I didn’t think such a huge bird could do something like this. But it did.
Occasionally I rerun an older post. The first version of this one was published on February 27, 2017 but for this version I’ve reprocessed the images, edited the text, changed the title and tweaked the formatting. I decided to post it again for three reasons.
-
- The original photos were processed quickly and poorly so I wanted to reprocess them and get the new versions “out there”.
- The original post was published long enough ago that many current followers of Feathered Photography have never seen it.
- I took the photos five years ago today so it’s the anniversary of perhaps the most amazing display of powered flight I’ve ever seen from a bird.
.
1/1250, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Yesterday morning in Box Elder County I had been photographing this immature Golden Eagle on top of a cliff when ‘he’ suddenly flew down at a very steep angle and landed in the grasses far below. He had probably dived on prey but if so he came up empty. He was a long distance from me and buried in the grasses so when it looked like he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon I stowed my gear and began to drive down the road to look for other birds.
But wouldn’t you know, he chose that moment while I was driving to take off and fly back to the top of the cliff (it’s a cross between a cliff and a small mountain, I’ll call it a cliff). In this image the cliff is out of frame to the upper right and from this starting point it’s an extremely steep angle for a bird this size (up to 10 lbs and a 7 1/2′ wingspan) to fly directly up to the top of it without circling around to gain altitude first.
I didn’t even consider the possibility that he would attempt to make a beeline to the top of the cliff from this spot almost directly below it.
1/1250, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
But he not only attempted it, he actually did it.
By the time I stopped my pickup and got my lens on him again he was already half way up the mountain. Partly because of the unexpectedly steep angle I had a difficult time getting him in focus and keeping him in frame so most of my photos were either too soft or clipped or both. This is the best one I got to demonstrate the steepness of the climb (no, I didn’t rotate the image to make it look even steeper than it was).
His goal was to land on a small outcrop near the top of the cliff.
Here he’s approaching that outcrop on the right.
I love this landing posture for many reasons, including those huge, outstretched feet and talons and the tail spread at an angle to show us the beautiful white markings of a young Golden Eagle..
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
Two frames later he’d touched down.
1/2500, f/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in
And in the next photo he’s beginning to settle in on the outcrop. The eagle has landed.
For me it was a jaw-dropping experience to watch the power of this huge bird as he climbed at such a steep angle to reach the outcrop. That angle would be one thing if he’d had time to build up more speed for the climb, but he didn’t. He’d been much too close to the base of the cliff when he started for that. So the power of his ascent was simply amazing to watch.
And to climax it all with such a dramatic pre-landing posture that I actually captured in photos was almost a perfect ending for this bird photographer. Normally I’d screw it up.
Ron
Goldens are awesome. I came upon one near a back road in the woods west of Paso Robles, CA that had taken down a fawn. The mom was in the background.
Goosebumps! I love Goldens anyway and these shots are absolutely phenomenal — the perfect intersection of human, camera, environment, and raptor.
Thanks very much, Marty.
What Marty said!! Just WOW.
Goosebumps here too!!
After a an incredible day skiing with creaky joints, I’m in awe of that youngster’s strength and absolutely stellar landing! Very happy I have found this blog – made my heart smile to see your repost!
Welcome, Janis. And thank you.
Magnificent series, Ron. I am sure you were beyond excited in the moment and hoping that some of the photos would turn out. I can only imagine how thrilled you were when you saw that you had captured most of the GE’s assent and the landing! Good Job and thanks for reposting!
Yup, I was pretty happy to get a few useable shots. Thanks, Melanie.
Says the raptor, “I AM a Golden, after all!” How could we doubt this powerful creature’s skill? Of course, this could have been the last and most successful of several prior attempts, but that would just point to his/her determination to develop such prowess. And possibly just for the heck of it. Awesome bird (and images)!
“possibly just for the heck of it”
Just because he could. Could be, Chris.
i’ve been feeling lmy heart’s been shredded..so many losses in only one very terrible year’s time…and now Ukraine…so grateful for this moning’s golden images…they mean so much to me….thank you.
Ukrainevzndvits implications…
I’m glad they were meaningful for you in a positive way Patty.
Stuck that landing! 😀
I just learned that somewhere in NM someone keeps and hunts a Golden Eagle. Saw pictures of it on the FB page.
Yes, some falconers fly Goldens Arwen. It’s legal with Goldens but not legal with Balds.
Legal, but lotta hoops to jump through to get that license.
Not too many if you ask me. Personally I wish they wouldn’t allow it with Goldens.
It seems like a LOT of bird to me. I can’t imagine having an aviary big enough to keep it exercised and happy (not that being in a cage is happy-making…)
Wow! I could almost be persuaded to give up anything for images like that. Truly wish I had been there to see that. I’m just grateful that you chose to repost them for newbies like me.
Thank you, Granny Pat.
Oh my gosh! Beautiful Eagle and great photos you got of him even if it was a little struggle to do so. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks, Trudy.
Ah, the daring and impulsiveness of youth! Go straight for the gold! Leave the slow, practical circling to the oldsters. Its parents would be cringing if they knew – no helmet, no knee protectors, no circling like we told you???
Made me smile, Carolyn.
These are beautiful. I love the third shot. You would have loved the scene we ran into down south. There were so many birds and so much action I did not know where to keep my lens aimed. I missed seeing the young golden eagle in the fray til I got home and looked at my photos. I met a young man who pulled over to watch, turned out he grew up in Centerville too. He thought he saw a golden in his binoculars at the time, I was wrong when I told him it was most likely a juvenile bald since there were so many juveniles of all ages present. Both the eagles and the condors were amazing the confrontations, acrobatics and postures. I stood for an hour if not more, in over ankle deep snow with wet tennis shoes from hiking in the snow shortly before. I finally had to leave my feet were so frozen I could not feel them. If Jon hadn’t been so antsy to get back home to Salt Lake I would have gone back the next day to hope for more chances at the location.
WOW!
That was quite an experience, April. I might have considered letting Jon go on his way home and then walking home. Well, maybe not from southern Utah to SLC but I’d have at least thought about it… 🙂
A once in a lifetime photographic opportunity! Very worthy of remembering and reposting. Thanks
Thanks, John.
Pure raw power Ron. That is remarkable. Really glad you took this out of the archives to show again.Love those outstretch talon photos. Definitely worth the effort. Thanks.
Have yet to see one, but would sure like to.
I’d like for you to see one too, Everett. Or several.
And given his posture in photo #3, his self-confidence in sticking the landing
is evident–his legs and talons are extended perpendicular to the SIDE of the
cliff–he knows his powerful wing strokes will pull him over the top ! Just
magnificent– thanks !
Yup, confident he was Kris. He didn’t hesitate for a nanosecond. Maybe it was the overconfidence of a young bird but if so, he was right – he could do it and he did.
Amazing! KNOW they are powerful birds BUT! Then there are those talons! GEEZ! Wonderful capture!
Thanks, Judy.
You can actually feel the power in the second photo. Magnificent shots! Thank you so much for starting my day on such a positive note! Great post!
Thanks, Cindy.
I agree, WOW, WOW, WOW!!
Beautiful shots, great post. Many thanks for sharing!
Glad you like them, Dick.
Ron – all I can say is -WOW – WOW – WOW!! To both the magnificent young eagle & to you as an amazing Bird Photographer!! Well done!!!
Thank you, Jo Ann. The eagle deserves most of the credit. Mostly I just got lucky.
Amazing. That second shot does not look natural or believable at all. If it were not you sharing these, and I had just seen that one online somewhere, I would swear that it was doctored. Just never thought a GE would be capable of that flight. Just when you think you have seen everything…
Thank you for sharing.
If I’d I’d seen that photo posted by someone I didn’t know and trust I’d have thought the same thing, Michael. I’ve done no “doctoring” at all on any of these photos – including no rotation to make the climb look steeper than it was.
So you can see why I was so impressed in the field..