Daily Life

Something other than the backyard bunch…

I was down by the River and had the best and worst of timing…before I saw this Osprey, there was another, with a fish in its claws.

(1/500s f/8.0 ISO250 300mm +1 stop Canon 7D)

As I was driving down the road to where I usually stop, the Osprey had just collected its fish and was flying towards me along side the road, just over the the edge of river.  I didn’t have time to stop and get out even if I’d had the camera in my hands…

(1/1000s f/8.0 ISO250 300mm +1 stop 7D)

He flew within probably 15 feet of me.  What was really interesting, however, was the seagull flying right above him.  Every time that Osprey tried to fly over about six feet above the river the seagull would attack him from above, like he was saying “No you are NOT going to take that fish from my river.  That is MY fish!”.  They flew by, turned and crossed the river and finally split up on the other side.  It was too far to see if the Osprey kept his fish.

This is another Osprey that was flying around.  Here he is hovering, looking into the water looking for fish.  He didn’t find one, apparently, and continued flying.

(1/1000s f/8.0 ISO250 300mm +1 stop 7D)

I chased him down the river a ways, then he started to hover again.  I stopped the car and jumped out just as he dropped into the river…no fish, and he was flying again before I could raise the camera, so no photo, either!

(1/750s f/8.0 ISO250 300mm +1 stop 7D)

Later, on the hill behind Giant Springs, another one flew across the road in front of me with a mouse.  He was on the other side of the field and dropping over the edge towards the river before I could get stopped and out of the car.  Like I said, the best and worst of timing.  It was really neat to see, and really rotten I didn’t get photos.  Oh well!

~Curtis in /\/\onTana! {!-{>