Osprey

[Jitendra Katre]

canon 450d,tamron 200-500,f-8,1/1000,iso=200

[Praveen Siddannavar]

Jitendra looks like the Osprey was quite high, however you have made a good efforts to get the details well, it would have been great if you had got the eye contact. Its a challenge to shot birds in-flight...

Here's some info on Osprey -

Scientific name - Pandion haliaetus

Ospreys are superb fishers and indeed eat little else—fish make up some 99%of their diet. Because of this appetite, these birds can be found near ponds, rivers, lakes, and coastal waterways. Ospreys hunt by diving to the water's surface from 30 to 100 feet up. They have gripping pads on their feet to help them pluck fish from the water with their curved claws and carry them for great distances. In flight, ospreys will orient the fish headfirst to ease wind resistance.

Most ospreys are migratory birds that breed in the north and migrate south for the winter. They lay eggs (typically three), which both parents help to incubate. Osprey eggs don't hatch all at once, but are staggered in time so that some siblings are older and more dominant. When food is scarce these stronger birds may take it all and leave their siblings to starve.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Lovely wing spread. I wish it were closer to you so that there would have been more details. The head is turned to the side and the eyes are not visible. Else, it would have strengthened the image.

I loved the info by Praveen, So I looked up at my Salim Ali and extracted the following info presented below within quotes.

"
Habits:
Flies up and down over the water scanning the surface for any fish coming up within striking depth. Occasionally hovers like a Kestrel to investigate more closely, with legs dangling below in readiness. At a suitable opportunity the bird closes its wings and hurls itself upon the quarry, striking the water with a great splash and often becoming completely submerged. The fish is grasped in the talons and carried off to some convenient rock nearby, where it is torn to pieces and devoured.

Call: Seldom heard in its winter quarters; described as a clear kai, kai, kai. "

In my limited observations, I have never heard them. Have found them perched on a convenient dead tree near the backwaters of kabini. Once saw an Osprey dive and catch a large fish in padam talao in ranthambhore.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

[Mrudul Godbole]

Beautiful. Nice details in the wing spread. You got any more with it turned towards you for more eye contact? Thanks Praveen and Sabyasachi for the detailed information. Look forward to more..

[Bibhav Behera]

Lovely wing span. Eye contact would have strengthened the image. Thanks Praveen and Sabyasachi for the info.

[Atul Dhamankar]

Nicely captured. Just head is in wrong direction........