That's not a sea gull! That's a... what is that?

[benlonghair]

So I was bumming around the beach the last few days and kept seeing this bird way off in the distance that I could tell wasn't something I normally see. I got some really distant shots that convinced me it was some kind of raptor.

As I was walking back from the beach, he was close over the road and this is the result.

It is a osprey (fixed), apparently.

300mm | f/13 | 1/500 | ISO 800

 

[Buckster]

Looks like an osprey.

 

[Arkanjel Imaging]

Yeah, defintely an osprey.

 

[Derrel]

Yes, not a rough legged hawk, but an osprey. Notice the narrow tail profile and the barred pattern of the underside tail feathers...rough legged hawks have a wider, flared-out tail. They are otherwise 'sort of' similar, but the fish in its claws prey you saw is a good tip-off. BTW, an osprey once tipped me off to one of the best trout-fishing spots I ever found in a roadside park...the spot looked rather too-shallow and exposed, but on two occasions I was there, an osprey successfully caught trout there, so the third time, I came with a fishing rod and found the zone was absolutely filled with trout!

 

[benlonghair]

Thanks for the info. Didn't think it was dark enough for an osprey, but I didn't ever get a look at it's head and back.