Osprey ‘EJ’

The Image called Osprey ‘EJ’ was one of those images you knew was good as soon as you took it. I remember Lee and I looking at each other immediately after taking the shot and grinning at each other, we knew we had the shot!

The morning had started in the black of night, as usual no breakfast, nature waits for no one!

After setting the camera and tripod up in the hide we waited for the sun to rise and bathe the pool in light. Constantly checking settings trying to get the shutter speed up, the aperture closed and the ISO down, just as instructed by Lee the night before.

The light improved and now we waited for the ospreys, we didn’t wait long, the spotter called over the radio, ‘bird overhead’. The bird dropped hit the water, grabbed the fish, rose out of the water and flew past us. I was still trying to see where it landed as it flew past the hide. Time from drop to flying past, 4 to 5 secs. If you don't pick it up when it hits the water it’s gone.

Light improved, ospreys obliged, I lost count at the number of bird strikes when two struck the water at the same time. I was assured it was more than 18 strikes, we were lucky. Saying that you make a certain amount of your own luck by picking the right location and the right person to go with.

‘EJ’ was a star, hit the water rose up and flew straight towards us with a beautiful rainbow trout, held firmly between her talons, with an expression on the trouts face of  ‘what happened?’

The detail was so good you could see the blood dripping from the talons fatal grip.

Another great day with some memorable images to save.