A rushed post this morning, for a reason that should become obvious.
A week ago today was a special day because I had two different encounters with two different Golden Eagles and I spent some quality time with both birds. The morning light was gorgeous, they were both in natural habitat instead of hunting from utility poles and one of them actually allowed me to get fairly close – at least for a normally very spooky Golden Eagle.
But two things went wrong when the closest eagle took off.
- I didn’t know it at the time but all of my early morning shots were slightly soft because of heat waves interfering with sharp focus.
1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 500, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
- and the eagle, that was side lit to start with, took off almost directly away from the rising sun so much of its body was shaded, including its face.
I got 4-5 dynamic takeoff and flight shots that had the potential to be very good but they all had both problems.
I still count myself lucky. I probably only photograph 3-4 Golden Eagles per year on average so to photograph and spend time with two of them at different times (they were almost 20 miles apart) on the same morning was a rare treat. And despite its issues, I still like this photo.
Today is the day of my cataract surgery. I have to be there at 6:30 AM so today’s post will be published earlier than usual. And I suspect I’ll be ‘grounded’ for a few days or longer post-surgery so I’m not sure when I’ll be able to get out in the field again. Or post again.
But at some point in the not too distant future, I will. By then I hope to be able to see out of my right eye again and evaluate the sharpness of my photos more accurately than I can now. And I know that for the past few years I’ve been driving right past a lot of birds that I just haven’t been able to see, which drives me absolutely nuts.
There are no guarantees but I’m looking forward to the possibilities.
Ron
Good luck with your surgery, Ron. The odds are very very good that it will go well.
Thanks everyone. Surgery went well but I’ve sure got a sore eye.
Good news!!
Good job Ron getting what you got. Can’t understand why birds
don’t take off so their faces are in the sun. 🙂
Have never seen one in the wild. We have them as you head north from Prescott, but here I am taking almost all my photos around our lakes where the Bald Eagles hang out.
The eagle is beautiful, Ron. And what a lucky morning to get two individual Goldens! Good luck with the recovery from your surgery. I hope you’ll be recovered and back in the field in a very short time.
I feel your concerns!
Trust all goes well, and you get your sharp eye back again.
Best wishes.
Thank you for posting even as you were prepping for surgery!
I join the chorus of your friends wishing you speedy recovery.
Nice picture of the Golden Eagle. You surgery will go just fine and you will be able to see much better in no time at all. It may require a new pair of glasses later on if you do ware them. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
Dynamic and dramatic. Which I hope is how you see all the positive changes to come in your eyesight.
Best wishes for successful surgery and good recovery. I had one done at a time and could not believe that whites were now white instead of tan.
Yayyy! you’re doin’ it. Congrats, Ron. I think you’ll be glad you did. Take care. (and thanks for the Golden Eagles.
Any day that starts with a Golden is going to be a great day! So excited for YOUR new lens and looking forward to the wonderful possibilities that lay ahead for you! 💜
I trust you eye surgery will go well. Be patient as you deal with the required eyedrops.
Cataract surgery has to be at the top of the list of surgeries people are happy with.Good luck! John
Speedy recovery!
Best of luck with the surgery. Mine was one of the best things I ever did; hope you’ll be delighted.
Best wishes for a smooth surgery and recovery!
😁👀🤩
My friend Jamie got home from cataract surgery within a hour of this post. She is already seeing the world brighter and with more color. I hope your experience is as smooth and successful.
Nice! At least you’re aware of the heat waves now and the havoc they can raise!
Hopefully the surgery has gone well and you’re “relaxing” at home. Healing time and restrictions will probably be less than you think. 😉
Just think about how much better your morning donut will look! Speedy recovery, my friend.😊
I’ll be thinking about you this morning and hoping all goes brilliantly and that you enjoy the colors.
Yes. What Cindy wrote.
Looking forward to your next post with post surgery news.
Thanks for the early morning post and best wishes on your surgery.