Dr.P has been photographing osprey in California since 1980, and in northern Michigan since 1995. One of his main goals is to capture a photo of an osprey as it is entering the water and coming out with a fish. This is easier said than done, since many “outside of your control” factors need to come together to capture that special shot. This is the first post in a multi post story of his attempts to get that elusive shot.
Medical and Surgical Care of Osprey
Dr.P has been closely working with osprey medically since 1980 when he started the Wildlife Program at the Sun Surf Animal Hospital in Sunset Beach, CA. Since the hospital only one mile away from a wetlands called Bolsa Chica, it was not uncommon for the hospital to get an injured osprey to put back together.
After a thorough exam every osprey would be radiographed for any internal injuries or broken bones.
Do you notice the hollow bones in the humerus? These bones are part of their respiratory system.
Particular attention is paid to the bones in the wing, wrist, and their equivalent of our hand
Once he performed the appropriate medical or surgical care required we would send the osprey to a licensed rehabilitator. When fully recovered the osprey was released near where it was found.
This recovered osprey is being released at Bolsa Chica wetlands in 1982 by a technician at the Sun Surf Animal Hospital
At the Long Beach Animal Hospital Dr. P expanded upon the Wildlife Program, and injured osprey continued to come in the door. Dr. P took advantage of the teaching situation this presented and mentored many vet students over the years in the proper care of injured wild birds through the LBAH externship program.
Supervising Ellie, an MSU veterinary student in the LBAH externship program, as she learns how to examine an osprey
Learning the proper technique in palpating a wing
In the next post ( part II of the Osprey and the Pond) we will jump ahead several decades and look at some of the osprey pictures taken by Dr. P at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands. He has been going there for 44 years and has many great photos, a few of which you will see in the next post as we continue our quest for that special picture of an osprey entering and exiting the water with a fish.
Here is a teaser on what is coming up.
The fly in hard and fast as they literally plunge underwater in an attempt to get a fish