I didn’t see as many Golden Eagles on my camping trip as I hoped to but I was pleased that this one allowed me a reasonably close approach. It was accompanied by a second eagle but that bird was a little more skittish and flew off as I approached them two days ago along a remote dirt road in the Centennial Valley.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
Fence posts and power poles are the preferred perches of Golden Eagles in the valley so it’s difficult to avoid them in my photos. I had good light on this bird which was a nice change – usually when I could get fairly close to a Golden Eagle it was back-lit. Just a few minutes before I took this photo I photographed another eagle taking off but the light angle was poor and the head was shaded in every shot. I was a little surprised that the golden nape of this bird didn’t show up better in this light.
We arrived home from our camping trip yesterday afternoon. This trip had its highs and lows. Some of the highlights included more Short-eared Owls (including chicks) than I’ve ever seen in the area on previous trips, an almost unbelievable number of Prairie Falcons, a Northern Pygmy Owl with prey, a badger, a family of red foxes (that I couldn’t get quite close enough to) and I explored some new and spectacular wild country.
But mechanical problems with my pickup and photo gear put a damper on part of the trip. A visit to the Ford dealer in Idaho Falls solved the pickup problem (the accelerator plate and motor had to be replaced) but at this point my focusing issues with my photo gear remain unresolved. It’ll take me several days of culling and reviewing images to (hopefully) pinpoint the problem and only time will tell what the solution might be. The problem is intermittent which further complicates the detective process.
I’ve been largely incommunicado for the past week but I want folks to know that I appreciate all the post comments (that I’ve been unable to respond to) that you’ve made in my absence and the thoughtful messages some have sent with advice about how to resolve my photo gear issues.
Thank you all!
Ron
PS – Rehab center volunteer April Olson has sent me this update on the condition of the young Short-eared Owl I cut out of a barbed wire fence a few weeks ago:
“While at the wildlife rehab I checked in on your owl. It is doing great. Its wing has healed well and it almost has full extension. Its feisty and feeling stronger.”
That bit of good news made my day!
Gorgeous shot!
That is a gorgeous bird.
Overall, sounds like a wonderful trip! Good news on the owl, good news on the truck. About that camera … Well, two outta three ain’t bad.
Splendid photograph of a magnificent eagle! You really need to do something, though, about your temperamental models who refuse to pose when and where you want ’em to!
I just took another look at the Eagle, and I swear he/she is grinning at you, Ron! How good is that!!
Ha, it’s most likely a smirk, Dick – the reaction of the bird to my attempts to get close. The bird took off seconds after this shot was taken!
I am thrilled to hear that the Short-eared Owl that you and Mia rescued is feeling well enough to be feisty.
Intermittent issues suck better than any vaccuum.
Love your Golden Eagle.
Welcome home and good luck with the camera issues.
Thank you, EC – on all counts.
Good shot, Ron! Hopefully camera issues will be resolved soon – intermittent anything is always a pain. 🙁 Good to hear the owl is doing well – it may surprise us yet! 🙂
“intermittent anything is always a pain”
Isn’t that the truth, Judy!
Nice to see healthy wild birds in the wild. After 10 years of only seeing them injured and orphaned in a rehab setting it has been wonderful to see birds in their natural setting in the wild. Thank you for the beautiful photos, it has been therapeutic to my soul. You have been inspirational for me to get out and see them for myself and trying to get photos too.
You’d love it in this area of MT/ID, April. I hope you get to see it (and its birds) one day.
This is a classic Golden pose…I LOVE IT!!! There is some about them that lifts up my heart…they are so fine and noble looking…Wambli ohitike…..
Thank you, Patty.
This would be worth the whole trip even with the bad.
Agreed, Jo. Seeing a Golden Eagle in a wild place is a very special experience. Getting a decent photo is icing on the cake.
Ah goldens! They’re just spectacular no matter what they’re doing, and yet again, a lovely shot of a golden contemplating whatever s/he is contemplating. You ROCK!
Delighted to hear that the rescued SEO is healing well and feisty. Feisty is always good! And thank you again for saving that little one’s life. There are those who believe rescue/rehab doesn’t matter. While that might be true in the overall scheme of things, it matters a lot to that individual (and to me and others of us out there). THANK YOU!
“There are those who believe rescue/rehab doesn’t matter”
Well, like you it matters to me, Laura. Personally, I believe that if a bird is in distress from natural causes nature should be left to “take its course”. But so often injuries to birds are caused directly or indirectly by humans and in those situations we owe it to birds to do everything in our power to save their lives and/or relieve their suffering.
Wonderful shot, majestic bird Ron!
Charlotte
Thank you, Charlotte.
Happy news about the rescued SEO – I’m glad your rescue efforts paid off. Glad you made it safely home. Hopefully you’ll be able to figure out your camera issues now.
“I’m glad your rescue efforts paid off”
Me too, Susan. It would be very discouraging to have made the rescue and have the owl eventually die or have to be put down…
Another Welcome Home!
Nice Eagle shot!
Looking forward to the results of your culling!
I have ALWAYS found that culling is easy at first (out with out of focus and poor angles), but then you have to deal with duplicates and semi-duplicates of some good to excellent (in my mind) shots, and how many duplicates do you keep. Always a conundrum to me!
I have the same problem while culling as you do, Dick. Having many shots that are almost duplicates makes it difficult and time consuming to pick out the best ones.
Welcome home! There’s always pros and cons on trips, but you got some wonderful photos…heck I’d make that trip just to see a real Pygmy Owl! Way ro go!
Thanks, Jerry. Yup, that Northern Pygmy Owl was a bird I won’t soon forget. I just hope I was able to get some decent images of it. At this point I’ve only looked at a few of them and many of them were soft but that could have been due to the very low shutter speed and hand holding that big lens and shooting vertically in an awkward position.