Belle's Journey An Osprey Takes Flight Rob Bierregaard Illustrated by Kate Garchinsky
To the amazing naturalist and educator Gus Ben David who has tirelessly shepherded the Martha’s Vineyard osprey population from two pairs in 1970 to more than ninety pairs in 2014 and lovingly shared his knowledge of the island’s natural history with generations of children young and old R B For my skydance partner Brian Lionel Carpenter All my love and shiny things K G ii
Contents Foreword iv Chapter 1 Reunion on the Marsh 1 Chapter 2 The Scientists 5 Chapter 3 First Flight 9 Chapter 4 Captured 13 Chapter 5 First Fish 21 Chapter 6 Migration 29 Chapter 7 Island Hopping 35 Chapter 8 Hurricane 41 Chapter 9 Over the Mountains 47 Chapter 10 The Sea of Green 51 Chapter A Long Vacation 57 Chapter 12 A Busy Summer 61 Chapter 13 Homeward Bound 65 Chapter 14 Across the Gulf 71 Chapter 15 A Meal Lost 77 Chapter 16 Homecoming 81 Chapter 17 A New Pair of Ospreys 87 Chapter 18 A Final Reunion 93 Chapter 19 Journey’s End 97 Information and Resources 99 Osprey Basics 99 Migration 100 Injured Wildlife 101 Resources 102 Acknowledgments 104 Index 106 iii
