Quote Originally Posted by 1putts View Post
Michaels stalking tips are great and should be applied to all birds. I can offer a couple more tips that might help for general birding. Try to approach diagonally, offering a side profile, rather than heading straight for them. It'll take you longer to close the distance, but it seems to help alot. Try not to make too much direct eye contact, I'm always doing the side peek! Use michaels stop and wait method if you see a change in body language. If you can, have your lens already up as you approach. Many times the raising of the lens is enough to send them into flight, ruining all your stalking effort! Hope this helps...good luck!

Thanks 1putts...gosh you guys are so helpful!
With the ospreys and the nest I found, I try to make it look like I'm just out walking in a certain direction and not noticing them so I don't offer too much eye contact. If they start calling at me I talk to them in a soothing soft voice and it seems to calm them down because they stop. they haven't dived me yet (apparently they were diving some surveyers the other day who got too close) and they let me get pretty close to them.
This has also been working with the deer I've found this summer too.