Lunch with an osprey

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Lunch with an osprey

March 29, 2016 by Mike Powell

Yesterday afternoon I came upon this Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) at Huntley Meadows Park as it was enjoying a freshly caught fish. The osprey was perched in an exposed dead tree and I had a front row seat as it consumed its lunch. Despite taking what looked to be pretty small bites, the osprey downed the fish in a matter of minutes.

I managed to take quite a few shots of the osprey, which seemed so focused on its food that it tolerated my presence almost directly below the tree. I am still going through those photos and may do another posting later, but wanted to post one of my initial favorites.

Posted in Birds, Nature, Photography, spring, wildlife | Tagged Alexandria VA, Canon 50D, Huntley Meadows Park, Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, Tamron 150-600mm | 14 Comments

14 Responses

on March 29, 2016 at 6:02 am | Reply New Hampshire Garden Solutions

Nice shot! I never see ospreys here but I’m sure they must be.
- on March 30, 2016 at 4:55 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  There are lots of ospreys along the Potomac River, many returning to the same nests year after year. I can’t tell if there is an osprey nest at our park, but there seems to have been a few ospreys throughout the spring and summer the last few years.
on March 29, 2016 at 7:55 am | Reply shoreacres

I have mixed feelings about this one. Last month, I was working on a boat that an osprey had adopted as its dining table. It would perch on the mizzen mast, and have dinner, or a midnight snack: whatever. Every morning when I came to work, the first chore always was cleaning up after that creature — hosing the entrails and such off the boat. It looks like yours is a bit tidier!
- on March 30, 2016 at 4:53 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Fish guts are no fun. This osprey was not quite as tidy as it looks–there were a few moments when little pieces of the fish were spraying about, but in this setting there was no need to clean up.
on March 29, 2016 at 11:23 am | Reply Ed

One of my favourite birds, very nice picture
- on March 30, 2016 at 4:52 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Ed. I never get tired of watching the ospreys as they fly about and especially when they strike.
on March 29, 2016 at 12:12 pm | Reply Jet Eliot

Truly lovely photo, Mike.
- on March 30, 2016 at 4:51 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Jet. I was thrilled to be able to capture this kind of an intimate shot of the osprey.
on March 29, 2016 at 3:47 pm | Reply kenneturner

One of my favorite Hawks.
- on March 30, 2016 at 4:49 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, kenne. I love watching ospreys and am always amazed at the way they can hover in mid-air as they are getting ready to strike.
on March 29, 2016 at 5:29 pm | Reply Lyle Krahn

Wonderful shot and you didn’t have to pay extra for the front row seat!
- on March 30, 2016 at 4:47 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Lyle. I am hoping that I can reserve the same seat for future performances.
on March 30, 2016 at 12:11 am | Reply Sue

Whoa, what a view! That’s a keeper!
- on March 30, 2016 at 4:45 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Sue.