Bear Lake Osprey

A good weekend.  Just too short.  It’s a day or two from June.  At Bear Lake this weekend it snowed.  No waterskiing or even playing in the water. We did however enjoy time together.  Games, food, more games, more food, de-winterized the boat and more food and naps.  At the North end of the lake I did notice an Osprey nest driving in.  Always looking.  So sunday afternoon I was off to get my annual Osprey shot.  It was going to be a long shot figuratively and literally.  The nest was at the very top of high transmission power lines.  Way up there.  They have to eat and feed the young in the nest.  I waited.  And waited. After some time I left.  Back an hour or so later and there he was.  Eye level on a post.  I guess he had been waiting for me.   I was prepared with the longest lens I have and a rain pouch for the lens and camera.  We then had a stare down.  He was not going to fly and I was not going to move a muscle until he did.  He even gave a  big shiver.  Maybe to scare me? …..Notice the feather dust he shook off…..

He was not going to win.  I have a ton of photographs of Ospreys sitting staring at me.  I needed one in flight close up.  My arm and hand was going asleep.  My feet were freezing. I was getting wet in the snow/sleet falling.   I think he was a little bothered also.  He would tuck one leg under his wing.  Then the other.  I slowly took my eye from the camera and said out loud “you win!”.  He was about 200′ away.  A minute or so passed and off he flew!…….

GOT EM!

Nikon D3s, 600mm, 1/4000 second @ f/4, ISO 800