Usually any photo opportunity I have with Golden Eagles is fleeting but this bird and a companion were the exception.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
About 5 weeks ago I spent a half hour with the two eagles as they soared in the updrafts on a windy morning on Antelope Island. Sadly the sun was high enough in the sky that the shadows have little detail but in this shot I like the light on the head and right wing and the excellent eye contact.
The eagles were often seen on the north end of the island for a few weeks this past winter but I haven’t seen them for almost three weeks now. I suspect they’re nesting somewhere in the inaccessible areas on the southeast side of the island. I’ve heard from others that a pair of Golden Eagles nested there last year.
I hope that’s the case because these eagles are now in serious decline in many areas of the Great Basin.
Ron
Note: I’m on my first camping trip of the season and my internet access will be extremely limited until my return.
Wow, for a nanosecond I flashed on harrier after clicking your email link due to the bird’s tilt and vertical right wing. But that’s all eagle! I’ll be spending some time on the island soon with the kestrel project and will keep an eye out along the cliffs. Fingers crossed.
Oooh and aaah. What a privilege to see.
I hope that your first trip of the season is WONDERFUL.
Wonderful that you got to spend good time with these gorgeous birds.
Do you find the 500mm f4 lens to be the best to use. I’m using EFS 100-400 f5.6 on a 7D body. Your pictures are so clear.
Yes, I do find it best, Steven.
Beautiful flight shot Ron! Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte
Magnificent. I really love the light catching the shadings on the wing too.