Osprey with flounder over the Gulf – Nikon D200, handheld, f6.3, 1/750, ISO 160, Nikkor 80-400mm VR at 116mm, natural light, Osprey caught the Flounder
Some of my images make me laugh and this Osprey image with a flounder that weighs almost as much as the bird does make me laugh.
I was photographing pelicans in the Gulf of Mexico with my friends Adrian and Bill at Fort De Soto County Park’s north beach when I spotted an Osprey coming towards us with a wiggling flounder in its talons. The Osprey was flying surprisingly fast and I knew it was going to fly right over top of us. I just didn’t know how low and close it would be. If it had been any closer I wouldn’t have been able to focus on the bird and fish at all.
I zoomed back as quickly as I could to 116mm and started firing away and as I did I started leaning and almost fell on my back as the Osprey passed over my head. Adrian and I were laughing out loud and Bill was wondering if we got any good shots of the Osprey floundering with its prey over our heads.
Me? I was just glad the Osprey didn’t drop that huge flounder on my head!
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Osprey photos plus facts and information about this species.
Wow Mia, what a brilliant sight and capture! That’s the best osprey with fish shot I’ve seen, and wonderful to have had a good laugh at the same time, congratulations!
Incredible! I didn’t know flounder were so pale either.
What a fibber you are. You weren’t ‘just’ glad not to be wearing the flounder at all. Any day when you laugh is a winner – seeing that amazing sequence is another AND to capture it as well makes for a triple treat. And yes, I am also happy that you didn’t experience the slap-stick of a fish in the face.
What a great, lucky shot! I’ve seen pictures of osprey with fish before, but never as close, or ant and angle of that one!
You not only got the shot, you got a truly amazing, tack sharp shot. What a thrill to not only see this spectacular sight but to have everything work out photographically. Congratulations!
Great shot and quite a story behind it too!
Oh WOW! That’s a spectacular shot!
He’s looking right at you. Probably wondering if you were a threat to taking his prized possession away from him.
Great shot!
What an incredible shot. I love it and hope the Osprey got to eat it after a catch like that. Thank you, you brightened my morning again.