Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
The Osprey is a large bird of prey found on all the world’s continents, except Antarctica. Worldwide, there are four recognised subspecies of this raptor:
- P. h. carolinensis lives in North America.
- P. h. ridgwayi lives in the Caribbean from the Bahamas and Cuba south to the coast of southeastern Mexico and Belize.
- P. h. haliaetus lives in Britain and Scandinavia, east to Kamchatka and Japan, and south to Mediterranean and the Red Sea, in China and Taiwan, the Canary Islands and Cape Verde Islands. They overwinter in sub-Saharan Africa.
- P. h. cristatus lives in Australia and the Southwest Pacific.
These birds weigh about the same as a Red-Tailed Hawk, but rather than the 48 inch wingspan of the hawk, theirs is almost 60 inches. Their wings seem almost double-jointed as they lift themselves from the water after a successful catch.
Its diet is almost entirely comprised of fish. While most other raptors snag fish from the surface of the water, this bird plunges feet first into the water to secure its meal. They are one of the most successful creatures at catching fish, making catches on 25% to 70% of their attempts. Their feet have adapted to pivot one of their toes to the rear, and raspy pads to help with gripping its slippery prey.
I find Ospreys a compelling subject to photograph; especially when caught in flight with prey. While I visited the Sabal Palm Sanctuary in Brownsville (Texas), I got treated to an Osprey catching a freshwater fish only a few dozen yards in front of me. That is a memory that will remain with me for a long time.
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Near "Arch Rock" in Corona del Mar, Orange County, California. |
Date Taken: 2010:08:03 11:30 |
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Location:
Arch Rock |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/10.0, 1/1250 |
File Name: JCD3763-Osprey |
| © 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Devouring Fish. Poway. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2003:11:29 16:15 |
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Location:
Poway Grove Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD_4033-Osprey |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Devouring Fish. Poway. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2003:11:28 17:17 |
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Location:
Poway Grove Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD_3946-Osprey |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Tijuana River Estuary. Extreme South West San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2003:10:03 11:26 |
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Location:
Imperial Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 550 mm, f/8.0, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD_3293-Osprey |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Tijuana River Estuary. Extreme South West San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2003:10:03 10:54 |
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Location:
Imperial Beach |
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Camera Information: NIKON D1X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 |
File Name: JCD_3290-Osprey |
| © 2003 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Columbia River Gorge, near Kelso, Washington. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:23 14:15 |
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Location:
Sleepy Hollow |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 |
File Name: JCD9935-Osprey |
| © 2005 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Near "Arch Rock" in Corona del Mar, Orange County, California. |
Date Taken: 2010:08:03 11:30 |
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Location:
Arch Rock |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/10.0, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD3764-Osprey |
| © 2010 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Near Canyon Villiage in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. |
Date Taken: 2015:05:22 11:24 |
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Location:
Canyon Village |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X4133-Osprey-Nest |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Cibola Bridge over the Colorado, South of Blyth, CA. In Arizona near the Colorado River. |
Date Taken: 2006:02:16 15:43 |
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Location:
Palo Verde |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 |
File Name: JCD1623-Osprey |
| © 2006 - Jack Daynes - shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Caring for a hungry brood along the Columbia River Gorge, near Kelso, Washington. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:23 15:00 |
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Location:
Sleepy Hollow |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD0255-Osprey |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Caring for a hungry brood along the Columbia River Gorge, near Kelso, Washington. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:23 14:49 |
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Location:
Sleepy Hollow |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 440 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD0079-Osprey |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Ravens harassing the dining Osprey in Poway cause it to relocate, but not without its dinner. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:11:14 10:34 |
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Location:
Poway Grove Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X9368-Osprey |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Carrying a fish at the Tijuana River Valley Regional Park, San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2013:05:18 7:53 |
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Location:
Tijuana River Regional Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X7479-Osprey |
| © 2013 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Columbia River Gorge, near Kelso, Washington. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:23 14:57 |
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Location:
Sleepy Hollow |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 320 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 |
File Name: JCD0226Osprey |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Columbia River Gorge, near Kelso, Washington. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:23 14:56 |
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Location:
Sleepy Hollow |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 320 mm, f/5.6, 1/350 |
File Name: JCD0216Osprey |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Columbia River Gorge, near Kelso, Washington. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:23 14:15 |
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Location:
Sleepy Hollow |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 |
File Name: JCD9935Osprey |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Columbia River Gorge, near Kelso, Washington. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:23 14:17 |
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Location:
Sleepy Hollow |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/7.6, 1/250 |
File Name: JCD9973Osprey |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Columbia River Gorge, near Kelso, Washington. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:23 14:47 |
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Location:
Sleepy Hollow |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 |
File Name: JCD0051Osprey |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Hunting from the boundary for prey in the bay on Tern survey day at the Saltworks, part of the San Diego National Wildlife Complex. Near Imperial Beach, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:08:05 11:46 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/1000 |
File Name: D3X2841-Osprey |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: A day at the Saltworks, part of the San Diego National Wildlife Complex. Near Imperial Beach, California. |
Date Taken: 2015:08:19 10:24 |
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Location:
Saltworks |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: D3X4687-Osprey |
| © 2015 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Catching fish at the South Jetty of the Rogue River in Gold Beach Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:09 8:38 |
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Location:
South Jetty |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/5000 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X0446-GoldBeach-Oregon |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Malheur NWR is in southeastern Oregon, west of Steens Mountains and south of Burns Oregon. Harney County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:30 7:18 |
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Location:
Malheur NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/7.1, 1/8000 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X8660-MalheurNWR |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Catching fish at the South Jetty of the Rogue River in Gold Beach Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:09 9:34 |
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Location:
South Jetty |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X0937-GoldBeach-Oregon |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Catching fish at the South Jetty of the Rogue River in Gold Beach Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:09 9:21 |
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Location:
South Jetty |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X0708-GoldBeach-Oregon |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Lake Hodges. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:08:29 10:02 |
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Location:
Lake Hodges |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X8556-Osprey |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Lake Hodges. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:08:29 9:56 |
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Location:
Lake Hodges |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/4000 |
File Name: D3X8541-Osprey |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree-Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Ravens harassing the dining Osprey in Poway. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:11:14 10:33 |
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Location:
Poway Grove Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X9364-Osprey |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Catching fish at the South Jetty of the Rogue River in Gold Beach Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:09 9:34 |
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Location:
South Jetty |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X0937-GoldBeach-Oregon |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Lake Hodges. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:08:29 10:02 |
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Location:
Lake Hodges |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 800 mm, f/5.6, 1/1600 |
File Name: D3X8552-Osprey |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey and Ravens(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Ravens harassing the dining Osprey in Poway. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:11:14 10:34 |
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Location:
Poway Grove Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/3200 |
File Name: D3X9367-Osprey |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Osprey hunting for breakfast over the marsh. My second day at Aransas NWR on Monday, was only a half day, mostly spent at Heron Flats. The cranes that eluded me on Sunday gave themselves to me on this morning, as did some other nice birds. |
Date Taken: 2020:03:16 9:53 |
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Location:
Aransas NWR |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/7.1, 1/4000 |
File Name: Osprey_D501959-Aransas-NWR |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: My "home base" in Brownsville Texas has a "Reseca" or Oxbow lake on its border. I spent my mornings checking out the local birdlife. |
Date Taken: 2020:04:03 8:59 |
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Location:
Breeze Lake |
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Camera Information: NIKON D500, 550 mm, f/9.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: Osprey_D508474-BreezeLake-TX |
| © 2020 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Columbia River Gorge, near Kelso, Washington. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:23 15:00 |
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Location:
Sleepy Hollow |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 |
File Name: JCD0255Osprey |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Ravens harassing the dining Osprey in Poway. San Diego County, California. |
Date Taken: 2012:11:14 10:34 |
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Location:
Poway Grove Park |
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Camera Information: NIKON D3X, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 |
File Name: D3X9366-Osprey |
| © 2012 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Catching fish at the South Jetty of the Rogue River in Gold Beach Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:09 9:21 |
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Location:
South Jetty |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X0678-GoldBeach-Oregon |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
|
Description: Catching fish at the South Jetty of the Rogue River in Gold Beach Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:09 9:21 |
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Location:
South Jetty |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X0690-GoldBeach-Oregon |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Catching fish at the South Jetty of the Rogue River in Gold Beach Oregon. |
Date Taken: 2017:09:09 9:21 |
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Location:
South Jetty |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X0701-GoldBeach-Oregon |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Malheur NWR is in southeastern Oregon, west of Steens Mountains and south of Burns Oregon. Harney County. |
Date Taken: 2017:08:30 6:42 |
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Location:
Visitor Center |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X8220-MalheurNWR |
| © 2017 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Columbia River Gorge, near Kelso, Washington. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:23 14:51 |
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Location:
Sleepy Hollow |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 550 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD0158Osprey |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Columbia River Gorge, near Kelso, Washington. |
Date Taken: 2005:07:23 14:49 |
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Location:
Sleepy Hollow |
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Camera Information: NIKON D2X, 440 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 |
File Name: JCD0079Osprey |
| © 2005 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: The highlight of my morning was this Osprey’s capture of a fish and watching it wheel over the resaca on its way to finding a perch to enjoy its meal. It was ten days earlier when I paid my first visit to the Sabal Palm Sanctuary in Brownsville Texas. I tried to explore trails I missed last time here. |
Date Taken: 2021:01:28 10:07 |
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Location:
Sable Palms Sanctuary |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X5579-SabalPalms |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
|
Description: The highlight of my morning was this Osprey’s capture of a fish and watching it wheel over the resaca on its way to finding a perch to enjoy its meal. It was ten days earlier when I paid my first visit to the Sabal Palm Sanctuary in Brownsville Texas. I tried to explore trails I missed last time here. |
Date Taken: 2021:01:28 10:07 |
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Location:
Sable Palms Sanctuary |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/2000 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X5573-SabalPalms |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Osprey(Pandion haliaetus) |
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Description: Osprey flyovers are common on SPI. With a momentary lull in warbler migration on South Padre Island, I paid my admission to the Birds and Nature Center to attempt catching subjects that don’t make many appearances at the Convention Centre. |
Date Taken: 2021:04:08 10:59 |
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Location:
South Padre Island WBC |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: Osprey_D5X2206-SPI_BirdNatureCtr |
| © 2021 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
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