A Great Nature Show!
A Great Nature Show!
By Robert Strickland
Your browser may not support display of this image.I had one of the greatest nature show I ever had. I was over to a sub-division nearby which has good -sized pond with huge bass in it. I was there to photograph Ringed necked ducks. The Ringed neck ducks were wintering over on the pond and there were hundreds of them.
Once I got setup and was watching the ducks; an Osprey came by and started looking for a fish. The osprey suddenly went into a hover with that glaring stare into the water below. Finding nothing he started flying around in circles, then back into a hover, moving side to side, hovering, going around in circles, suddenly he did free fall toward for the water.
Your browser may not support display of this image.I immediately swung the camera to capture the aggressive splash and watch him fly off with a fish. However, the fish he picked was much too big and he could not immediately get out the water. He was stranded with wings spread and flapping on the water trying to stay afloat with a huge fish in those razor sharp talons that Osprey possesses. After a few moments of struggling, he got airborne and flew off with his catch. He could only get to the edge of the pond because the fish was so big.
Your browser may not support display of this image.I immediately went over to where the Osprey flew to see if I could photograph him eating the fish. As I came closer, the osprey suddenly took off with his heavy load struggling to get in the air. Once he was airborne, he flew all around the pond, just as if he wanted me to take his picture. As he flew around showing off the fish, he decided to fly right at me and flew by just above head height. He gave me a chance to photograph him as he flew over me. He continued to out and around the pond and always came back by for a shot. He eventually flew to a tree to roast and eat the fish. However, that is not all to the story, while he was eating his fish he almost dropped it and had to spread his wings several to keep his balance and the keep the fish from falling. It was one of the greatest nature show anyone would want to see, so I thought.
I figured that this nature show was something that could never be duplicated, but I was wrong.
I went back to pond a couple of days later and found him still there, working the area. He was already in Hover mode looking for a fish. I immediately setup and started to photograph him, abruptly he set his wings and dove on a fish making that huge splash. Unexpectedly he could get out of the water. The fish he picked this time was enormous and there was no way to get into the air. He was flapping his wings trying to stay above water. He used his wings as a paddle and eventually got to shore. He immediately started eating the fish. I was clear across the pond from him and I rushed over to the other side to see what he had caught. It was a huge large mouth bass almost as big as he was.
Your browser may not support display of this image.Trying to get to shore, he soaked up lots of water in his feathers and looked really matted. As he was eating the fish, he strongly shook the water from his feathers. Some turkey vultures showed and tried to get at the fish but the osprey made sure they were not to get to close.
Once again, he allowed me to get close enough to get some great photos of him with his very large fish. After a 1/2-hour or so, he was able to fly off with the remains of the fish to finish up in his favorite tree. He went into his usual circle around the pond but this time there was another osprey in the area. The second osprey appeared out of nowhere and attempted to get the fish eventually knocking the fish off and into the parking lot of the local newspaper that has its office across the road from the pond.
I have to say this one nature show that has not been duplicated since.
Robert Strickland
By Robert Strickland
;)
Your browser may not support display of this image.I had one of the greatest nature show I ever had. I was over to a sub-division nearby which has good -sized pond with huge bass in it. I was there to photograph Ringed necked ducks. The Ringed neck ducks were wintering over on the pond and there were hundreds of them. Once I got setup and was watching the ducks; an Osprey came by and started looking for a fish. The osprey suddenly went into a hover with that glaring stare into the water below. Finding nothing he started flying around in circles, then back into a hover, moving side to side, hovering, going around in circles, suddenly he did free fall toward for the water.
Your browser may not support display of this image.I immediately swung the camera to capture the aggressive splash and watch him fly off with a fish. However, the fish he picked was much too big and he could not immediately get out the water. He was stranded with wings spread and flapping on the water trying to stay afloat with a huge fish in those razor sharp talons that Osprey possesses. After a few moments of struggling, he got airborne and flew off with his catch. He could only get to the edge of the pond because the fish was so big.
;)
Your browser may not support display of this image.I immediately went over to where the Osprey flew to see if I could photograph him eating the fish. As I came closer, the osprey suddenly took off with his heavy load struggling to get in the air. Once he was airborne, he flew all around the pond, just as if he wanted me to take his picture. As he flew around showing off the fish, he decided to fly right at me and flew by just above head height. He gave me a chance to photograph him as he flew over me. He continued to out and around the pond and always came back by for a shot. He eventually flew to a tree to roast and eat the fish. However, that is not all to the story, while he was eating his fish he almost dropped it and had to spread his wings several to keep his balance and the keep the fish from falling. It was one of the greatest nature show anyone would want to see, so I thought. I figured that this nature show was something that could never be duplicated, but I was wrong.
;)
I went back to pond a couple of days later and found him still there, working the area. He was already in Hover mode looking for a fish. I immediately setup and started to photograph him, abruptly he set his wings and dove on a fish making that huge splash. Unexpectedly he could get out of the water. The fish he picked this time was enormous and there was no way to get into the air. He was flapping his wings trying to stay above water. He used his wings as a paddle and eventually got to shore. He immediately started eating the fish. I was clear across the pond from him and I rushed over to the other side to see what he had caught. It was a huge large mouth bass almost as big as he was. Your browser may not support display of this image.Trying to get to shore, he soaked up lots of water in his feathers and looked really matted. As he was eating the fish, he strongly shook the water from his feathers. Some turkey vultures showed and tried to get at the fish but the osprey made sure they were not to get to close.
;)
Once again, he allowed me to get close enough to get some great photos of him with his very large fish. After a 1/2-hour or so, he was able to fly off with the remains of the fish to finish up in his favorite tree. He went into his usual circle around the pond but this time there was another osprey in the area. The second osprey appeared out of nowhere and attempted to get the fish eventually knocking the fish off and into the parking lot of the local newspaper that has its office across the road from the pond.I have to say this one nature show that has not been duplicated since.
Robert Strickland
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