalgeographic.com
NPDES tip: Planting a rain garden with native plants around
your home helps lock rain water in the ground, reducing the flow
of pollutants and poisons into the drains. Using organic fertilizers
and pesticides in your garden further protects and brings health
to your yard and all the species living there.
Canadian Rockies from page 10
landings are not allowed in the national parks, these two
ranges are popular for both heli-hiking and heli-skiing.
Secluded mountain lodges have been established to provide
unique hiking, skiing and mountaineering experiences, using
helicopters to transport visitors from the valleys to the top of
the mountains for these venues.
Like Mecca, the Canadian Rockies are a place that
everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. They may
not be the highest in the world, contain the most animals or
fish, or have the best skiing or rafting; however, in my opinion
they are by far the most spectacular.
Don Kiselewski writes from his personal experiences,
having traveled in 122 countries and cruised the oceans,
seas and rivers of the world. Palm Beach Gardens Travel
Leaders, his family owned and operated agency, is located
at Mirasol Town Square, 11360 North Jog Road, Building
A, Suite 102-6, Palm Beach Gardens. The agency has been
serving the travel needs of the South Florida area for over
a quarter of a century. Contact him at (561) 694-9696 or
Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
Moraine Lake
CDC COVID-19 Travel
Recommendations By
Country
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/
travelers/map-and-travel-notices.html
