Ospreys mating and feeding

C

Calgary 617

New member
A week ago I went out to look for Grizzlies in Banff NP with no luck, but the ospreys are coming back from the South now and occupy their nests. Two out of five I now had pairs building on the nest but one is better to photograph. Last year I already got lucky there and got some good shots of one feeding, but this time it was even better. In just a little over an hour I saw them mate three times, then the male went off to fish, came back with a fish and landed on the nest real short, only to take off again without leaving anything for the female behind. Then it flew by me to land on its feeding tree, finishing off the whole fish.

Here are some of the shots I got.


Making love by Calgary617, on Flickr


Male returning with fish by Calgary617, on Flickr


Male taking off with fish by Calgary617, on Flickr


Landing on feeding tree by Calgary617, on Flickr


Feasting on the intestines by Calgary617, on Flickr


Meal finished by Calgary617, on Flickr

Thanks for looking!
 
C

Calgary 617

New member
Thanks, Joseph! It took me quite some time (literally) to get shots like these. My first osprey shots were just big blurry spots in the shot, but now that I know some nests it's much easier. Last year I was sitting for six hours straight on that nest and got not a single shot out of it. But with lots of patience it works :)
 
V

Vermontster

New member
They ARE beautiful shots. What lens were you using with your D300? (I'm sure there is a way for me to look this up, but it's easier to ask :) )
 
C

Calgary 617

New member
Thanks, these were shot with the 200-400 f4, I just got it a few weeks ago and am still trying to get used to it. These were my first hand held shots with it, the size and weight are just so much different compared to the Sigma 150-500 I used before.
 
V

Vermontster

New member
The detail is very impressive for a 200-400mm hand held. So what do we call you Calgary617? With the photos you have been providing, I'm assuming (hoping) we will see a lot more of you!!!

Chris
 
C

Calgary 617

New member
I've edited my signature now, call me Hendrik :)
The lens is just incredible if it comes to image quality. Will be going out this weekend again and hope to see some bears close enough to take shots.
 
K

KWJams

Senior Member
Great shots!

Certainly understand the big blurry spots dilemma. I caught a pair of Golden Eagles mating a couple months ago thinking how lucky I was until later and was able to review the downloaded images.
 
J

Joseph Bautsch

New member
Hendrik, shooting with a long lens takes some practice and skill and it looks like you have the settings down pat. We would like to know what settings, EXIF data, you used for the shots and what mm the zoom was set to. Even if you are tripod mounted you still have to get enough shutter speed for stop motion and even with an f/4 lens that is not always easy. Sitting and waiting for a specific event will test any photographer's patience and even then there is no guarantee that it will happen the way you want it to. Been there done that.
 
C

Calgary 617

New member
I'm actually used to shoot longer lenses (have the 150-500 OS from Sigma) hand held, it's just the enormous size and weight of the 200-400 I need to get used too. Had my tripod at home (of course...) so I had to learn hand holding it and trying for the best.

Sorry, don't know why exifs are always deleted on flickr.

I used the D300, 200-400 f4 at 400mm. The shots where the bird was flying were all shot with the camera set to AF-C, dynamic area (21 points), where it was sitting I used AF-S and single point AF field, all in aperture priority.

Other data:
Shot 1: ISO400, f5, 1/1000, EC -2/3
Shot 2: ISO400, f4.5, 1/2000, EC -2/3
Shot 3: ISO400, f4.5, 1/1600, EC -2/3
Shot 4: ISO400, f4.5, 1/6400, EC -2/3
Shot 5: ISO400, f4.5, 1/2500, EC +1/3
Shot 6: ISO400, f4.5, 1/2500, EC +1/3
 
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