Rutland Water

[+bryand]

In the absence of any clear astro skies, I've been trying out my 'new' Canon M10 and lenses on the Ospreys at Rutland Water:

Canon M10, EF 75-300 mm zoom lens @ 300mm, 1/640th @ F:6.3, ISO 100

1/500th @F:6.3, ISO 100:

Note the junction box at the base of the pole.  The birds even have their own sub-station (for the webcam)!

 

[Doc]

It's a wonderful place Bryan, I haven't been this year yet but will do one day. Nice photos as well, I'm amazed you managed to get this close at 300mm. Was this from the hide or the bridge?

[Bottletopburly]

You can book an early morning boat trip on the Rutland belle  to see the ospreys 

[+bryand]

@Doc: They were from the westernmost hide, nearest the nest .  The lens is 300 mm in 35 mm equivalent terms, and 480 mm equivalent for my APS-C sensor.

 

@David: I'm not good at early mornings, and anyway the nest is quite a distance from the limit of navigation so Rutland Belle wouldn't get you very close.

 

Talking to the Volunteers on the Reserve, they reckon the first chick will be due in the first week of May, with fledging about 8 weeks after that.  They weren't optimistic that all 4 eggs would be successful, 3 being a normal clutch.   Worth keeping an eye on progress.

[+Ibbo]

Last time we went we could not get in that hide it was ram packed full.

[Bottletopburly]

@bryand there is a place you can photograph here there is a cost of £75  a session , though pretty close to fishing ospreys https://www.rivergwashtroutfarm.co.uk/horn-mill-osprey-hide/