Golden Eagles Playing In The Wind
For the past several weeks I’ve sporadically been photographing Golden Eagles on Antelope Island. Yesterday morning was the most fun (and the most disappointing) time with them yet.
Tag: aquila chrysaetos
Two Golden Eagles On Antelope Island
I haven’t seen a Golden Eagle on Antelope Island for many months but yesterday there were two of them and they seemed like good buddies.
Golden Eagle In Flight (no wires this time)
Some of my readers are aware of my continuing quest for quality images of Golden Eagles in flight. I’m not there yet but I think I’m making progress.
Golden Eagle – Out, Damn’d Wires, Out!
I have a small list of personal nemesis species but if forced to choose the top contender it would have to be the shy and elusive Golden Eagle. I’d estimate that I get a reasonable chance with one of these birds about two times per year and every time something goes wrong that prevents me from getting the photos I covet so much. Two mornings ago it was those ever-pesky power lines.
Golden Eagle – My #1 Nemesis Bird. The Curse Continues But Twice I Almost Succeeded
This post is all about abject failure and mediocre (at best) images. But it’s also about the incredible excitement of bird photography.
Golden Eagle In Flight
The Golden Eagle has long been a nemesis species for me. Over the years I’ve had a handful of potentially spectacular opportunities with these birds but something has always gone wrong.
Golden Eagle In The Wind And Cold
It was a brutal morning on the island yesterday with 25 degree F temps, winds of over 4o mph, fresh snow and icy roads. It was eerie-sounding to drive on the roads as the night before the snow had partially melted and then froze hard into a bumpy, icy and noisy sheet. I knew there’d be no sneaking up on any birds because my pickup sounded like a freight train approaching on that crunchy ice. The gulls were just about the only birds out and about. They seemed to enjoy soaring in the wind but when they’d settle into the water they chose areas partially protected from the wind, like this cove where the causeway meets the island. The night before the wind had pasted snow onto the sides of the bison and then it froze to their hides. Some of them were mostly covered with ice. This image and the next one should give regular readers of my blog some idea of why I occasionally grumble about all the dried sunflowers we have this year. They make it virtually impossible to get a clear shot of any subject on the ground. 1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc We had just about resigned ourselves to being essentially “skunked” for the morning when we spotted this Golden Eagle not too far from the road. It was feeding on what I assume was a jack-rabbit (it was relatively large and there are lots of them in the area) but of course it was buried in the sunflowers and I…
Golden Eagle – Some Progress On A Nemesis
Anyone who follows this blog knows that I have a penchant for raptors and over the last 6 years of photographing them I can count on one hand the number of good opportunities I’ve had with Golden Eagles. I had another chance at one yesterday on Antelope Island. I almost didn’t spot this bird because it was hunkered down so far in the sagebrush (here it is standing more erect in anticipation of flight). 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc I knew that my only chance for a few decent images would be at take-off or just after but the angle of light was a problem – the bird was facing almost directly into the sun. If it veered to its right I’d get butt shots and probably lose the head behind the wings. If it turned to its left the face would be in shadow and I’d get no catch light. What can you do but wait, be ready for lift-off and hope for the best from a less than ideal situation? 1/1250, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc Thankfully the eagle launched straight ahead which gave me the best light I could hope for under the circumstances. 1/1250, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc For the first wing-beat I got light on the head and a catch light in two images – then the bird turned slightly toward me and that light was lost. I got several more sharp shots with dynamic flight poses but the face was completely shaded. Curses !!! I…
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Two Golden Eagles On Antelope Island
I haven’t seen a Golden Eagle on Antelope Island for many months but yesterday there were two of them and they seemed like good buddies.
Golden Eagle In Flight (no wires this time)
Some of my readers are aware of my continuing quest for quality images of Golden Eagles in flight. I’m not there yet but I think I’m making progress.
Golden Eagle – Out, Damn’d Wires, Out!
I have a small list of personal nemesis species but if forced to choose the top contender it would have to be the shy and elusive Golden Eagle. I’d estimate that I get a reasonable chance with one of these birds about two times per year and every time something goes wrong that prevents me from getting the photos I covet so much. Two mornings ago it was those ever-pesky power lines.
Golden Eagle – My #1 Nemesis Bird. The Curse Continues But Twice I Almost Succeeded
This post is all about abject failure and mediocre (at best) images. But it’s also about the incredible excitement of bird photography.
Golden Eagle In Flight
The Golden Eagle has long been a nemesis species for me. Over the years I’ve had a handful of potentially spectacular opportunities with these birds but something has always gone wrong.
Golden Eagle In The Wind And Cold
It was a brutal morning on the island yesterday with 25 degree F temps, winds of over 4o mph, fresh snow and icy roads. It was eerie-sounding to drive on the roads as the night before the snow had partially melted and then froze hard into a bumpy, icy and noisy sheet. I knew there’d be no sneaking up on any birds because my pickup sounded like a freight train approaching on that crunchy ice. The gulls were just about the only birds out and about. They seemed to enjoy soaring in the wind but when they’d settle into the water they chose areas partially protected from the wind, like this cove where the causeway meets the island. The night before the wind had pasted snow onto the sides of the bison and then it froze to their hides. Some of them were mostly covered with ice. This image and the next one should give regular readers of my blog some idea of why I occasionally grumble about all the dried sunflowers we have this year. They make it virtually impossible to get a clear shot of any subject on the ground. 1/4000, f/5.6, ISO 640, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc We had just about resigned ourselves to being essentially “skunked” for the morning when we spotted this Golden Eagle not too far from the road. It was feeding on what I assume was a jack-rabbit (it was relatively large and there are lots of them in the area) but of course it was buried in the sunflowers and I…
Golden Eagle – Some Progress On A Nemesis
Anyone who follows this blog knows that I have a penchant for raptors and over the last 6 years of photographing them I can count on one hand the number of good opportunities I’ve had with Golden Eagles. I had another chance at one yesterday on Antelope Island. I almost didn’t spot this bird because it was hunkered down so far in the sagebrush (here it is standing more erect in anticipation of flight). 1/1600, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc I knew that my only chance for a few decent images would be at take-off or just after but the angle of light was a problem – the bird was facing almost directly into the sun. If it veered to its right I’d get butt shots and probably lose the head behind the wings. If it turned to its left the face would be in shadow and I’d get no catch light. What can you do but wait, be ready for lift-off and hope for the best from a less than ideal situation? 1/1250, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc Thankfully the eagle launched straight ahead which gave me the best light I could hope for under the circumstances. 1/1250, f/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc For the first wing-beat I got light on the head and a catch light in two images – then the bird turned slightly toward me and that light was lost. I got several more sharp shots with dynamic flight poses but the face was completely shaded. Curses !!! I…