Al Dronsfield Speaks:

Hunter Steve Irwin, what would Steve do? Steve would have jumped in, Al is not doing that! I reached for a large beach towel and dropped it over the wings and head of the Osprey. Spreading my arms wide I grasped the towel and wings a ways away from the beak and talons of this predator, raising it up and into the boat. I removed the towel and as you can see my newfound friend has joined me in the boat. This beautiful creature rode around with me for about 2 hours as I continued to fish. Periodically I would look back and it would look at me with it’s piercing eyes, AWESOME sight. After about 2 hours I looked back at the Osprey and said how are you doing? My friend let out a sharp piercing screech as if to say thank you and flapped its wings and off it went.

Oh, the story doesn’t end here. It was a week or so later I was out on the opposite side of the point I had rescued the Osprey. Again, fishing the shoreline grass when overhead is a lone Osprey circling overhead. Not unusual however it circled for the longest time in one location directly over me, that is unusual! In my mind I am thinking is this my rescued friend? Possibly, I believe it was as just prior to departing it made that same sharp piercing screech as if to say Thank You!

By Allen Dronsfield. 2020 08 29.