America's Got Talons

Okay, so you have to forgive me for punning "America's Got Talent" for this posting, it was just too good to pass up. Besides, LOOK at those talons after all. I'm thinking, based on what the rangers in the Everglades told me, that this splendid individual is an immature Osprey. This critter was enormous, and I would never call it immature to its face - it was pretty intimidating and I was only a few feet from its perch.

It was taking a bath in an enormous puddle that had formed in a rundown former gas station at the Flamingo section of the Everglades National Park, and it headed for a tree limb when I leapt into action with the Canon and the huge zoom. I'm not, however, totally convinced that it is indeed an Osprey given the color of the wings, so anyone who knows better, please let me know. And the answer to the previous posting, for 10 points and a bonus round, was Monk Parakeet.

Canon 40D with a 70-200mm f2/8 at 200mm, f/7.1 and 1/200 sec.