Violet taking a break.. ...from brooding. A few days ago I opened the topic "Special Delivery" with an image of an Osprey pair (and their 2018 chick) that I have been fortunate enough...

Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum

Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register ☰

Violet taking a break...

Nov 26, 2018 11:48:50 #

7awol Loc: Butler, Pa

...from brooding. A few days ago I opened the topic "Special Delivery" with an image of an Osprey pair (and their 2018 chick) that I have been fortunate enough to follow since early 2014. The nest box is on my brothers property in Southern Maryland. I visit as often as I can. Victor and Violet have successfully raised and fledged nine chicks since 2014. After migrating back to the nest box in mid-March, housekeeping and mating begins...both pretty much non-stop. Both birds come and go often, the nest box remaining empty for hours at a time. Both can be seen in nearby trees eating recently caught fish. In late April their behavior changes a bit. Violet begins spending most of her time at the nest and Victor begins delivering headless fish to her. We sense that this indicates that she has begun the brooding process. Several times a day Violet becomes quite vocal and soon after Victor appears at the nest box, without a fish. They seem to exchange pleasantries for a few minutes then Violet launches. Victor settles on the eggs. These images were made in early May of 2018. Violet (females sport a feather "necklace" on their breast) generally circles the nest box several times before flying across the creek disappearing in the trees. She always returns within an hour or so, they trade places...and her brooding duties resume. Victor goes fishing.

Nikon D500, Nikkor 300mm f4 PF E + 1.4 T.C.
These were all manual mode exposures with auto ISO set to on. ISO's varied from 500 to 1250 for these images. 1/2500 at f6.3 with +1 exposure compensation. Matrix metering. Group AF.