Osprey - One day they will fly towards me.

[Jamie Douglas]

Shot whilst visiting Prince Edward Island. Got munched by mozzies trying to get a shot of these guys. Best oppotunity yet but still luck wasnt on my side that day.

Techs...

Camera Model Canon EOS 7D
Shooting Date/Time 19/06/2010 4:475 PM
Lens EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/1600
Av( Aperture Value ) 5.6
ISO Speed 400
Focal Length 200.0mm
Exposure Compensation +1
AF Mode AI Servo AF
AF area select mode AF Point expansion

Large crop from 7D RAW file.

CC welcome, thanks Jamie (Be nice I just turned 31 today :))

[Desmond Chan]

Why oh why you needed to go to PEI to shoot the Ospreys ? :D:D

Well, too bad it flew away:p Like the under-wing details though.

[Jamie Douglas]

I went on a tour of the martimes with my parents and wildife wasnt the sole prupose as I have most species I am interested in on my doorstep. Ospreys are very elusive in the UK so I am a little shocked at how many you see so close to humans here in Canada. I have a few nests about 10 minutes from my front door but can never get close enough with a 70-200mm. A guy at work monitors every nest site in the lower mainland so he has given me a few hot spots for better angles. I hear first few weeks of August are worth noting as thats when they start kciking the young out of the nests.

[Desmond Chan]

I went on a tour of the martimes with my parents and wildife wasnt the sole prupose

I was just teasing you :p

A guy at work monitors every nest site in the lower mainland so he has given me a few hot spots for better angles

Mind sharing with another BC guy? :)

I hear first few weeks of August are worth noting as thats when they start kciking the young out of the nests.

Well, not until the young can fly I think. Last year I was able to witness and photo the first flight of a juvi in N Van. It circled around the nest a couple of times then found itself trapped on a log away from the nest. It landed on a log but couldn't take off again until a few hours later when the wind was stronger. Still too weak to just take off and fly anytime anywhere.

[Lance Peters]

Hi Jamie - yes too bad he is flying away - head/eye area looks a tad soft - the AF might have grabbed elsewhere. The large crop could also be a factor!
Like the outstretched wings but dont find the overall angle/position of the bird to be aesthetically pleasing.
Keep at it and keep em coming :)

[Dave Mills]

Hi Jamie, agree with Lances comments. I find that large crops have a tendancy to reduce image quality which might be the case here.
Was up in PEI about 6 years ago but more interested in landscapes at that time. There are some nice lighthouses there but the island is mostly agrarian...

[Jamie Douglas]

Desmond - no worries, I replied to the post in a rush last night so excuse my tone :) Once I find out a few hot spots I'll let you know but please get in touch if you dont hear back from me.

Lance - Fair comments and I one day i will nail it, probably loosing a fighting battle though with only having a 70-200.

Dave - PEI is a lot like my homeland UK, fields, cattle, and lots of coatal beaches but with far less egg collectors. I don't recall ever seeing Osprey nesting poles in a village centre in the UK like we saw on PEI (slap bang beside the harbour in North Rustico).

I think this went too far past the safe crop IQ.