Hello all
This post is connected with two previous post about Osprey's, the first post in this series is called "One Hungry Osprey", which I posted about a month ago; and the second post in this series is called "Once upon a time in the life of Osprey's", now here I present to you a third part which is my attempt to display some aspects of the life of these most magnificent raptors.
These images were shot in overcast to cloudy conditions, which is a part of Corpus Christi winters, and by the time the spring sun appears on a regular basis, I am afraid these birds will be gone. As you'all may or may not be aware, Osprey's are only "winter residents" here along coastal texas, unlike our friends in Florida, for example, where these birds are "permanent residents".
Here is the latest activity that I've managed to capture
Canon EOS 30D, Canon EF 500mm f4L IS with Canon EF 1.4x TC
1. I always begin a series off with a portrait of one of our friends. On several occasions, I have observed this animal perching on this post right at the waters edge. Unlike many raptors, who often perch high on a tree or telephone pole, Osprey's are perfectly content to perch on post and poles that are at ground level.
 | HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE |
2. After some time, off he/she goes, this time flying low over the water, perhaps to try and capture a meal with powerful talons and sharp eyes.
| HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE |
3. Osprey's are often observed flying low over water, and sometimes they even hover at "station keeping" in one spot, in thier attempts to aquire breakfast. But most of the time they ascend up to the heavens as our friend is doing here, Oh how I wish they would hunt and capture prey at close range, but as I watch them, they always become a tiny spot on the horizon as they fly far away from me; I always continue to monitor thier activity at these great distances, but trying to capture a shot of them diving that far away will not produce any worthy images so I don't bother clicking the shutter.
| HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE |
4. After I see them capture a meal, they will often fly towards me, and go right past me overhead, as if there is some kind of "Aerial corridor" that they use to transport thier prey to the place where they will consume it. As I noticed thier pattern, I started stationing myself right under this corridor.
This is what one of them looked like as they were approaching from those great distances, I waited until they got closer before shooting
| HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE |
5. As he/she flew nearer I noticed that a lot of his/her feathers are quite ragged, I can't imagine what must have happened to cause this, perhaps competing with the other two Osprey's that are also out here. If you look at the grip that he/she has on this particular meal, you can see why, ocassionally Ospreys will lose thier prey, in spite of those huge hook like talons and special membranes that are on the bottom of thier feet.
| HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE |
6. Here we see him/her taking a "wingbeat" break and sail along in glide mode for a short time.
| HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE |
7. Deciding to land on top of a nearby telephone pole, I was'nt sure if he/she stopped to take a break, or stopped to consume this fish, I knew that this is not the normal place where they transport thier meals too in order to eat them.
| HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE |
8. This is the first time I've observed these animals eating in this particular spot, on top of this telephone pole.
| HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE |
One day I shall capture a series of detailed shots of these animals, Diving, shaking water off of themselves inflight, hitting the water, and pulling up out of that water with a fish in thier talons. One day.
Thanks for looking.
