I found some more Bald Eagle ‘gems’ lurking in my archives from 2009 that I’ve never posted before. This is one of them (at least yours truly thinks it’s a gem).
In a comment on my Bald Eagle post four days ago I informed readers that I’d rediscovered over 1100 eagle photos from 2007-2009 that I’d barely looked at since they were taken. Back then my image evaluation and culling skills were simply awful so four days ago I transferred all 1100 of those photos to my newer computer with a much better monitor and began to slog through a new evaluation and culling process with them.
I found some interesting stuff and some images I really like, including this one from February of 2009.
1/2000, f/8, ISO 500, Canon 40D, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM, not baited, set up or called in
This eagle was coming in to land in the mud at the edge of a pond at Farmington and I do have vague memories of why this photo never made it to my “A-list” back then. I hate to admit it but I had been put off by the less than tack sharp vegetation in front of the bird so I never even worked up the image until last night. Silly me – today it bothers me very little if at all because it adds to the habitat and none of it blocks any part of the bird. I like the flight pose, the variable light on the bird producing interesting shadows that aren’t too dark and the sharpness and fine detail of the eagle.
If I remember correctly a brief fight broke out between this eagle and another one immediately after it landed but I didn’t save any of those shots because both birds were partially blocked by the vegetation we see at lower right.
Regarding the other “interesting stuff” I found, I’ll likely publish yet another Bald Eagle post in the near future if I can get it organized in my mind. It’ll be a history lesson of sorts on the evolution of Farmington Bay WMA as a Bald Eagle wintering area since 2007. The story has some interesting twists and turns that I should be able to document fairly well with some of my photos.
If you’re a Bald Eagle fan I hope you’ll stay tuned.
Ron
Notes:
- This shot was taken at a time when I found out after the fact that a couple of photographers had been baiting eagles by moving dead carp to more photogenic locations with better light. Once I learned what they were doing I avoided those areas and/or situations where eagles might have been baited (I learned to recognize them pretty well – they’re usually easy to spot when you know what to look for). I’m quite sure that this eagle had not been baited.
- You early birds may notice that I published this post much earlier in the morning than usual. I’m on prednisone for my bad back again and that damned stuff really does a number on my sleep habits. I’ve been awake since 1 AM and up since just before 2 so it’s gonna be a long day…
Great photo Ron. If you are not averse could you list a few of the signs the animals exhibit that let you know they have been baited in? Then I can avoid them too and it would be interesting from a behavior perspective>
Art, It usually has nothing to do with “signs the animals exhibit”. It’s more about knowing that perfect light and perfectly photogenic locations seldom happen in nature with wild birds and animals. When it happens repeatedly in areas where you know that baiting is a possibility you can almost bet that it’s been done.
Very nice shot Ron. I know sometimes we are our own worst critic. Sorry to hear about your back problems, I know it’s just annoying. I’ve been scoping Willard & Farmington Bay in hopes of getting a shot but nothing yet. Love the blog!
Beautiful photo, I am glad you refound it. I am also looking forward to your history of Farmington Bay since it is my childhood haunt. I know some of the history but always interested in more. The place will never be the same in my view.
Good luck with the prednisone. My friend and I call it vitamin P. I love the energy and pain free feeling while on it. It’s the after effects of return pain and depression for me that I hate.
I love this. I felt like the soft focus on the vegetation just really made the eagle POP. Ugh on Prednisone. I was WIRED or ZONKED. I didn’t have any in-betweens. No fun. Sorry you are going through that.
Beautiful photo.
Thanks, Jean.
Love the eagle. And am so very glad that the image was saved to be savoured by you (and us).
Sigh on the Prednisone front (back). For a while I had quite regular intravenous doses of the stuff and it does a number on LOTS of things. I hope it helps your back and your sleep improves.
EC, that stuff is both a miracle drug and a curse. Thank you.
Very cool photo. I look at the wings and I wonder what battles this guy’s gone through. Then a look at that face and he appears to be ready for whatever comes.
I empathize with your back pain; gettin’ old, pains come and go.
Thanks,Lyle. I think that look on his face was in anticipation of the fight he got into right after landing. Some pains come more than they go…
Sorry your back is acting up again, Ron. I totally understand the “can’t sleep because of the pain/can’t sleep because of the meds” dilemma. I also should have tuned in to your blog when I was up in the middle of the night. We could have had an insomniacs’ party. 🍻
On the good side, this is another wow! eagle shot — WOW!!! Love the feather detail, especially on the leading edge of that right wing. Speaking of that wing, is he missing a primary?
I’d say he’s missing at least one primary, Marty. An “insomniacs party” – now that would be pretty unique.
Hope you got a nap this morning!
Tried but couldn’t get it done. Gonna try again a little later.
I’d say less than a “slog” and more like a “treasure hunt”—and I DO think this image is a treasure ! I’m glad for you that you’ve got a potential treasure trove to search
while your body’s being problematic—you can be fully occupied and focused—and I just know that you’ll find some more gems now that you’ve made the time to look for them !
It’s actually been kind of fun going through them, Kris. Brings back lots of memories and as you say, there’s an occasional treasure.
I am also part of the no sleep club🤬. But when I saw Bald eagle Ithat woke me up ❗️ Since this is my favorite I’ll be patiently waiting for more “gems”.
Good day
I think it’s a pretty big club, Diana. I’d like to resign!
Jaw-dropping WOW! 🙂 Notice the vegetation, but barely with all the magnificent detail on the eagle! The vegetation gives “context” in my opinion… I’ll be “staying tune”! I finally got back to sleep after being awake for several hours so am up late – mine is just “the joys of aging” 😉 Hope you can get your back liveable again soon…… ;(
I have some of those same miserable joys, Judy. I agree with you about the context the vegetation provides.
WOW…fantastic shot …I will be watching eagerly for your “history lesson of sorts” and I for one am so glad you didn’t get rid those 1100 pictures. Sorry about your lack of sleep. I know that can really be a pain in the butt.
Thanks on both counts, Steve.
That is another outstanding Ron eagle photo. Love that determined look on his/her face. Last year I saw our female eagle fly in like that and gather up a bunch of winter dried cattails to be added to the nest. Happened so fast I had no chance to go for a photo. The Utah winter weather provides you with the opportunity to cull through your archives for some of these long forgotten great photos.
Everett Sanborn, Prescott AZ
Yup, I’ve got the time to do it this time of year, Everett. Thank you.
You can bet your life I’ll be watching for your Bald Eagle story, Ron!! So enjoyed your Blog today with this spectacular Eagle you captured!! So glad you hadn’t dumped those 1100 photos. Of course with human nature we sometimes learn a lot from our “mistakes”!! Will be watching the story!!
Good! If I learned from all my mistakes I’d be pretty darned smart! Thanks, Jo Ann.
Ron, I just thought of something after reading the other posts just now!! I was awake at 2:30 AM & read your blog on my Kindle. I planned to make a comment once I was up for good. I had trouble getting back to sleep & so I took a Melatonin tablet to help me fall back asleep. I would recommend in to you also. It’s a natural product & it doesn’t knock you totally out. I was up at 6:00 AM like usual (I’ve been trained by my “indoor” cats & my backyard birds to feed them at that time – LOL!!
Holy Cow and Wow! This shot is fantastic. The legs, the talons, the wings, the head, the beak, the eye, the feather definition, the background and keep bringing that foreground if you please.
That’s a treasure chest you’re sitting on!
I was up at 3:30 the last two mornings, I sacked in until 5 today, thankfully.
Nice to know you like it that much, Dave. I’m pretty fond of it too. And embarrassed to admit that I passed over it when I did. I’m starting to feel a little less buzzed now so maybe I’ll be able to take a little nap.
Wow, I should have checked earlier!…I’m usually up and moving by 5. Great photo for all you said especially the feather detail. One has to be impressed by the ferocious look in the eye of an eagle. Even when not specifically on the hunt, just sitting in a tree the eyes have it with this bird. I look forward to the series you stated.
Thanks, Kathy. I published this post at 3:30 but that was mountain standard time.
Love the eagles! Thank you Ron!
Thanks, Theresa.
Beautiful image, Ron. I love the water in the background too, it sets the mood of the photo nicely. Sorry to hear about your back and no sleep. I am up working since I had something on my mind and was tossing and turning, the recommendation in cases like this is to just get up and work a bit, which in my case will quickly put me back to sleep.
Wow, another early bird this morning!
Thanks, Ed. I hope you can get some more sleep soon but it’s unlikely to happen soon in my case. Prednisone puts a buzz in my head that’s hard to overcome.
I know you have memories of early Farmington and the eagles – both good and bad, just like me.