Birds were slow in the mountains yesterday but there were a couple of bright spots and one of them was totally unexpected.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
I can count my decent photos of Warbling Vireos on one hand so I was particularly happy to get this one in the mountains yesterday morning. The bird gave me several poses but for some reason many of my photos of it were soft. Thankfully I got this single sharp shot of a pose I like.
Soon after I photographed the vireo I left the area. As I very slowly drove up a steep approach to a dirt road my tires spun out on the round marble-like gravel. As I was attempting to deal with that little problem a large raptor in flight approached from the north. I only had time to put my foot on the brake, grab my camera and point the lens out the window so I could brace it on the top of the window frame and fire off a quick burst.
Thankfully even under those conditions I got about a half dozen sharp shots without clipping or cutting off any body parts.
1/5000, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
The raptor turned out to be an Osprey carrying a trout. The fish was almost certainly caught at a nearby reservoir which on a Sunday morning would have been jam packed with boaters and fishermen so I strongly suspect the Osprey’s intention was to carry the fish to a more secluded spot before eating it. I just happened to be in the right spot at the right time.
I seldom photograph Osprey, in large part because I’m not fond of photographing them at artificial nesting platforms. So within just a few minutes I photographed two species that I rarely get in my viewfinder. It’s a good thing too because I’m sure I’ll delete my photos of every other bird I photographed that morning.
Yesterday was so very refreshing. It was the first day in a long time we’ve had crisp, clean air and bright blue skies without any noticeable smoke.
I hope it continues but I’m far from optimistic.
Ron
Note to photographers:
I tend to shoot at unusually high shutter speeds for a lot of reasons, including but not limited to my predilection for photographing action and behaviors and the essential tremors in my hands that causes them to shake when I’m excited or tense.
But this osprey photo is an example of another reason. Because I was basically hand holding my huge, heavy lens I’m sure it would have been soft if I’d been shooting at a significantly slower shutter speed. Fast SS’s are damn near magic in their ability to mitigate the unfortunate effects of camera shake.
I can’t photograph osprey as well as you can, but I can write about them. Coincidentally, I was posting one of my poems at the same time that you were posting this, and thought you might enjoy it.
In the midst of responding to readers, I discovered that one of the Hellgate ospreys from Missoula landed in Texas in 2014, and stayed for at least a year. There probably were other Montana birds, too. The bird was banded, and the fellow who banded it in Montana got involved in tracking it again. It was especially exciting because there was no electronic tracking involved — just the luck of the draw.
Wowzers! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a ventral view of an Osprey! Those under-wing markings are something else — gorgeous!
The Vireo shot is so peaceful by comparison. Here’s hoping that you’ll soon be using both hands (and other counting appendages) to keep track of your marvelous Vireo shots!
Marty, I checked my photo library and I think I’ve only posted 5 photos of Warbling Vireos in all these years of photographing and blogging. That says a lot.
Clean air AND two keepers (at least) of birds who rarely co-operate? Definitely a win.
Tremors are a beast aren’t they? Himself pointed out an advantage to me. He told me that other people have to work at sifting flour and I just have to pour it into the sifter and stand there . He is right, but I wasn’t grateful.
Hot damn, that made me LOL, EC. I think I like Himself.
I hope you smacked Himself with the sifter. 😉
Marty, he may have deserved it but I’ve gotta give him credit for a sense of humor…
I loved the Osprey-with-trout photo! Very nice capture. I’ve photographed several Osprey at Flaming Gorge in natural habitat (I have one hanging on my wall), but never with a fish-in-talons. My list of images to capture includes an Osprey with a fish.
I’ve photographed Osprey at Flaming Gorge too, Steve. It’s fun photographing them there.
Very nice finds! I need to get out before duck hunt. Bow hunt is already on in the mountains. I have been hiking with my neon yellow biking jacket.
I have hiked two trails last week, about 3-4 miles round trips, with my heavy camera gear and I never used it once, just my iphone.
April, it was crazy how many bow hunters were in the Wasatch yesterday. And there must be special rifle hunts in some places because I heard a hunting rifle fire. It was extremely loud.
That’s one classy looking Warbler. I don’t know why but the surrounding foliage really adds to the portrait.
I marvel at the strength required for the Osprey to lift those wings.
I like that setting too, Lyle. A lot.
YOWZER! What a stunning beauty! WOW!! I know I would never have seen one of these beauties, or if I have, I wouldn’t have known it. We’ve discussed the sheer beauty of subtlety before, but this little one defines it perfectly. The blend from white to slate gray with the ever so subtle yellow wash along the wings, just WOW! Granted, that yellow could be a trick of light, but still…amazing. What a beauty!
I often giggle when I see images of ospreys carrying large trophy-sized trout. I imagine them trying to teach the silly humans in the context of, “See! That’s how it’s done!” While working at JFK Airport using raptors to keep birds away from active runways, I watched ospreys work the waters along one of the runways, often stopping just to ogle. They’re just spectacular! That WHOOSH sound as they penetrate the water’s surface is something everyone should hear at least once in their lifetime. And then to see them emerge, prize in talons, is profound.
THANK YOU!! What a splendid way to begin this day! I’m going home today! My puppy pile has been missing a puppy (me!!) for far too long! I’m going to bathe in the dog snot of puppy kisses! YIPPEE!! 🙂
Laura, the yellow isn’t a trick of light. It’s actually there.
I actually thought of you this morning because I knew you were going home today. I couldn’t be happier for you.
Woo Hoo! 🍾 🥂 Congrats on “gettin’ sprung,” as my mom used to call it. So happy you will soon be joining the puppy pile! I hear dog slobber is an excellent moisturizer. 🐶❤️
It seems you don’t approve of man made platforms for osprey nesting, however they are important to the birds because of forest fires, high winds that knock down their nests and urbanization. Please give it another thought.
Pat, of course I approve of them and of course they’re important – that should be obvious. “Another thought” is unnecessary.
I just don’t want them in my photos, for the same reason I don’t want bird feeders (which I also approve of) in my photos.
I’m guessing that trout is not going to a Trout Almandine. 🙂 but what a serendipitous capture. For you and the bird.
Thanks, Arwen. I’m guessing you’re right about where it isn’t going.
Fantastic Osprey and Trout shot! That is a good sized fish he/she caught. Obviously the trout are bigger in the West!! Certainly that fish is bigger than I have ever caught. VBG!
Thanks, Dick. Some of our trout are quite large.
Interesting—when I see ospreys in Florida carrying fish, they always have them in an aerodynamic position, like a keel. These are both beautiful shots!
“they always have them in an aerodynamic position”
Yes, and it’s always head first.
Very serene Vireo, but also a curious look like who is this guy taking my picture. I think I have seen him around here before.
The osprey photo is remarkable considering what you had to do in order to get it. Laughing as I picture you slamming on the brakes and then holding that heavy lens out the window. If you look too quickly at the osprey photo you could easily miss the trout that it is carrying.
I agree, Everett. The light angle isn’t ideal for showing off the trout.
Both are delightful photos!
Thanks, Nancy.
What a pair of winners ! I think that “serene”, as Judy characterized the
vireo image, is right on target–and it even appears to be posing–“this is
my best angle” ! The osprey is even the more dynamic for the fact that
the fish appears to still be alive, and objecting quite strenuously ( am I
imagining that ? ) Really enjoyed this extra-special post this AM…..
Kris, last night I cropped tightly on the trout to see what I could see.
The fish could very well still be alive but that head-raised body position may have been caused by the fact that the Osprey’s left foot is grasping the fish very close to it’s head and perhaps pulling it upward. But then there’s the open mouth so I just don’t know…
WOW! Quite the contrast between the serene pose of the little vireo and the osprey with a good sized trout in talons! 😀
If you’re using aperture as the base how to you get the shutter speed “up there” or do you set both?
Thanks, Judy. I get it ‘up there’ by adjusting aperture or ISO or both. I can also increase SS by removing my teleconverter if I absolutely have to.
And my fast f/4 lens helps a lot.
Thx – haven’t learned to do manual mode – use the priorities so……..😉