The eyes have it!

D4
600mm plus 1.4 tc
1/2000 sec
F/7.1
ISO 640
Metering Spot
Exposure Manual
White Balance Manual/cloudy
Cropped 40.5%
Tripod w/Wimberly head

This osprey series I want to share with you took place just a few days before Christmas after a trout plant at a nearby lake. As is the usual practice after a trout plant the photographers gather round hoping for an osprey to come crashing down in front of them being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. Lord knows that rarely happens. BUT, it just so happened that an osprey had been circling for at least two hours, coming and going, and then coming again. The photographers were eager for something to happen and began chasing this poor bird around hoping to have it land where they could get a good shot. Now, normally I would be one of those guys chasing it around but I had thrown my back out of wack a week prior to this and was in no condition to run around with my tripod and 600mm lense so I stayed put. I had been there since first light and had seen nothing happen all day so I was bummed when it appeared that the photographers had their sights set on this bird going in the water in a cove around the corner only to have him come flying up after an averted dive attempt and immediately dive right in front of me. The wind was right, the light was right, and the flight out of the water was right at me. I was very fortunate to get good light on both the ospreys eyes as well as the trouts. Anyway, I'd like to post 2 or 3 images of that event for you to see.
Sorry it's been a while. Good to be back posting again. I've got some catching up to do with you all. Happy Holidays to all of you and may the new year bring you spectacular light and great opportunities.