Striking moment osprey swoops into water and plucks two fish from the water at the same time

By HELEN LAWSON

The hungry osprey had plunged beneath the water's surface after executing an almost-vertical dive

A lucky osprey in search of its lunch swooped down on a lake to catch a bite to eat and flew off with a fish in each claw.
These action shots capture the magnificent bird on its hunting mission over the water in Finland.
Miguel Lasa, 49, spent four summers in the country pursuing perfect pictures of ospreys in action.
The award-winning photographer, who works as a family doctor in north-east England, travels around the world taking incredible photos of wildlife.
He said: 'I travelled to Finland to capture the behaviour and action of fishing ospreys during the summer.

The osprey has enough fish for a starter as well as a main course as it emerges from the water with its prey

'I took the photographs from a bird hide. I have been waiting to photograph the ospreys in the hide from 6am to 8pm every day for seven days for four summers.
'I used high camera speed frames and fast focus to frozen the dives and splash.
'The ospreys migrate from southern Europe to northern Europe during the summer to breed and feed new chicks with fish.
'They normally catch fish from nearby lakes like salmon and trout.
'They dive from high altitude to catch the fish from lakes and ponds. I was amazed by the beauty and skill of this birds when fishing.

he osprey shows off its impressive wingspan as it completes a successful hunt with two fish in tow

'I loved photographing the ospreys so close during their amazing splash dives. It was an experience I will never forget.'
Ospreys, who feed mostly on medium-sized fish, use their reversible outer toes to catch their prey.
Backwards-facing scales on their talons act as barbs to hold their catch tight and they have closable nostrils to keep water out as they dive.

The bird returns to the skies with its lunch tightly held in its talons

An osprey, sometimes known as a fish hawk, begins its hunt by hovering as it searches for its unwitting prey before executing a near vertical, feet first plunge into the water.
This dive can send the bird up to one metre deep beneath the surface.
The osprey became extinct in England in 1840 and died out in Scotland in 1916 - but have begun breeding again in recent years after being reintroduced.

source: dailymail