Ozzie got his first lesson in the dangers Africa could offer on his fourth day at the estuary. Ozzie was up river a bit, where the banks were high enough to support the first trees. Ozzie had just caught a fish and taken it to a sandbar to eat it. Up river on a dead branch an African Fish Eagle had watched the whole episode. As Ozzie rose from the river channel and shook the water off himself, the eagle could see the fish in Ozzies talons. Silently, with barely a wingbeat he left his perch. He glided after Ozzie, anticipating the landing on the sandbar. The massive eagle arrived moments after Ozzie had touched down. Ozzie stepped off the fish and was about to clean himself up before eating. A shadow crossed him as the eagle swept in, talons outstretched. A startled Ozzie jumped aside as the eagle landed full square on the fish, letting out a loud scream. Ozzie flew away from danger along the sand- bar and landed, calling in defiance and anger.

It made absolutely no difference to the eagle who merely began feasting on his stolen meal. A dejected Ozzie stood there uncertainly and watched his fish disappear. After seventeen minutes, the fish gone, Ozzie repaired to a nearby tree to consider his next fishing trip.

An African Fish Eagle may weigh anything between 1986 and 3630 grams and a female may weigh twice that of an Osprey. They can catch fish weighing up to 3kg, but often steal fish from other birds. The diet is varied and some have been known to specialise in catching and eating flamingos!