Eagle Warm-up Shots

NorthernFocus

We got our boat out on the water over the weekend. Though this wasn't a trip to target eagle photography, we found ourselves fishing off a spot where several eagles were hanging out on a hillside and diving down to rob the seagulls. I managed to get a few shots. Unfortunately most of the action was out of range so most of the images I got were as they passed by our boat to and from the battle. But one seagull dropped its fish close enough for me to get a shot of an eagle making the grab

Nikon D300, 200-400VR, Bushhawk
1/1000s f/8 iso250

This guy has a gull zeroed and is gliding in to attack.



Patrolling waiting for a gull to catch a fish. The background is a spruce covered hillside of a steep headland.



Digging hard in pursuit.



Trying to snatch the prize dropped by the gull (he missed).


And a glaucous-winged gull just because he was there and you can never get too much practice...

Ric Grupe

:wowNice gull shot!.........:lol4
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Eagles are nice too.

Harryb

Excellent captures Dan. especially #2 and 4.

NorthernFocus

Yeah, Ric, I thought it was a pretty good gull shot too
Thanks, Harry. The second shot is my favorite of the bunch. I don't know why but I really like images of them with trees in the BG. I've tried for a while to get the timing in the fourth shot and when I finally get it right, the bird's at a bad angle and kind of scroungy looking to boot But that's what keeps us coming back

Ric Grupe

articblooms wrote:

Yeah, Ric, I thought it was a pretty good gull shot too

Picking the gull over the eagle was supposed to be humorous.:D

dlplumer

Fabulous shots Dan. 2 and 4 are truly great

Dan

NorthernFocus

Thanks, Dan.

Ric Grupe wrote:

Picking the gull over the eagle was supposed to be humorous.:D

Yeah I got it. Actually I thought it was a bit humorous even posting the gull with the eagles. Though the reason I even kept the image is because I thought it was cool that you could see the effect of G-force on its wings. If you note the wing tips are curved up. The bird wasn't flapping its wings. It was bottoming out from a dive and banking at the same time. "Pulling g's" as a pilot would say.

The gulls actually play a pretty key role for me in photographing eagles. I've figured out that in the early season up here before the salmon start to run, the eagles are pretty desperate for food and they are shameless robbers. So if you find gulls feeding in an area and stake them out, the eagles will be along shortly. It works better if you can find a confined area though. If it's too open the gulls grab a fish and hightail it out of there before the other gulls and/or eagles come steal it. That's what was happening the day I took these images. The gulls were moving too far away so I mostly got passing shots at the eagles as they came by.

Ric Grupe

articblooms wrote:

Yeah I got it. Actually I thought it was a bit humorous even posting the gull with the eagles. /quote]

This gull got in the way while I was trying for a fly in flight!



Seriously though, my days of being awestruck at the sight of a Baldy has been somewhat diminished in the last couple of years. Once considered rare to see one has now changed. I've seen hundreds along the Mississippi River and even inland the farther north I go. I passed one in the middle of a hi-way scavenging like a crow and it barely noticed as I buzzed by at 75 mph less than 10 feet from it.

NorthernFocus

Ric Grupe wrote:

Seriously though, my days of being awestruck at the sight of a Baldy has been somewhat diminished in the last couple of years...

Yeah living up here with them gives one a different perception as well. My wife can't stand them. She calls them Seagles due to the similar behaviors with Sea Gulls (i.e. hanging around marinas and garbage dumps to pick up scraps).

But they are rather photogenic. And I never get tired of watching their aerobatic skills. They can really fly!

raptorcaptor

Great set! Love the last shot!

Bud1880

Great shots all of 'em, but that background in #2 almost makes it look like a 3D image. Very nice!

Bud

NorthernFocus

Thanks, Glenn and Bud. The second image is my personal fav of the group. I think it's that 3D effect that strikes me too

grimace

Great looking series!! Wonderful detail and lighting. Some real wall hangers!!

NorthernFocus

Thanks, Adam. We did have good light that day. Just a touch of high clouds to soften the sun a bit. Not the typical overcast of coastal AK.