The Osprey that Landed on My Head

[Marina Scarr]

It's getting to be that time of year to photograph the Ospreys nesting on the West Coast. Many are now sitting on nests and I just learned that some already have chicks. This news reminded me of my most amazing avian experience to date.

My friend Mike and I had been photographing 3 chicks on this nest for 4 wks back in 2010 on his boat. When we arrived on this particular day, 2 of the chicks had fledged. The remaining Osprey practiced its flight skills above the nest, sometimes with grace and other times, not so much. After 1hr 15mins of coaxing by us and the adults nearby, this one finally fledged. We photographed the short journey, and as I peered through the viewfinder directly above the boat, it occurred to me that it planned an immediate landing. Rather than landing on the boat, it opted for my head. Please note the talons on this fledgling! Thank goodness I had a hat on, although I am not sure it provided much protection. Other than some blood on my arm where its talons landed and a headache for 3 days, it was totally worth the experience.

The first words out of my mouth were, "Quick, get a picture." I don't think I have ever posted that picture on this site, so I may include one below. After a few photo opps, the bird seemed contented on my head but I, on the other hand, was feeling the pain. We pulled the anchor and slowly moved the boat back to the nest in hopes we could coax it back up but it finally flew off to join its family. The End.

Canon 1D3, Canon 70-200L F4 IS & 1.4 TC @ 215mm
F6.3, 1/1250sec, ISO 400, manual mode,
Hand held from a boat, Full Frame

Marina Scarr
Florida Master Naturalist
www.marinascarrphotography.com

[Melissa Groo]

Oh my goodness. I know that pic of you, and to think that these talons went onto your head! They are very impressive! So fun to see the moment before that pic of it on your head! you must post it so others can see.
Stunning image, I love those wings held perfectly horizontally. Great detail, inclusion of the nest, and comp. And great story to go with it.

[Marina Scarr]

Mike had too much lens for the photo but managed to stack 2 verticals. He was so shocked/nervous that he didn't think to shoot them in horizontal.

[David Salem]

Wow, that is so cool. The image of the osprey fledgeing is very nice and exposed well but the osprey on the head, come on, thats a once in a lifetime, and awesome! Thats a story Im sure you will tell the rest of your life. Great encounter!!

[Mark Jones]

Marina,

Your first shot is stellar but I'm still chuckling over you and your osprey hat. That would be a great advertising shot for your hat manufacturer.

[Loi Nguyen]

Marina, I think the first shot is cool, but the second shot is absolutely wicked. I think you should enter it it a contest!

[Stu Bowie]

Hi Marina, excellent incoming perching pose, good eye contact, and the dead horizontal wing position puts this up a few notches. Love the view of the talons just separated enough from the tail, and although we have a good view of the nest, I would crop up a bit from the bottom.

Quick thinking of getting the Osprey perched on your head.

[Satish Ranadive]

Marina:
I am fortunate that you did not posted in 2010,I would have missed this opportunity to read such wonderful experience and see wonderful image of young one of osprey.
I like the full wing position,nice eye contact and those talons.Very nice composition too.

Thanks to Mike for capturing this in camera.BTW feel sad about your headache.

Regards.
Satish.

[jack williamson]

Wow what a story and image to prove it! Quite a wingspan and huge nest in the op.

[Nick Palmieri]

And I complain when Terns buzz my head. I don't know how you kept smiling...I love the talons on your original post.

[Doug Brown]

Those talons visible in the first frame put an exclamation point on the second image! Unbelievable that you were composed enough to ask for a photo of that incredible encounter!

[Grace Scalzo]

You are so brave! You with the osprey on your head if probably one of the most memorable images of all times. You original image with is impressive. Love the orange eyes and complete wing spread. Thanks for sharing !

[Rachel Hollander]

Amazing encounter, photos and story. Those talons do look painful. Glad you both came out unscathed.

TFS,
Rachel

[wendell westfall]

Marina, what a beautiful and interesting and surprising image! I believe I have seen it before . . . on FM, perhaps? I'll confess I thought at the time the image was photo-shopped. I'm happy to learn it was not! And speaking of happy, you really look it!

[Cheryl Arena Molennor]

The first thing I noticed on the original image were those amazingly sharp talons forgetting about the rest of the story to follow. I can't imagine the experience and so happy you got a picture of the before and after. Both great images BTW

[Karl Egressy]

Excellent incoming flight shot of this juvi, Marina. Love the wing stretch, showing the talons and the nicely lit bird and nest. I agree with Stuart, a little less nest would be better.
The second shot taken by your friend is incredible. It is great that you kept your composure and had a big smile. Great and extremely unique experience, thanks for sharing.

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Ohhh Marina, that's amazing! what an experience! Can't give credit to those huge talons, I've never seen them so close. Love the landing pose and the warm light.

[Sachin Saraf]

Marina, your images always come with some interesting stories...nice pose with stretched wings and dangling feet....were you not scared of getting hurt by those mighty talons?

[Marina Scarr]

Marina, your images always come with some interesting stories...nice pose with stretched wings and dangling feet....were you not scared of getting hurt by those mighty talons?

Thank you for your words, Sachin. I am glad you enjoy my stories b/c I enjoy sharing them.

I didn't have time to think about being scared b/c it all happened so fast. I was much more excited about the prospect of an osprey making its first ever landing on my head than I was scared...which may have been a little stupid on my part in hindsight. All turned out well however for the fledgling and for me.

[Mike McCarthy]

That is a nice photo of a killer bird Marina but I am having a very hard time believing your story. An osprey landed on your head ? Right... I believe that one. :-)

[Mike McCarthy]

Didn't think to shoot in horizontal? .. For the record I was not nervous at all or shocked enough to not think the situation through. I made an executive decision regarding the shot. I originally had the camera in horizontal position and instantly realized I was heavily clipping wings & heads . I thought it was rather quick thinking to try for a multiple image to stitch together afterwards in Photoshop. I turned the camera to vertical position to get the most important part of the shot, the osprey's face/talons and your face/head. I quickly snapped multiple images moving camera up and down to cover bird with talons and head with talons slightly over lapping to make an easily stitched image back in PS. I figured the bird would do a quick touch and go landing and thought it more important to get your smiling face and osprey's face / talons in the shot. Had I known the bird would stick around for as long as it did I would have tried for the 4 shot horizontal. Things happened rather quickly and I'm happy we had something to show for the amazing experience. I thought thinking to stitch a couple verticals together to get the shot was rather clever & quick thinking given the situation. Try balancing on your toes on the very edge of a bow of a rocking boat while taking a photo of a flapping osprey. I'm lucky I didn't fall in the water. :=P

By the way, being the experienced osprey chaser / photographer I was already on the photos before instruction to do so..... :- ). I surely didn't need to be reminded to get a shot of this action. Women always telling me what to do. LOL. *-) That was an amazing experience that I will never forget. Was nice to share that with someone. Imagine if I was alone and the osprey landed on my head. Now that would have been a tough shot. Wish I had a movie of that whole sequence. How does it feel to be mistaken for a tree ?

[Faraaz Abdool]

Sorry Marina, but I totally forgot the purpose of this thread. From the moment I saw your osprey-hat, my world has changed.

Amazing experience, I too always enjoy your stories! It's funny how the same species of bird can have so many different behaviours depending on which part of the world it is. In Trinidad, you're lucky to come within 200 yards of an osprey. Ugh.