Yesterday morning there was some highly unexpected excitement on Antelope Island.
As per my typical track record with Golden Eagles the resulting images of the incident range from mediocre to poor due to crappy light angles, being too far away, poor timing and the use of a short lens while my 500mm is being worked on but I did document much of what happened and more importantly I witnessed it. What fun!
It all began when I unexpectedly encountered this Golden Eagle near a parking lot on the north end of the island. It remained in place long enough for me to maneuver my pickup to get a few shots before it took off and dropped over the ledge behind it. I’ve seen two Golden Eagles on the island several times recently and I wondered if the other one was nearby.
It was! Both birds landed on some rocks in good light but much too far away for my “pea-shooter” lens, the 100-400mm zoom, though I was able to document two corvid species harassing the eagles. A couple of Common Ravens let their displeasure about the presence of the eagles be known…
by repeatedly swooping in close to them.
But the Black-billed Magpies weren’t too happy about the situation either. At one point there was about a half-dozen magpies on and above the rocks. Occasionally a few of them got close enough that at this distance it almost looked like one of the eagles could simply reach out and snatch a magpie. Another photographer got out of his vehicle and approached the birds so eventually they took off but the light angle and distance wasn’t helpful for quality flight shots. We left the area, hoping to encounter the eagles somewhere else on the island later in the morning. We did, but I should set up that encounter for my readers first.
As I crested a hill and drove around a bend we spotted a flurry of activity up ahead. An eagle with a jack-rabbit in its talons had just taken off with a group of several coyotes in hot pursuit. Jack-rabbits are heavy prey and it’s difficult for a Golden Eagle with a rabbit to gain much elevation quickly during take-off (something I’ve witnessed many times growing up on the Montana farm).
By the time I got fairly close one of the coyotes had the rabbit and was skedaddling through the mullein with it. Though I didn’t see it actually happen (sadly, I miss a lot of things as I drive and maneuver) I believe that the pursuing coyotes got close enough to the eagle as it attempted to gain elevation that the bird deliberately dropped the rabbit in self-defense. The bird you see in the background in this image is not the one that had been carrying the rabbit – this is the second eagle, who defiantly stood its ground as the coyote ran by just a few feet away. The coyote isn’t very sharp because my autofocus locked on to the moth mullein in the foreground.
The coyote crossed the road in front of me in poor light and going as fast as it could run with the heavy, awkward rabbit flopping around in its jaws. Other coyotes weren’t far behind but a few remained and continued to harass the eagles.
The eagle that had apparently killed the rabbit was already perched out of frame to the right when this one landed nearby.
When the coyotes saw where the eagles had landed two of them took off after them…
so the eagles left the area as the coyotes approached them. The coyotes at left are difficult to see – their cryptic coloration is working well. As usual, several nosy magpies joined in the fun. I should mention that soon after this shot was taken we spotted a third Golden Eagle in the area.
I’m in 7th heaven when I’m lucky enough to witness events like this, even when I’m unable to get quality photos of what goes down. I was really bummed to not have had my 500mm lens to record all the excitement but as I reviewed my images I reminded myself that with the longer prime (non-zoom) lens I’d have missed some of the wider views of the interactions between several species and individuals.
And there is some good news. Yesterday I was notified by Canon that my 500mm lens has finally been shipped! I’m hoping it will arrive today and that they were able to identify and fix what was causing my focusing issues.
Ron
PS – Sorry about the lack of image techs below each photo. With these longer posts I often simply run out of time. All shots were taken at f/8 with the Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens and 1.4 teleconverter.
WOW – how exciting to watch these events unfold. Your documentation of the events is awesome. As Bill said, it’s like being right there beside you watching the scene live. I have been privileged to watch a well orchestrated Eastern Red Wolf pack hunt a cow moose and her calf. It appeared that wolves had forced the moose into the water. Now we were on an observation deck overlooking a valley in Algonquin Provincial Park in northern Ontario, about 1/2 km away. With only a trusty Nikon P510 42x zoom I was able to capture the events. The images are BAD but you can see the participants just not very well. The wolves paralleled the moose along the shore until it came to a point and one after the other the wolves entered the lake and swam after the calf. Unfortunately all of them disappeared around the end of the island and I have no idea how it played out. It is something not many get to witness and I feel blessed that I did. I have to confess that because of the beautiful species that I’ve seen you post on here for so long, Antelope Island is on my bucket list. Some day!
These kinds of events become etched in our memories when we’re lucky enough to witness them, don’t they, Cori. I hope you make it to the island one day!
They most certainly do. In the event I find myself down your way I’ll send you a message. I look forward to your images and narrative until then.
What a wonderful series of shots. THANKS for sharing. Look forward to reading your blog EVERY day.
Thanks very much, Karen.
Like Richard Seeley, I really enjoy these compositions with multiple individuals in the same frame. It feels more like I’m right there watching events unfold than when the image is crisp and beautiful but the other creatures involved don’t show in the photo.
I love the experience of birdwatching in person and these photos capture the kind of pictures my mind retains from memorable adventures in the field. I can vividly remember field images from 43 years ago of a golden eagle above a cienega (mountain meadow) near Alpine, AZ.
I agree, Pam, the zoom lens definitely has its place in my lens arsenal, especially for telling stories like I enjoy doing on this blog.
Wow Ron ! Excellent capture sequence and experience recorded. Fun !
Thanks very much, Ed.
WHAT a day. What a magical, wonderful, exciting day.
And hooray for getting the return of your lens.
Thank you, EC. I received the lens late this afternoon. Now we’ll see if it’s fixed…
After reading your’s and Mia’s posts, I wish I could have been there to see all this action. There sure was a lot of action in the last photo.
I wish you could have been too, Susan. It would have been fun to meet you and to see your reaction to all the excitement.
Can’t say anything your other fans haven’t already said — but thanks for a great morning read! I appreciate your photos, regardless of “crappy light angles” and such, because you’re recording events for those of us who may never have the opportunity to see them for ourselves. It’s the ultimate vicarious pleasure!
“It’s the ultimate vicarious pleasure!”
That’s great to hear, Chris. Thanks.
What a wonderful series to be able to see and share…so many of my favorite critters….sure hope the eagles finally got to feed….
They missed out this time, Patty, but there’s oodles of rabbits on the north end of the island so I suspect they didn’t go hungry for very long.
Wonderful series Ron, many thanks!
Love these behavior series, you draw us right in! Competition and stealing to survive is the name of the game for many wildlife predators. I’m sure primitive man played the same game! We have to be taught not to steal, but unfortunately there are some in our modern society that have not learned.
“We have to be taught not to steal, but unfortunately there are some in our modern society that have not learned.”
And sadly, most of those types will never learn, Dick. Thank you.
Have followed closely your use of Canon 100-400 lens and notice that you have autofocus still with the 1.4 TC. I use a Rebel XT and you use a 7D, is that why you have AF and I don’t?
Sincerely,
Kirk Gooding
Yes, Kirk, except the camera I’m using with that lens isn’t the 7D, it’s the new 7D Mark II. The Mark II is Canon’s first cropped sensor body that will autofocus with that lens with the 1.4 attached, though it will only go to f/8.
Felt like I was there with you. Thanks for this!
You’re very welcome, Arwen. Thank you.
Excellent sequence. I think the compositions were possible because of the 100-400. I am encouraged by the quality of the images with the 1.4x tc on 100-400 mark 2. I will try soon. We have Goldens here in Silverthorne, usually found on roadkill. Very skittish, hard to get close for a good shot. Cheers.
Thanks, Richard. I agree, image quality with the new 100-400mm is quite good considering the attached teleconverter. It’s so nice to be able to use it (the tc) and maintain autofocus – something that was impossible with a cropped sensor camera before Canon came out with the 7D Mark II.
What an wonderful experience. Most of us would be elated to to get these images. I would be happy if I could get a Bald to fly over our place, Marvin saw on the other day but so far I haven’t been in the right place at the right time.
Don’t get me wrong, Jo, I was elated too. Though I do wish I’d been able to get at leas a few images of very good quality.
Being “in the right place at the right time” is key to bird photography, isn’t it?
Great photography. It’s as if I’m right there with you. Thank you so much.
“It’s as if I’m right there with you.”
I love hearing that, Bill – exactly that is one of my goals with this blog. Thank you.