Ospreys failed dive
Ospreys are masters of the dive—precision hunters with talons built for fishing. But not every dive goes to plan.
Back in 2010, in the mangroves of Qatar, I witnessed one of these powerful birds take a dive into shallow water. Instead of a clean catch, the osprey became entangled in the mangroves. For a few tense minutes, it struggled to break free. I remember thinking—it might drown. At last, it managed to pull itself clear, but the effort left it completely soaked. With heavy, waterlogged wings, it could barely fly. The bird managed to reach a nearby post, just a few meters from me, where it perched, shivering and spreading its wings to dry.
Looking back at my photos, I’m reminded that even the most skilled hunters face setbacks. Nature is never predictable, and sometimes survival depends as much on resilience as it does on skill
Ospreys failed dive
Ospreys are masters of the dive—precision hunters with talons built for fishing. But not every dive goes to plan.
Back in 2010, in the mangroves of Qatar, I witnessed one of these powerful birds take a dive into shallow water. Instead of a clean catch, the osprey became entangled in the mangroves. For a few tense minutes, it struggled to break free. I remember thinking—it might drown. At last, it managed to pull itself clear, but the effort left it completely soaked. With heavy, waterlogged wings, it could barely fly. The bird managed to reach a nearby post, just a few meters from me, where it perched, shivering and spreading its wings to dry.
Looking back at my photos, I’m reminded that even the most skilled hunters face setbacks. Nature is never predictable, and sometimes survival depends as much on resilience as it does on skill