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The Gaurdian
The Gaurdian
vawendy


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2010-06 (Advanced Editing VII)
Collection: 2010 challenges
Camera: Canon EOS-40D
Lens: Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro
Date: Jun 3, 2010
Aperture: 7.1
ISO: 640
Shutter: 1/500
Galleries: Nature, Birds
Date Uploaded: Jun 27, 2010
[Jul. 7th, 2010 07:58:24 PM]

These are wild osprey. Each year, there are osprey that try to make a nest on the pilings right next to the Jamestown/Scotland ferry. Each year, they're smart enough to give up on the nest -- until this year!

To get a shot of the osprey is a little challenging. Even though they're quite close to the ferry, you have an incredibly small window of time to get the shot. If your car is one of the first cars on, you can have up to 10 minutes to get a shot, otherwise it's just a couple of minutes. During this time, you have to hope that the osprey are in the right positions in the nest, because you really can't change your angle very much. Then you have to ride the ferry across the river, turn around and come back. It's about a hour of time to get about 12 minutes of shooting.

When they were first nesting, the osprey would take off every time the ferry would dock (once every half hour.) Once the chicks hatched, the mother started spreading her wings like this to look more frightening to scare off the ferry whenever it docked.

Here's another shot from 3 weeks later.


Here's an earlier shot. I kept hoping that I could get the perfect national geographic shot of the father bringing a fish. I haven't quite made it yet.



I actually thought I might get the shot the last time I was out. We actually were on board 15 minutes before we left dock. And during that time, the osprey tried fishing 3 different times, but was unable to catch anything. I was awesome to watch, however.

Statistics
Place: 35 out of 341
Avg (all users): 6.3876
Avg (commenters): 8.2000
Avg (participants): 6.3404
Avg (non-participants): 6.5143
Views since voting: 1557
Views during voting: 241
Votes: 129
Comments: 7
Favorites: 2 (view)

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AuthorThread
Nikon Z8
Nikon NIKKOR Z 28-400mm f/4-8
 07/08/2010 07:40:41 AM
Still think this looks like a shot right out of Audobon. Love the wind ruffling her feathers and the incredible detail. Such a cool image!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon Z7II
Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED
 07/08/2010 12:41:35 AM
Wonderful capture; I have a fondness for bird shots; they are not easy to get. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-5D Mark II
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM
 07/04/2010 10:14:15 PM
Wouldn't I love to get this close to such a magnificent eagle. Great detail in the feathers and fantastic catching the light in it's eye too.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-500D Rebel T1i
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM
 07/03/2010 01:24:57 AM
wow!! very cool!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon Z8
Nikon NIKKOR Z 24-120 f/4 S
 07/02/2010 10:01:40 AM
great wildlife shot - love the little guy sticking his tongue out at us
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D300s
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
 07/02/2010 09:18:07 AM
Wonderful Osprey photo. See these all along the river here in Florida. Never can get a photo like this from my perspective. Composition fits this scene perfectly.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS R6
Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM
 07/01/2010 11:25:21 PM
Great details in the feathers, and good catch with the young one squawking.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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