Magnificent Ospreys

Not wishing to be discouraged by the dodgy weather in my Garmisch trip I tried to keep the momentum going with a trip to Pohtiolampi near to Tampere in Finland to visit the Osprey centre and to photograph Ospreys catching fish from their well-stocked ponds.

I met up with my friend and former colleague Mika Grönroos, a keen nature photographer, and we spent a Monday evening and Tuesday day in the upper hide overlooking a small pond. From this position we could observe gulls attempting to catch the fish while floating on the surface of the water, Grey Herons stalking about in the shallows ready to strike with their long beaks and Ospreys utilising their dynamic "dive, splash and grab" techniques... these different methods were all effective, none of the birds were going hungry.

By far the highlight of the trip came in the Tuesday afternoon when an Osprey, diving from 15 metres height, managed to grab a fish with each foot, coming away with two tasty snacks in a single dive, an amazing display of skill and coordination.
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The Osprey centre at Pohtiolampi was a great place for this activity, and I recommend it for any photographers or nature lovers who would like to get a closer view of the magnificent osprey on the hunt.

Images

A grey heron coughing...

An expert fisherman...