This article features 5 consecutive images of an osprey mid-air shake which were captured during a recent visit to Hendrie Valley. A few additional photographs that were shot after the osprey mid-air shake are also included.
In the past I’ve been able to photograph a number of terns doing a mid-air shake. I have seldom even observed an osprey doing this behaviour. The photographs in this article are the first ones I’ve ever captured of an osprey mid-air shake.
All of the images were captured handheld using an OM-D E-M1X fitted with an M.Zuiko 100-400 mm f/5-6.3 IS zoom along with an M.Zuiko MC-14 teleconverter. I used a combination of Pro Capture L with Bird Detection AI Subject Tracking. As is my standard practice I had my Pre-Shutter Frames set to 10 with my Frame Limiter turned off. A single auto-focusing point was engaged.
First, let’s have a look at 5 consecutive images illustrating the osprey mid-air shake. The osprey’s nictitating membrane is visible in these images which had the effect of softening the sharpness of the bird’s eye. In the fifth photograph you can see the nictitating member is about 2/3rds of the way across the bird’s eye.
NOTE: Click on images to enlarge.
After the osprey completed its mid-air shake it continued on its flight path which allowed me to capture a few additional images…
One of the things that keeps many bird photographers coming back week after week is photographing subjects while they perform some relatively uncommon behaviour. For folks just getting into bird photography be forewarned… it can get addicting! 🙂
Technical Note:
Photographs were captured handheld using camera gear as noted in the EXIF data. Images were produced from RAW files using my standard approach in post. I used Pro Capture L with my standard settings… Pre-Shutter Frames set to 10 and Frame Limiter turned off. A single auto-focusing point was engaged. This is the 1,223 article published on this website since its original inception in 2015.
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