Dale Matson
Click On Photographs To Enlarge
Much of the San Joaquin River does not have public access yet wildlife exists all along the river. Friant road from highway 41 to Auberry Road has an amazing amount of wildlife below Friant Dam along the river. I continue to discover viewing opportunities after living in the area for 28 years.
A friend recently told me about a pair of Osprey that have built a nest near the ponds created by a gravel company that has made several ponds extracting stone and gravel. It is a simple walk of about .6 miles from Friant Road. I find that Ospreys prefer the top of a dead tree in which to build their nests.
Ospreys are not hawks or eagles. They are their own family of birds found throughout the world. They are only about one third the body mass of an eagle but have a wingspan only about a foot shorter. They pluck fish out of the water but also dive for fish. Eagles will steal the fish from an Osprey if they get a chance. There are plenty of Ospreys around and even one nest in Fresno in Woodward Park near the upper ponds.
I am able to get close to this nest which is also not that high. Consequently, My Sony A7R4 (cropped mode) with the Sony 200-600mm lens with a 1.4 TC brings them in pretty close. I am even able to get some fairly sharp birds in flight (BIF) photos. I have not seen any evidence of chicks.
No comments:
Post a Comment