One of the familiar sounds of spring in the Chesapeake Bay region is the piercing call of the osprey.  This bird is well renowned for its fishing prowess.  However, they are not looking for just anything that is swimming.  Their main targets are herring and shad.

Osprey vs. Shad

These fish are anadromous, spending much of their adult lives in the ocean and returning to tidal fresh waters to spawn.  Humans and predatory birds love American and hickory shad and blueback herring because they are rich in fatty acids and have large egg sacks called roe.  No doubt, that the rich nutrients of these fish help osprey lay healthy eggs and hatch strong chicks.

Hickory Shad

Bald eagles are also attentive to the return of the fish and their winged rivals.  Osprey are built for diving in the water and have a 70% accuracy rate in catching prey.  Eagles habitually steal food from other birds and kill osprey chicks.  However, osprey parents defend their nest very well and catch what they need to feed their young.

Unfortunately, herring and shad have been victims of habitat loss, overharvesting, and pollution.  However, we humans can still enjoy these fish.  Anglers are welcome to fight shad with a rod & reel on a catch and release basis.  A good seafood department will have them fresh in season.  Keep in mind that they are quite bony.  Eat them with care, bake them at a low temperature until the bones dissolve, or try your hand at filleting them boneless.

No eating in the nest

Osprey usually arrive in the first two weeks of March at York River State Park and other places in the region.  The nesting platform at the bottom of the bluff behind the Visitor Center is more active than the one along Taskinas Creek.  They rarely eat inside of the nest.  So, look in the pine branches near the amphitheater and gazebo.  Chances are a brown and white bird is feeding on a flat bodied fish.  Osprey & prey season is here. 

Directions to York River State Park:  From I-64, take the Croaker Exit 231B. Go north on Route 607 (Croaker Rd.) for one mile, then right on Route 606 (Riverview Rd.) about one and a half miles to the park entrance. Take a left turn into the park.