Sharnee O'Rourke, The Eastern Osprey (ANIMAL 2022)

I was aiming for some in-flight shots of the osprey birds that were near by. I saw one fly out from a tree and fly along the surface of the lake. I though maybe it would dive in and snatch a fish, thinking I would only have a few of seconds to get the shot. To my surprise, this bird landed in the water no more than 20 meters away from where I was standing. It was really enjoying cooling off in the water on a hot day. I stayed very still to ensure I didn't frighten the bird. It stayed there for about 10 minutes splashing around, making for the perfect photo opportunity. I often visit this spot to photograph the osprey, but this was by far the most incredible experience. Not only was it the perfect photo opportunity, but it was just incredible to witness such beautiful birds so close.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.