Ospreys

Speaking of Raptors, Ospreys are found all over North America - anywhere there is large bodies of water that harbor fish.  In the summer they are usually found in the higher elevations of the Rocky Mountains and along both sea shores as well as the Great lakes and Canada. In Northern Illinois they can be seen along Lake Michigan and sometimes along the Illinois and Rock Rivers. In winter they will migrate south to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and the Baja Peninsula and surprisingly enough - Arizona. Last Winter, while I was hiking near Saguaro Lake (near Phoenix, AZ), I was able to capture an Osprey swooping in on a fish, catcing it in its talons and taking off with its dinner. (Above) the Osprey locating its prey. (Below top) It catches the fish; (Below bottom) it pulls the fish out of the water. These photos were the first time I put my Canon Rebel T1i's "burst mode" to good use.

Below is another good capture of an Osprey as it was soaring above (of all things) a golf course water hazard (in Phoenix) looking for its meal.