Mar 11
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“Birds of Florida, Osprey”…
Osprey portrait, Tiger Tail Beach by www.swfloutdoorphotography.com.
… our most common and second largest aerial predator. With vision to make a sharp shooter envious combined with agile flight capabilities and the lifting ability of a small helicopter our Osprey is always a fantastic sight and attractive photo subject. Identify and photograph the Osprey-
1- They’re not Eagles. In the field, I often hear people express confusion between the two. A few of the easiest ways to recognize the Osprey are that they have a dark bill, the eagle’s is yellow and more heavily constructed and while immature eagles may be brown and white, only the osprey has a solid white underside and a white head marked by a definitive brown stripe. Seen together the osprey while large and sporting a wing span of nearly six feet is dwarfed by our bald eagle.
Osprey in flight along Naples beach by www.swfloutdoorphotography.com
2- Finding and photographing ospreys: The good news is like other birds of prey they’ve recovered from the fatal affects of DDT over the last thirty plus years and are quite abundant along our coastal areas often nesting within sight of each other atop channel markers and deliberate man-made structures. As with all of our birds a camera with a larger lens or zoom capability will usually produce the best pictures. For still shots, a respectable approach on foot or via a drifting boat will often do the trick. For diving and other flight shots, observation and anticipation is key as they’ll often telegraph their intentions. If it looks like the bird is hovering and ready to dive, try focusing where the bird will hit the water and shoot a quick series as it plummets down- you might get a great sequence including the osprey struggling to clear the water with it’s fatally hooked catch.
Nesting ospreys, Tiger Tail Beach by www.swfloutdoorphotography.com
One tip- here in Florida nest building seems to begin in November and the process of raising the chicks runs for the next several months, the whole process often yielding great pictures. While shooting an SLR, remember that white plumage can over expose depending on the sunlight so be prepared to adjust your exposure value down a bit. Remember that- we’ve covered it as an important technique with white birds and I always emphasize the concept when out shooting with ”students”. Do you have a question on that? If you might be interested in photography instruction within a small group setting focusing on birds and other wildlife let me know. In the mean time enjoy this regal bird …Gordon.
“Photography in Naples, Marco Island and Everglades”
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