I was surprised to find this pretty lady hanging out at a lake on Saturday. By now most Osprey have started their annual trip to their winter grounds in Mexico and South America. This young one apparently missed her flight or has decided the cooler seasonal weather here in Colorado isn’t so bad. After catching a fish from the lake, she did a nice flyby as if to show it off then landed in a tree and dined.
Male Osprey performs picture perfect flyover
I was taking pictures back in May of a female on a nesting stand when the male returned. Before landing, he thought he better check out that guy with the camera and in doing so gave me some fabulous flight shots.
Unfortunately this particular nest wasn’t successful this year. The year before it yielded one offspring.
Most Osprey have leftColorado for the season and are heading to the warmer environs of the coasts of Mexico and South America. These raptors are actually a type of a hawk. Making them a bit unique is that they almost exclusively live near water and dine on fish. Aiding them in their ability to catch fish is an unusual reversible outer toe that allows them to get a better grasp from behind in addition to the front.
When fishing, they will oftentimes hover above their prey then dive straight into the water. While I have witnessed it a few times, I have yet to capture a decent sequence of it as it happens so extraordinarily fast I can never seem to keep up.
Osprey makes a low level flyby
I spent the better part of a half hour watching this male Osprey as he sat perched in a tree by a pond. He was closely watching the water, waiting for the opportunity to catch its next meal.
I stood ready, hoping to capture my first quality pictures of an Osprey diving into the water – an amazing scene if you have ever seen images or video. Well, the photographer’s attention wandered and I then started looking around at everything except my subject. That is of course the moment he dove into the water.
I missed the shot but I did at least manage this nice sequence of flight images after he emerged from the water (empty handed) and went on to try fishing elsewhere.
If looks could kill
f looks could kill I wouldn’t be typing this right now. 😉 This female Osprey was absolutely gorgeous but at the particular instant I took this image she sure doesn’t look to happy with me. In truth her nest is in a very public picnic area in Grand Lake, Colorado and she doesn’t seem to mind all the folks coming to check out her and her family.
That may have been my last opportunity to get pictures of these raptors this season. Very soon they will begin their migration south for winter.
Juvenile Osprey takes first flight
Well, it may or may not have been its very first but it was certainly one of its first. We found this natural nest with two young ones in it. With a stiff headwind blowing, one of them decided it was a prime opportunity to test its wings. Three times in a row it rose above the nest, barely having to flap thanks to the wind. It was a lot of fun to watch. Taken near Grand Lake, Colorado.
Scroll down to view the complete gallery of images of this juvenile taking one of its first flights.
Female Osprey says, ‘Feed me!’
This female Osprey near Grand Lake, Colorado was not a happy camper. As she sat perched near the nest she was incessantly screaming – more than I had ever heard one do.
At first I thought it might be my presence but then I followed her gaze (or rather glare). Her mate was in a nearby tree dining on a fresh breakfast of trout and she clearly felt her and their offspring should have some.
The story did have a happy ending as after the male had his fill, he brought the leftovers to the nest for the other three to enjoy.
Young Osprey on the hunt for breakfast
This young male Osprey was an absolute treat to watch. It spent the better part of a half hour looking for a meal at a pond. With its head always down, focused on the water, it would soar then stop and hover, then move on. Unfortunately I never did get a good shot of it diving into the water.
This series was taken after one attempt it made – you can tell my how matted its feathers are as it was still wet. Taken in Longmont, Colorado.
Scroll down to view the entire gallery of images.
Osprey performs flyby while illuminated by a golden sunrise
Photographers always say the best time to take pictures is right after sunrise and right before sunset. The light at these times is usually soft and warm allowing for pleasant images.
Such was the case when I took this image of an Osprey as it flew by yesterday morning. The raptor was gorgeous but the amber light from the hour right after sunrise really gives it a nice tone.
“What? Is my hair a mess?”
I was supposed to be camping in the mountains today but a sick kid (he’s okay – just a virus) required us to come home early yesterday.
With some time on my hands I headed to Longmont, Colorado where I spent the morning with a family of these raptors. This is the adult male.
I wasn’t particularly successful getting fishing shots unfortunately but managed bunches of posing and flight shots. I just love these birds.
Osprey prepares for landing
Scrolling through pics to find one to post this evening and I came across this one taken in April. A bit of an unusual orientation (portrait) but I like it. It seems to help emphasize the Osprey’s sizable wingspan (up to six feet) and the view of its talons shows one of the reasons these raptors are so adept at snagging fish.