[M_Six]

^^^Alright, Ed, fess up. How much are you paying these birds to pose for you?

[Itsed65]

Originally Posted by M_Six

^^^Alright, Ed, fess up. How much are you paying these birds to pose for you?

LoL! Actually, of all the raptors, osprey seem to be the least concerned about humans gawking and pointing big white tubes at them, so they go about their business. Right now some of the unattached younger males are trying to move in on established nesting pairs and there is a lot of drama to capture.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

Great shot Dave! Although I do see a dust spot, which reminds me I need to get my sensors cleaned before I head out to Yosemite.

Thanks Ed. I hadn't noticed it. Thanks for pointing it out. I apparently went to the sand dunes and managed not to get a spot and then, somehow, I got one the day of this shot, or the evening before.

[dcstep]

Incoming

Scrubbing off speed for landing by David Stephens, on Flickr

[M_Six]

^^Another cool head on shot. Nicely done, DC.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by M_Six

^^Another cool head on shot. Nicely done, DC.

Thanks Mark.

Here's another pelican landing shot, same pelican:

Pelican Landing by David Stephens, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

They are definitely the clowns of the bird world, and always fun to watch and take pictures of. Especially like the head on one!

[Itsed65]

Not the usual striped bass...

Osprey # 17 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Mallard Drake Flies Over

Eye-to-eye by David Stephens, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

Perfect focus Dave.

[Itsed65]

Enjoying the view before it turns brown again

East Bay Spring by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[M_Six]

^^^^Windows Desktop

[Itsed65]

Originally Posted by M_Six

^^^^Windows Desktop

Totally! That's what I was thinking when I snapped it. Not even my "landscape" camera, but my old 7D with a Tamron superzoom on it. I just keep it in my car for anything that pops up.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

Enjoying the view before it turns brown again

Looks like a painting.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by M_Six

^^^^Windows Desktop

Oh yeah!

[dcstep]

Mallard Hen

Pretty Mallard Hen Flies By by David Stephens, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

I'm surprised the auto focus grabbed this one

Osprey #13 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

I'm surprised the auto focus grabbed this one

Tough AF challenge. Well Done.

[dcstep]

I spent five-hours over two-days trying to get bufflehead flight shots. They're probably twice as fast as mallards and I got several chances, but no success. Finally, five-minutes before sunset, my friend Dan said, "Look, there's something" and I saw these two about 100-yards out and finally got a shot.

Bufflehead Pair by David Stephens, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

White-tailed kite #25 by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[Itsed65]

A shot from last year. It's going to be back this June.

B-17 at 12 O Clock by lennycarl08, on Flickr

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

A shot from last year. It's going to be back this June.

Love the B-17, Ed. My dad trained as a bombardier in those after the air corp had moved on to newer, bigger models in combat, but used the 17s for training. Luckily, for me, the war in Europe ended right as he completed his training (he'd been a flight instructor for a couple of years) and the discharged him rather than send him to the Pacific.

Dave