TVAA Exhibition

"Parenthood" A female Osprey provides safety and shade to two new chicks during the spring of 2009. Both chicks survived the summer and winter. We spotted them again during the summer or 2010. These chicks belong to two of our favorite Ospreys we call Cleo (Cleopatra) and Mark (Mark Anthony). They have had successful hatches each of the last 3 years. Photographed on Pickwick lake in North Alabama
Osprey in Motion
"Cooling Off" An Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) skims the waters surface dragging its talons to create a spray that splashes onto its body. In Summer this helps keep the bird cool. However when the Osprey is sitting on eggs in the nest, this moisture is important to the well being of the eggs.
"First Flight" This young Bald Eagle leaves the nest for the first time. Born on a farm near Wheeler dam, the progress of this youngster’s life was carefully observed daily. We were fortunate to be there for this exciting event. After an hour or so of the parent calling to the young eaglet, the youngster half-flapped/ half-hopped to a tree a few yard from the nest tree and landed by the parent. The print above is a composite of the first 6 frames of the young Eagles maiden flight.
"Air Show" Julia, a famous Bald Eagle resident of Shiloh, give a display of her agility. She seemed to be stretching her wings after a few hours of nesting duties.

These are the two chicks of Cleo and Mark just 3 weeks after the previous photo.
"Cleopatra and Mark Anthony" (Cleo is the larger)
"American Alligator" (Alligator mississippiensis) This small “gator” lives in a swamp to the south of the Shoals. In the dimly lit areas of a swamp, the alligator is very well camoflaged and extremely hard to spot. To the naked eye, this small Alligator looked like part of a fallen log with a knot on it. Photography in these types of areas is typically pretty hard. The temperatures on this particular day were a little over 100° with no air stirring and very high humidity, conditions that are the norm in swampy areas like this. Deep mud and thick brush as well as snakes and mosquitos can really test a photographers resolve. It becomes very taxing to try and remain hidden among the vegetation and remain motionless for any length of time with the constant assault of mosquitos and biting flies. In the end when you return and examine the photos and remember what it took to get them, it can be very rewarding.
"Tactics" This Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) employs a tactic of rushing a group of coots in order to scare one into diving below the surface. Once the coot was below the surface, he looses sight of the eagle but the eagle’s vision is well suited for tracking prey just below the waters surface. When the coot neared the surface the Eagle was waiting and took the coot just before it surfaced. This coot went to feed a new hatch of eaglets.
"Air Brakes" A Bald Eagle brakes before landing in a roost just before sunset.

Osprey (Padion haliaetus)
$"Going Into Hover" Female Osprey hovers while surveying the area for a late-afternoon meal to feed a new family, Ospreys can hunt over a very large range. This makes photographing them while they hunt very difficult. Once they have spotted a potential meal, they go into hover, for a brief second and then dive straight down onto their prey. Approximately 99% of the Osprey’s diet consists of fish. Their eyes are adapted to take into account the diffraction of light into the water so that when they pass through the surface layer of water, their eyes have already adjusted for the apparent change in position to put the Osprey on target.$
"Going Into Hover" Female Osprey hovers while surveying the area for a late-afternoon meal to feed a new family, Ospreys can hunt over a very large range. This makes photographing them while they hunt very difficult. Once they have spotted a potential meal, they go into hover, for a brief second and then dive straight down onto their prey. Approximately 99% of the Osprey’s diet consists of fish. Their eyes are adapted to take into account the diffraction of light into the water so that when they pass through the surface layer of water, their eyes have already adjusted for the apparent change in position to put the Osprey on target.
“Gator” (Alligator mississippiensis)
"Combat Air Patrol"
"A Favorite Perch" A pair of Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) return to a favorite perch late in the evening on Jackson Island just below Wilson Dam in Florence.

"Ever Watchfull" An Osprey sits on eggs in a nest in Coffee Slough. After a few unsuccessful years on this nest, this pair seems to have abandoned it. Owls, eagles and other predators are a constant threat to osprey chicks. Photographing these birds during the nesting season requires a good amount of restraint. We enjoy watching and photographing Ospreys especially while nesting, however, it’s critically important not to disturb them. If we get too close and she leaves the nest even for a few minutes, the eggs or chicks may be lost to predators or the elements. We believe that nature photographers and observers should strive to leave no footprint. We consider the potential harm done to any animal we set out to capture. If there is a chance that the animals may suffer as a result of our presence, we withdraw and seek a different opportunity elsewhere.
"Widower's Perch" This male Osprey returned to a nest in Coffee Slough this year to find his mate was missing. Osprey usually mate for life. He spent all spring and most of the summer very close to the nest but she never returned...
"Air Supremacy" An adult Bald Eagle patrols its territory during the winter of 2010.
"Mates for Life" A pair of Bald Eagles returns to The Shoals just before mating season.