Osprey

The osprey is the only raptor that eats almost nothing but fish. From the air or from a post it watches the water, sometimes hovers briefly, then plunges in feet first. It is built for the job: an outer toe it can swivel backwards, so that with two toes in front and two behind it holds a slippery fish firmly, and rough little spikes under its toes. It carries the fish in flight head first, to catch less wind. You recognise it by its white underside, the dark eye stripe across its white head and its angled wings. It is a migrant that follows the coast in spring and autumn, on its way to Africa and back. It likes to rest on a post in the bay, as in my photos.