Osprey with fish

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1

Osprey 13.jpg
Osprey 13.jpg1600×1200 432 KB

Osprey 14.jpg
Osprey 14.jpg1600×1200 317 KB

Osprey 16.jpg
Osprey 16.jpg1339×1200 369 KB

Osprey 15.jpg
Osprey 15.jpg1600×1200 429 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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Description

At Reelfoot Lake, a ranger-led tour on a pontoon boat took us fairly near the osprey nesting sites. On occasion an osprey would fly near us carrying a fish it was taking back to its nest. I thought an osprey would first remove the tail of the fish but in these shots the heads were the first to go.

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Any comments welcome.

Technical Details

Canon R7, Sigma 150-600 Contemporary
ISO 800, f7.1, 1/3200s, hand held

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2 Likes
2

A very nice series, Allen. I’ve seen images of this behavior posted here before. It may be that the adult is eating the head and taking the rest back to the nest for the youngsters. In that first image, is there a lamprey or some other sucker fish latched onto the big one? It almost looks like it to me but I can’t quite tell at the scale the image is presented.

1 Like
3

Cool series. We have a lot of osprey here, and I I love watching these guys fish.
They don’t always take the head off and eat it, but they often do, before bringing it back to the nest. When they deliver a whole fish, they always start with the head.
Fine series - I like the last one best, with the mangled fish head.

1 Like
4

fascinating series. Nice to be in a place where there are a lot of Osprey. And they’re willing to get close enough to you to get a good image. Good job on these.

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5

I’m jealous of this series… I live in Osprey central (Florida) and every time I head out to their hunting grounds… I’m unlucky and spot none… .and when I’m casually driving by (without my camera, or with too short a lens on) I see them hunting…

I’ll be among the club you’re a captain of soon Alan :slight_smile: the Raptor club…

Love the way you’ve captured them in flight… the light in their eyes and especially in the first one… an interesting beak position… Kudos

1 Like
6

Hi Dennis, I’m really not sure. Could be. I’m sure there are plenty of species like that in the swamp there. Doubt I’ll go swimming in there anytime soon. :joy: