Osprey Nest. Mom 'n' youngins

Osprey Whisperer

Took an early morning boat trip in an attempt to catch the osprey babies feeding. No such luck. The dead beat dad wasn't even around? :dunno :scratch Mother wasn't too happy with me taking pics of her prized kids. Hope to go back many more times and capture some OIF and feeding shots.

Thanks for looking.

vandana

wow ! really nice shots ! Looks like baby osprey is going to be one good-looking young man/woman. Be good, and don't scare them away !

Stormdancing

Ohhhh how cute! Great shots. It's a wonder Mom wasn't swooping your head. Were there only two babies? Wonder how many is a normal clutch for them..... They look healthy.

Harryb

Excellent Mike. I have osprey nests all ove rthe place around here but I've yet to get shots of their hatchlings.

Steve Cavigliano

Nice ones Mike

The only thing missing is some fish to feed those youngun's. I bet Dad was out shopping at the Fish Market when you snapped these


Steve

John Mueller

Very nice Mike.

Froggy

Very Nice

riddim_maker

#3 is a classic, eye contact really adds to the capture.
Nice seies

Rohirrim

Great set Mike Lovely nest series.

jwear

I think 2 is normal and the nest are mostly very high up [how are you getting the angle ] I do not think the osprey are too bothered by us --the nest i watched for a while one of the birds was always close by the other off fishing --nice work on the shots mike

ginger_55

Ospreys hate me, my Ospreys do. And I don't think there are babies there yet.

I heard of a bunch of nests that are lower than mine, by a lake a couple of hrs from here. I have to wait until Bill has a day off, and that won't happen.

Not in the spring with Proms and all.

Those are great photos, mike! Better than mine from last year. I just don't like shooting them. Wait for hours, get all excited a few times, get home, the birds are just too far away for me here.

Maybe I will just look at your photos this year!

Is that the same bird with open mouth and tongue out the whole time? Is he screaming, or is he hot and panting?

ginger

Osprey Whisperer

Thanks Vandana. I won't scare them away. :uhoh This pair of osprey have been in the same spot for at least the last 6 years. They are right in the middle of a major boat traffic channel....so they are use to people sticking their nose in their business. I got even closer tonight. Practically hit the pilon the nest is on with the boat.

Thanks Dana. I was a bit surprised that "mom" didn't chase me away. Then again I was half waiting for "dad" to come and buzz me. Nothing like a set of talons taking some off the top. I never did see the deadbeat dad. Went back this evening and still no "dad". He was probably out enjoying the peace and quiet. Those wee little ones are noisy.

Thanks Harry. We too have many osprey in the area. I've seen other little ones, but these are the closest of the bunch...so I finally got some shots. They usually hide deep in the nest and you seldom see them, but for a brief moment. These two were really squacking up a storm. Guess maybe they wanted din din.

Thanks Steve. I'm sure "dad" was out fishing. This is what the guys do all day down here in Florida. I've seen the male eating large fish on the outlying pilons. I wonder if he takes the "big ones" back to the nest to share. I think he's a dirty dog and takes care of himself first.

Many thanks John and Froggy. Appreciate you taking a look.

gildco

Fine photography. Excellent detail and color. Can't say the babies are "cute," though, by any stretch of the imagination. They do, however, take after their mother. :>)

Osprey Whisperer

Thanks Russ, Steve, Jeff, Ginger and Gil. Your comments are much appreciated.


Here is an old shot of these same parent birds from a few years back. Snapped with a 35mm and negative scanned. The birds and nest have both grown since this shot.