Ospreys....the last session

With a heavy heart earlier this month I left Aviemore after my last session of this Osprey season, photographing diving Ospreys at the little Lochan in Aviemore.
I had hoped for the last session I would be blessed with some lovely early morning light, but shortly after the 4am alarm call it became apparent it was to be another dreich Scottish morning. Nevertheless it was still a great morning, lots of Ospreys over the Loch, many of them younger birds following the adults to learn the fishing game.
The poor light meant all these images were shot at ISO 8000+, hence the quality, but it was just as thrilling to see the birds diving, catching the trout which will build their strength for their imminent migration to West Africa.

White Tailed Eagles

I have just returned from a magical week on the Isle of Mull, and one of the main reasons for the long journey up to this magical Island is to photograph the beautiful White Tailed Eagles. 

After a prolonged period of persecution during Victorian times, when large numbers of the areas birds of prey were shot for trophies, poisoned, or had their eggs stolen, the white tailed Eagle was finally exterminated as a British breeding species in  1916.

As a result of a successful re-introduction programme that took place on the neighbouring Inner Hebridean island of Rum between 1975-1985, the Isle of Mull has become a fortress of White-tailed eagle activity, as the new fledgling population of these impressive birds matures and expands.  

These are truly magnificent birds, that live up to their nickname of 'flying barn doors', with a 2.3 metre wingspan, they are amazing to watch soaring above you.
There is no better place on Mull to see them than out on the open sea, and the photographs below were taken on three trips out onto Loch Na Keal with Mull Charters.
The first series of photographs follows the sequence of an adult eagle soaring in and taking a fish off the surface and flying away...