My Try At The Oakbank Osprey

[MEGHAN]

So after seeing so many Osprey shots from Oakbank, I thought I would head up there. I haven't been in a couple of years but still remember it as the local "go to place" for Osprey at this time of year. It is not quite "local" for me, but it still saves me a few hours drive up to the Kawartha's.
I went up 2 days in a row and the Osprey were quite accommodating both times, "hitting" in just the right place when I was there.
Unfortunately I decided to make those days, the days I would experiment with some camera setting. I purposely underexposed these shots because I do like to see a darker image as opposed to a brighter one. I also had the vibrance turned up in my camera. So these images are the result. As you can see they are, at the same time, both dark and quite saturated. I am not completely disappointed with the results, but next time I will leave the camera settings alone and start working on my pp instead.
Enjoy.
Comments and critique on these shots would be appreciated.
Meghan

[newfoundlander61]

Great looking set of action shots. is the fish a large goldfish that someone threw in the marsh?

[MEGHAN]

Thanks Paul, I always appreciate a comment/compliment from you.
The pond is full of goldfish. It's a spot people like to dump them. A few here or there over the years, now the population has exploded. Good food for the Osprey, pulling out a species that doesn't belong.
I would prefer a "normal" fish but the contrast is kind of cool with the orange.

Meghan

[Howieh]

Very impressive Meghan! although the 'so called experts' might disagree with us I also prefer the slightly darker look (which can usually be adjusted in pp). I was really hoping to meet you at Oakbank this week but yesterday was the Zoo (more about that later!), today was Sunnybrook and tomorrow is St Mikes and if I'm lucky I'll get to Rosetta or the spit tomorrow after the hospital visit.

Yesterday was seniors day at the zoo and I promised the Love Goddess that we'd go so we did even tho she can't walk too far and I knew we wouldn't see most of the interesting animals. So we go through the gate and I'm standing around with enough bags (camera, food, purse, etc.) to go on a weeks vacation and I'm trying to keep from dropping stuff, etc., etc. and my left arm brushes against my torso and THAT'S when I got stung (or bitten 'cause we couldn't find a stinger)  by something that took off before I could identify it (unfortunately nobody around me could help either). It was pretty painful but I wasn't too concerned until my arm started looking kind of funny(?) - and I mean funny oh, oh, not funny ha, ha! They called a nurse who rubbed me with Benadryl, wrote down all my contact info and told me to see my doctor if things got worse (which they did for a while) but by the time we left much of the swelling had subsided and I felt ok...anyway, I'm pretty ticked off because when I go to the zoo, as a crazy photographer I can fathom getting eaten by a lion or stepped on by an elephant or kicked by a zebra but STUNG BY A WASP?? gimme a break - it's not even a zoo animal!! and how many times did I change the hummingbird nectar and totally ignored the yellowjackets that crawled all over me during the process??

Incidentally, my last hummer visit was Sept 1, are yours still around Meghan? I'm still hoping to get lucky with the last of the resident hummers at Rosetta!

On a serious note I think that anyone who spends lots of time in the 'wild' should probably be tested for sensitivity to insect bites but that's another story.

My wife has a ladies club meeting on Thursday so I may make it to Oakbank between noon and 2pm but in the meantime I'll just admire all the great stuff posted by you and BoBoBird.

[Rob'in'To]

Sweet shots Meghan!

I must check this place out, possibly next week, since I am on holidays.

[Bird Brain]

STUNG BY A WASP??

Ouch!  Howie ... put a slice of onion directly on the sting area - helps draw out the poison and also helps with itchiness/soreness.

[MEGHAN]

Very impressive Meghan! although the 'so called experts' might disagree with us I also prefer the slightly darker look (which can usually be adjusted in pp).quote]

Thanks Howie, I am glad you like them. Most people don't, but as long as you approve I will keep doing it.

Sweet shots Meghan!

I must check this place out, possibly next week, since I am on holidays.

Thanks Rob!! Get up there soon, not much time left before they move on.

Meghan

p.s Jo-Anne, thanks for the wasp sting tip.

[Irene]

I love it~I love it all..great going Meghan..underexposing in harsh light seemed to work for these shots.
Keep it up girlie!!

[Rob'in'To]

I prefer a little under-exposing for the most part, liking the darker colors.

[BoboBird]

Great shots Meghan. They have never hit that close for me....

[MEGHAN]

Thanks Irene and Rob, glad you like them!!

Great shots Meghan. They have never hit that close for me....

Thanks Bobo...just out to the right of the platform every time, and then once straight out in front really close. I must have had good luck because the other people there said they had been fishing out at the end for the past few days. I guess I picked the right days to go.

Meghan

[Rob'in'To]

I hope I pick the right day to go next week.  Even if only to see them.  And not that they have moved on.  Will try to incorporate a few areas out in the east end that day.

[MEGHAN]

I hope I pick the right day to go next week. Even if only to see them. And not that they have moved on. Will try to incorporate a few areas out in the east end that day.

Hey Rob,
I talked to a buddy of mine who lives up there. He told me he is pretty sure they have moved on. He hasn't seen them in a few days.
He won't be going back there so I have no way to confirm going forward.
Maybe BoboBird could possibly post an update?

Meghan

[Rob'in'To]

Thanks Meghan.  See where I go in my travels next week, if up that way, maybe I will stop in anyways.  Unless you hear more or Bobobird has another update.

Its always something to hope for next year, eh?

I've only seen one Osprey this year.  I should have made an effort for more, like up Carden way, or even at Mountsberg.

Cheers!

[Howieh]

I was at Oakbank on Thursday and all I saw were ducks and geese (even the cormorants and the heron were nowhere to be seen!). The winds look pretty good for Raptor watch at Rosetta this Saturday; hope to see some of you there and if we're lucky the hummingbirds will still be around!