1/500 sec. f/8 ISO 1000
I was at the lake early yesterday despite the thunderstorms we were having. I'm not sure why I even stopped other than my camera gear was already in the truck and I was close by. The rain let up somewhat after I got there, but the nearby lightning almost made me decide to abandon my idea. I took a few photos on one end of the lake and then the rain started coming down too hard again. I packed up my gear and drove to the other end just to take a look before leaving.
The fickle rain let up by the time I made the drive to the opposite end, so I parked and got my gear back out. I noticed a bird over the lake and at first glance thought it was a gull. As it passed overhead, I realized it was an osprey. It was the first one I had ever seen in my home area and turned out to be the very first one I've ever photographed. It was making passes from one end of the lake to the other sometimes slowing down to hover briefly.
You can't tell from the photos, but the sky was a very dark gray and it was drizzling. The lighting was absolutely terrible for my big lens. I had to overexpose my photos by 1 1/3 stops just to keep the osprey from being a black blob. Even at a high ISO, my shutter speed was slow for flight shots. Sometimes you just have to do the best you can. I wasn't able to photograph the dive bomb because the osprey was too far down the lake, but fortunately it did fly back by me with the fish. Considering it would have been easier just to go home, I was happy with the outcome.
Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday
35 comments:
Great capture despite the wheather. We have summer temperature here + 21 C. Very warm for April
Brian, what incredible shots! Glad you stayed and were able to get some rare shots! It's awesome when that happens, I'm sure!
I'm only a "point and shoot" camera gal, but my motto is, "Never pass up an opportunity. It will not be the same if your return later". In this case, it may have been your only chance to photograph an Osprey. Well done !!
Splendid shots - back in the "good old days" of film you would have probably gone home empty handed.
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
Splendid shots - back in the "good old days" of film you would have probably gone home empty handed.
Cheers - Stewart M - Melbourne
These are SUPER!
you ROCKED these! i'd have been thrilled to see an osprey in person, much less get photos like these! you really know your camera well. and i'm glad you didn't get zapped by a lightning bolt. :)
WOW! Good for you for staying the course! These are fabulous shots, Brian, despite the weather. Love the ones where he's got his fish.
Such awesome shot!!
Great job! Stick-toitive-ness pays off.
A great outcome. I really like the pale sky!
So cool!!! Great job!
Great shots ,Nette
Wow, these are wonderful photos! Great 'catch' for you and the osprey too! :)
Fabulous shots of this handsome bird considering the weather.
these are wonderful brian....i LOVE that you shared so many!!!
Fantastic flight shots Brian... beautiful birds to see
Impressive!! Despite the conditions you managed some stellar shots. I would be so excited to see and photography an osprey. Good thing you didn't give up!
Spectacular, he did so well to get his dinner, and you achieved what you might have not thought would be worthwhile. We are all the true winners here, seeing a stunning bird in glorious flight. Thanks, Jean.
Don't apologize for those flight shots-- you did just fine! At least you had your truck nearby. We walk about 1 1/2 miles from our home into the wetlands and every now and then forget to keep a close eye on the sky. Out come the garbage bags to protect the gear and a dash home before the thunder is heard!
Brian, they are awesome shots of the Osprey in flight! Well done! enjoy the rest of your week!
Looks like our fine feathered friend has him a little snack for later on. What an amazing wingspan. I bet he can make real good time zooming off from one end of the water to the other. Great captures as always.
supe.duper.awesome!
HI Brian great that you got these shots despite the weather and wonderful to know that an Osprey is now in your area.
Amazing flight shot and love that you got one with his dinner! They are very good at catching fish. We see lots of them here in Florida, but I never tire of watching. Can't get flight shots though. Thanks for sharing yours, glad you persisted in spite of the weather.
Great takes of the Osprey Brian. I was just asking my daughter the other day about the Osprey that lives around Crystal Lake here in our area...she is missing it so far this Spring~
Fantastic photos of the osprey, especially the one with the fish!
We also see them here in Sweden.
/Pia
I am amazed by these shots! Very spectacular.
your photos certainly made this rainy day stop worth while... what a great sight to see the osprey with the fish...
the spring runoff in the post above is nice too. have a great day~
Osprey are epic! Congrats on capturing one fishing. Great shots!
Wonderful shots Brian. Well worth stopping for even in the drizzle. Osprey are awesome birds and capturing one with the fish is fantastic. I rather like the way the sky looks because it highlights the bird.
Great shots Brian!!! We have Osprey that nest at Mono Lake...I've never gotten a good shot of them though...they nest in the tufa towers out a ways from the shore.
Great shots of the Osprey with the fish.
Oh so well done Brian :D)
Love the "Classic" fish carrying images Brian. Great result with a very unhelpful background.
Dave
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