photoartflightOspreys In Flight
Posted on November 25, 2019
One of my favorite photo subjects are Ospreys in flight. Over the years I have enjoyed photographing them in many different locations. Quite often you can see in the photos their eyes keeping an eye on you. The featured image was taken at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland. Featured image was taken with a 400mm DO lens with a 1.4X Teleconverter. Other photo locations for the images here were the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Briganine Division and The Celery Farm Natural Area in Allendale, NJ.
Osprey In Flight
Posted on September 11, 2019
I was going through some older backup drives and found these files I never worked on from a Blackwater NWR trip about 8 years ago. I remember them now because these were taken on the Wildlife Drive when there used to be an Osprey platform close to the Wildlife Drive. This Osprey Platform was near the last turn before the straight way to the exit. This Osprey put on quite an aerial show. It was so close I clipped its wings a few times. I did not want to stay too long in case I was bothering the nest. But it was so close to the busy Wildlife Drive I would think it was used to cars. Maybe that is why it is now gone.
Blackwater Osprey Platforms
Posted on August 15, 2018
Along the Wildlife Drive there are a few Osprey Platforms close enough to photograph. If you are patient and have a long lens, you can usually get some good flight images as they fly in and out of the nests there. Usually in the morning or later in the afternoon. On this day they seemed content to just hang out there or fly away from where I was on the Wildlife Drive. The Ospreys in the platform closest to the entrance were busy fishing before the sun came up but it was too dark to photograph them. But it was nice to hear them screeching as they were flying around the Little Blackwater River area where I was waiting for the sunrise.
Two Ospreys – Tree Toppers
Posted on August 7, 2018
Towards the end of the Wildlife Drive at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, there is a large strip of trees jutting out into the water, parallel to the end of the Wildlife Drive. Some of the trees are dead trees which act as very tall snags for the birds to roost. You can usually find a few Eagle nests near the top of some of the trees with leaves. Also Eagles seem to like roosting there. But on this day Ospreys seemed to like the tall trees. There are a few Osprey nests behind these trees plus one Osprey Platform in the water to the left of the trees.
The featured image is made from 5 horizontal images, stacked vertically, handheld, assembled in Photoshop, taken with a Canon 400mm f/4 DO lens with a Canon Series III teleconverter.
Osprey Platform in water to the left of the line of trees.
One lonely Osprey on treetop. again 400mm w/ 1.4x teleconverter, 5 shots handheld.
Osprey Fly By
Posted on July 12, 2018
I usually do not get an Osprey flyby, low over the water in a side view. I liked how it’s wing tips reflect in the water. It had just come out of the water before this, then flew right across where I was setup with an 800mm lens. Usually they seem to fly away from my position. Once in a while you get lucky.
Osprey Fishing Sequence
Posted on June 10, 2018
This is a set of images of an Osprey fishing series. I was photographing this Osprey flying overhead when it saw something and went into a dive to catch a meal. I lost the Osprey in my viewfinder on the way down but got it again as it hit the water. I kept shooting while it caught it’s prey, surfaced and flew off. The final image is when it circled around and flew by me with it’s fish in its claws.
Osprey Flying Towards Nest
Posted on May 19, 2018
From a previous visit to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, I photographed this Osprey heading for it’s nest, coming in for a landing. There are lots of Ospreys flying around the Refuge, plus many Osprey platforms with nests that are along the Wildlife Drive. If you wait by one of the platforms along the Drive you can get good images of Ospreys flying in or flying out. Plus bringing fish to feed the young Ospreys.
Osprey With Meal
Posted on March 9, 2018
Ospreys are one of my favorite birds to photograph. It is fun to see them diving into water to get a meal. Plus to see them defending their nests against other Ospreys or birds of prey. They also seem to really stare at you as you are photographing them as in this photo. They are very agile in flight which gives you some interesting photo opportunities.
Osprey Out Our Window
Posted on March 5, 2018
When we were in Florida last fall we stayed at a condo in Captiva Island. Which is just a very small bridge away from Sanibel Island and the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, where we like to photograph the Wildlife and Landscapes. We were on the third floor and not too far away towards the beach, high in a Palm Tree, was an Osprey nest. The pair of Ospreys were quite busy and frequently in the Palm trees by us. It was also fun to hear them squawking during the day. Unfortunately there was screening on the windows so I had to go down by the beach & pool to photograph them.
Osprey Nest – center of frame. Osprey on branch, palm tree far right @ 24mm.
Ospreys On Nest
Posted on June 1, 2017
I saw this pair of Ospreys was working on the nest, rearranging sticks in the nest. As I was photographing them I was surprised that they started to mate. Then the male flew off and landed in the grasses near the nest. It is interesting to see them working on the nest, rearranging sticks and bringing more sticks to the nest. On other nests being built, sometimes you see plastic bags, food wrappers all kinds of garbage they bring to build the nest. This one was very clean looking, but it was early in the building of the nest. These were taken at the Brigantine Division of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in Oceanville NJ. This area is great for photographing the nests from the Wildlife Drive. The road is higher, then the sides along the road slopes down gradually to the water or channels, so you are looking almost directly across at the Osprey Platforms, instead of looking up. Most are somewhat close so if you are patient you can get quite a variety of photos of the Ospreys building the nest, flying to & from the nest, flying around the nest, etc. Sometimes they bring a fish and feed the young or just eat it themselves at the nest. Being patient helps, but you can always drive along the Wildlife Drive which is basically a loop, getting other interesting shots and come back to the nests to see if anything is happening. Also often you see them defending the nest from Gulls, hawks or other predators. At Blackwater NWR, in Maryland, you see Bald Eagles going after Ospreys to steal their catch. They also have a few Osprey platforms but are much farther out in the water
Female Osprey arranging sticks in the nest
Ospreys mating
Male Osprey flying off, leaving the nest
Wider view of the nest
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