The Annual Perfectly Adequate Osprey Photo

Here it is, my annual service to the photographic community: A photograph of an Osprey which can stand for all the photographs of Ospreys that have been taken, are being taken as we speak, and will be taken. You can all go on to more fruitful pursuits than taking pictures of Ospreys at Brig and clogging up the wildlife drive as you wait for the perfect light, or the perfect posture, or the perfect posture in the perfect light. It isn't going to happen because someone else will think the light could be just a little more perfect, or the stance of the bird could be just a bit more dramatic or some combination of both or other factors must be in the frame like a bloody fish (which you will note this photograph also has) or some whimsical nest decoration for which Ospreys are noted (I call your attention to the green cloth in the right hand corner). 

What is it about Ospreys that a search on eBird will turn up over 87,000 images? Is it because they're essentially sitting ducks (you'll excuse the expression) easy to photograph: big & immobile on the nest and relatively easy to get close to? That can't be it because so many photographers like to get them splashing down into the water, spray exploding everywhere, then flying off with a fish head first in its talons. But that picture has been taken thousands upon thousands of times too and it isn't going to get any better the next time it is taken...or any different for that matter. 

Today, after I snapped off a couple of shots with my Lumix FZ80 a couple pulled up and bolted out of their pickup truck and started setting up tripods and attaching long lenses to camera bodies all to take the essentially same picture I just took. As it happens, I told them, there is a much more interesting bird over on this side, a Short-eared Owl. I showed them where it was but I knew what they would say...Oh, that's too far to get a picture. And of course it was. So it must be proximity that sets the shutters a-snapping. 

But, no need this year. Picture's taken. Move along. Nothing to see here, nothing to see.