Friday, May 02, 2008

Catch Of The Day


I had been scouting a Eagle's nest along the Bow and was making my way home when I noticed what I thought at first was a hawk somewhat obscured by tree branches up ahead sitting perched on a branch overlooking the Bow. As I made my way clear of the heaviest part of the trees obscuring my view, it became clear as to what I was seeing and at that point I went into panic mode. Here was a Osprey sitting in the tree with a Rainbow Trout in his talons that he had just pulled from the Bow. The panic that I was experiencing was due to the fact that I had my long lens in its case and I feared that this Osprey was getting ready to fly the coop with his catch. I pulled over while reaching for my lens case and with one eye on the Osprey perched possibly no more than 40 meters from me, I quickly pulled the lens from its case and assembled it to my camera body with lens caps rolling off the seat to be found later. In what seemed a very long time I finally had my first capture as the Osprey went about tearing chunks of flesh from the fish and swallowing it down. Within minutes magpies arrived and perched on branches nearby were loudly protesting because the Osprey was not in a mood to share his catch. The Osprey had devoured a good portion of the fish when a Bald Eagle flew in close trying to steal the fish from the Osprey. However the Osprey launched into the air with his catch and flew on down the river leaving myself, the eagle and the magpies behind.



Early in the day I had also scouted a area where I had spotted 3 moose in a clearing off in the distance and was planning on how to hike in to the area to get a closer look at them. I thought that maybe there was a chance that a female had dropped a spring calf and I could get some captures. Movement in a tree some distance from me proved to be a porcupine munching on tree bark and possibly the soft spring shouts just beginning to sprout. This porky was not to concerned as I moved in close for a photo or two.


Nearby a muskrat swam along the shoreline in a backwater channel where I was able to get a fix on the underwater entrance to his burrow dug in to the bank. Ducks such as Northern Shovelers swam about not paying much attention to me as I worked my way along this backwater channel of the Bow. I noticed a pair of Tundra Swans nearby who seemed to be looking for a place to nest, however I am sure that in a few days common sense will return, and they will move on as they make their way north to their nesting grounds in the territories


This channel also proved to be a popular spot with a fisherman trying his luck as he stood on the bow of his boat casting flies off of the portside. After watching him for a while and several captures of him residing in my camera, I moved on before he begin to think I was responsible for the slow fishing. Nearby a pair of crows tending to their nest were not impressed as I got to close for their comfort and as a result, took to the air with several close fly-bys performed for my benefit.

Of course this actually was earlier in the day and already pleased with some of my captures on the day, the Osprey with his catch proved to be my catch of the day.

Crow's Feet
Remember - All photos expand

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