Hello Reader !

There I was, atop a 300 foot platfrom with 20 other birders and photographers.

It was a disappointing morning, to say the least... for the Festival of Hawks.

Every year, in September, thousands of Hawks migrate from Northern Ontario into the states.

There's one place, a marsh, in southeastern Ontario where they flock to before veering towards the Detroit River...

...where they follow the bending curve of the river, further south.

A perfect place for birders and photographers alike to get a glimpse of these mighty hunters.

It was now 9:26 a.m. and with Golden hour now behind us, I decided it was time to pack up and go home.

Alas, not one photo of a hawk... sigh.

.....

9:30 a.m., Someone shouted... "an Osprey, soaring just above the tree lines!"

It dipped and weaved and went in for the catch!

Bags packed. Ready to go... I missed it, sigh.

But, on it's way up... it dropped the fish!

Wildlife, like humans, are predictable.

I knew it would be back again.

So, I unpacked, locked and loaded... ready to go.

• Nikon z8
• Auto ISO
• 180-600 with a 1.4x tele @ f/9
• 1/3200
• AF-C @ 30 Frames per Second

And yep... it came back...

9:47 a.m. - The first 24 images @ 840MM w/ISO 450 - 3200.

Cringe... underexposed, out-of-focus + camera shake...

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I re-mounted my z8 to my tripod and the Wimberly WH-200 gimbel!

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9:49 a.m., it perched itself above the location of the last catch... 17 more boring photos all destined for the bin of afterlife...

I have a few better images of Osprey in my catalog... no need to keep images at Level 4 or lower.

Besides, what I really wanted was a B.I.F. and/or "the catch."

.....

9:52 a.m., our patience finally paid off as it swooped down to grab breakfast...

26 more images!

All garbage...

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I missed it!

It was mostly due to my position.

Too far and too many distractions.

It was not ideal for the "Swoop and Catch."

There was another perspective that would have brought me within 100 feet of the Osprey...

...but...

a; I may have scared it off and...

b; it was a good 5 minute walk.

Wrong place wrong time.

So, I decided to focus solely on it in flight...

.....

6 minutes went by and if felt like an eternity!

Finally, at 9:59 a.m., it descended once more.

And this time it did not come back up empty-clawed.

As I zoomed in I could see the catch, a suckerfish, was about 12 inches long.

As it rose above the trees, searching for a place to feast... I began to fire away.

But, something amazing happened...

...it didn't perch.

It kept flying in a circle...

One circle, two circle, four...

THEN... it did the unthinkable...

It started flying towards us!

We all let out a gasp... here it comes!!

...I'm thinking... "it's coming, it's coming... OH MY GOD DON'T MISS THE SHOT!"

67 photos later and...

...wouldn't you like to know if it was a success or failure?

How many keepers? If any?

.....

As I'm writing this I'm thinking I should do a cliff-hanger and do the follow up next week.

Hmmm...

I think that's what we'll do!

Please reply to this email if you're excited for the reveal.

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Have an awesome day!

Chris Parker

Parker Photographic

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P.S. Next week I'll reveal how many keepers, if any, along with a pro tip. Don't miss it!

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269 WALKER ST V5718, Detroit, Michigan 48207-4258
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