Dark brown upper parts, contrasting with their white underparts and head distinguish the osprey from other coastal birds of prey.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In flight it can be identified by its bowed - rather than upswept - wings, and by a thin brown necklace across its upper breast.
My experience with them was mostly on our north coast, where I spotted one pair nesting well out in a tidal estuary on top of oyster racks. This was a great find as it meant that I could photograph the bird as it came in to feed the chick which was well developed.
The following day I returned with my kayak, the weather perfect, nice bright day, water flat. I then moved into position making sure I had the right spot; I could not use the tripod as I had movement in the kayak.
All set, I waited, for some time as it turned out. After about an hour, I spotted one parent sweeping over the water. It had a fish, but to my surprise headed to landing spot some distance from the nest, where it remained for some time.
I thought it was eating the fish but it turned out it either ate the head or removed the head before lifting off and flying low to the nesting, just lifting up to the nest at the last moment. Quite a number of shots were taken of this event with my Canon camera and long lens, with fast shutter speed to freeze the action. This image is online with the article.
My other experience was further north where a friend of mine informed me that an osprey was following a set practice of carrying fish over the shoreline at a certain location. This one was not as easy to get and I spent most of the day waiting, but in the end was rewarded with one great shot as the osprey crossed the shoreline heading inland to a nest. The same photographic gear was used, with the lens being stabilised .
Ospreys are seen singly, in pairs and on occasions with flying young. They can be seen perched, on posts, dead exposed limbs of trees, or rock and cliff faces. Although their main food is fish, ospreys will occasionally pick up dead fish and other prey. Both the male and female take part in building the nest; it is used year after year for some time. The female does most of the egg incubation, while the male continues to feed her during this period. Later on with the chick in the nest, both parents feed the chick.