I had posted the wrong picture – of the mother landing. Above is the one I meant to grab, of the juvenile exercising a few days before its first actual flight.
From 2017. I’d been watching several nests in a large vineyard starting in 2013, but was getting more serious with better equipment. I’m confident I saw several very first hops above the nest. This wasn’t a first hop but an early one – similar to a “touch and go” in early human flying lessons. It’s from a rather hasty look through those keyworded as very early flights. Fair warning – there are over 1000 of them remaining (all predating 20 fps) with many already deleted.
Specific Feedback Requested
All comments welcome!
Technical Details
Lens was 400 DO II + 1.4X. Very minor tonal tweaks in LR and into PS for NR. Cropped to about 80% of original frame.
Ooops! Thanks, @Allen_Brooks and @Donna_Callais – I posted the wrong picture – it was one of the mother just landing, with one of the kids looking on. I’m posting the correct one above it - a juvenile’s early test hop just above the nest. Same day, different angle on the nest.
Another great action shot!! It always amazes me how large the juveniles get before they can fly. Eagles are the same. I keep thinking about the poor parents who still have to feed them. I’ve never seen juveniles test hop. I hope to see that some day. Thanks for sharing this image.
Hi Diane
Two very nice Osprey photographs, with good detail and color, but I have to go with the second shot. What the saying dog and kids, you have to love that little Osprey.
Peter
Thanks for sharing this one Diane. I absolutely love when large birds are just getting their wings under them for their first flight. All of the hopping and flapping and going nowhere. I love the scared as heck feeling I get looking at the talons which are spread out with wild anticipation of either crashing or landing. The more natural pose is the mother landing with feet calmly tucked under her with toes not outstretched and very confident. Quite the opposite with the juvi. I just love this.
These are both wonderful! The kid looks hesitant and unsure and just a tiny bit scared compared to mom who is coming in with skill and deliberation. Really terrific.
Thanks, @Allen_Brooks, @Donna_Callais, @peter, @David_Haynes and @Kris_Smith! Allen, I always have the feeling they could pick up a basketball with one claw. Donna, one day they will start stretching their wings and then flapping. We have reliable afternoon winds here and they start feeling the wind in their wings and in a few days manage to lift off a foot or two. David and Kris, I always think they look terrified and after the first few hops they quickly disappear into the nest again. But after a few days they actually fly, often in a first tentative circle of the nest. Then they have to learn to land, which can be a challenge the first few times.
