I recently had a 2 week vacation in FL photography birds before and after photographing the Rolex 24 hour race. These pictures of this Osprey couple I took on my first day in Florida, just over the bridge as you are coming into Sanibel Island FL.  I took over 13,000 photo's on that vacation but this photo right here touched me the most and I'll never forget it.

So lets back up as to why that picture above stood out above the rest. I took many technically better and sharper  photo's  on the trip but not many conveyed the emotion as it did for me witnessing it. First off all these photo's here were shot with my Canon 1DX and 100-400II.  4 days later I rented the 400III F2.8 for 7 days a Brilliant lense btw and you can see many examples on my flickr page, linked below of what that can do if you want to take a look.  Anyways back to this Osprey couple.

I get over the Bridge on Sanibel Island pull off on the first pull off, hear the familiar sound of a Osprey warning people or other osprey hey your moving in my area, it sounded like it was right on top of my car, it was so close, so I slowly get out of my car with camera in hand, take a couple steps look up and see this

So I slowly start walking around the tree, taking photos as I walked 

Observed him for 5 minutes or soo hoping to get him taking off and Bam 

So walk away laughing on how great this trip has started, As before I arrived here I spent the morning photographing Burrowing owls in Cape Coral for my first time. but yeah  My fav Raptor full frame pixels in flight, cool cool.  I watched where he lands and could'nt believe my eyes at the location site of this nest.  

Look beneath the nest, look at how much work has gone on already for this nest, note the top of the Exit sign and how bowed out it is from all the Nesting sticks the two ospreys have already brought in,  but look how close this is off the ground, there are cars in these next two pictures I took to give it scale.  I was baffled as to why they choose this to raise a family right here.  just on the other side of the bridge there are many empty Osprey nesting platforms and this couple have choosen this super dangerous sign location,   I just can't imagine the kids and two adults having enough room physically in the upcoming months. 

So after watching them for awhile saw  both male and female do various things around the nest I went into the JN Darling wildlife drive to photograph other birds but as I was leaving I wanted to stop back and check on them. the female comes back to the nest I watched them for a little bit,  they would always yell at the many many ospreys that were flying over,  it looked like a main flight path for a lot of the ospreys on the island, again I thought why build here?

I saw them take off and fly in maybe half a dozen times that day many of the flights were dangerously close to the tops of Cars and trucks, I was frighten for them as I knew the months to come how many flights are gonna be needed to raise the kids on that nest.  Most raptors once in flight when they have there eyes on something will ignore cars and trucks and thats how many die, I fear this couple will not make it through nesting season. them or there kids I would think would not make it.  I hope I'm wrong I hope this is a local couple that have made this nest for years and years. I hope someone local would chime in and tell me if this is a norm for this nesting site.     

Taking off here to go get some more nesting material

like on this flight below bringing in nesting material he was gliding right over the tops of cars before I locked focus and got the nice sidelight pics of him flying into the nest. 

With all these pics I was standing on the other side of the road, a very busy busy road. 

The scene just struck me,  its struck me the love of this couple and to start a family under very very difficult and life threatening circumstances, Maybe they are the rock climbing without a rope type of couple, who live on the edge.  Talking to each other saying I bet we could do it right here. screw the naysyaers! Lets raise a family right here.   But for me I fear the worst from the flight paths I saw them take into the nest. 

This was my last photo of them,  It was amazing watching the golden light highlight there eyes while they were keeping guard from all directions. As I walked away I said a prayer for them and wished them luck on raising the family. 

Before I got in my car I took this, the couple Silhouette under the tree were dancing to music spinning themselves around enjoying life. 

Another part of life

It was a brilliant day to start my trip. Florida always delivers for me 

For tons more images including from Canons new flagship 400 prime from my trip check them out here

My Flickr Website

Take care

Steve