Awkward Swimmer: An Unusual River Rescue Story

by Jamie Brunkow, Lower James Riverkeeper

On a steamy July afternoon in the James River, near its confluence with the Chickahominy River, we spotted an unusual scene. Wading through the water with wings outstretched, and only a soggy head poking through the surface, was an osprey.

In the summer these raptors are common in the Chesapeake Bay area – but I’ve never seen one swimming.

As we slowed the boat and approached for a closer look, the osprey began to feebly sweep its wings through the water inching slowly toward us. The osprey appeared to recognize our boat as the next best thing to dry land. It looked tired or possibly injured, and it was unable to take flight. And from our position in the middle of the 2.5 mile-wide James, the osprey’s chances of reaching shore seemed slim.

It was not at all wary of us, and when I extended a pole towards the osprey it latched on right away and I carefully pulled it in.

“Chirp, chirp, chirp… splash!” In no time the osprey lost its hold on the plastic pole and awkwardly teetered back into the River. When it emerged at the surface again, its red eyes appeared more animated and its wing motions more frantic. It was no longer interested in grabbing hold of the pole, and simply bobbed there like someone that had been prank-shoved into a pool.

I eased the boat closer to the osprey, pulled on a leather glove, and reached for the bird which immediately grasped my hand with its talons. JRA RiverRat, David Bernard, held a plastic tub under the bird as I coerced it off my hand. Nestled in the tub at the stern of the boat, the osprey shivered and peered at us suspiciously. Although out of the water at last, the osprey did not look pleased to be in our hands. A glance at the raptor’s talons was enough to convince us to keep our distance.

The osprey was soaking wet, somewhat mellow or probably just worn out, but we didn’t see any apparent injuries. Still, it was not trying to fly or move an inch from the back of the boat.  We set out toward Hopewell where we had begun the Riverkeeper patrol that morning, and contacted a local bird rescue for some help.

Within a few hours, the osprey was dry and getting a free meal at the Calmary Farms rescue.

Teresa Whipp, at the rescue said, “He was seen by a vet that said, just give him a couple days rest and you will know when he is ready to go.  He was very calm when he came in, but on Wednesday, I went to feed him and he was trying to kill me through the cage, so that was his way of telling me I am ready.” After just a few days, the bird flew off like a champ.

So how did this osprey end up swimming in the James? July and August is the time of year when young ospreys are learning to fly and leaving the nest. Perhaps inexperience led this one to plunge into the River, or maybe it got hold of a fish that was little too big to carry off. What do you think?