{"id":102463,"date":"2021-09-18T06:21:10","date_gmt":"2021-09-18T12:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=102463"},"modified":"2021-09-18T07:37:17","modified_gmt":"2021-09-18T13:37:17","slug":"golden-eagle-perched-taking-off-and-in-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/18\/golden-eagle-perched-taking-off-and-in-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"Golden Eagle Perched, Taking Off And In Flight"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Two, count’em TWO, magnificent Golden Eagles right in front of me to choose from but I didn’t even see the one that would have been the best opportunity by far until it was too late. How do you miss seeing a huge Golden Eagle right in front of you and out in the open? Especially when you’re actively searching for birds?<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"102464\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/18\/golden-eagle-perched-taking-off-and-in-flight\/golden-eagle-9966-ron-dudley\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9966-ron-dudley.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"900,643\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"10","credit":"RON DUDLEY","camera":"Canon EOS 7D Mark II","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1631697628","copyright":"","focal_length":"700","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.0003125","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"golden eagle 9966 ron dudley\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9966-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9966-ron-dudley.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-102464 size-full\" title=\"golden-eagle-9966-ron-dudley\" src=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9966-ron-dudley.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9966-ron-dudley.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9966-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9966-ron-dudley-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9966-ron-dudley-150x107.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>1\/3200, f\/10, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Three days ago in northern Utah I was beginning to head for home after a moderately successful morning of bird photography. From a distance, as I approached this bird on a utility pole, I assumed that it was another Red-tailed Hawk on a pole. Typically I don’t stop for hawks on poles because I don’t like wire and hardware in my photos so I was nearly past this bird when I realized it was a Golden Eagle. I should have noticed the significant size difference earlier but for some reason I didn’t.<\/p>\n<p>I’ll stop for a Golden Eagle, no matter its perch, especially these days with their numbers in significant decline (according to a recent report I read from HawkWatch International). By the time I got my pickup stopped I was much closer to the eagle than I wanted to be, especially for takeoff and flight shots that would give me at least a chance of getting photos that didn’t include wires and hardware.<\/p>\n<p>I was just getting this bird in my viewfinder when another eagle that (unbelievably) I hadn’t seen perched on the ground directly below this eagle took off. How in the world did I miss seeing a huge Golden Eagle perched out in the open, right in front of me and very close??? Not seeing that bird was an epic fail on my part but by now it was too late so all I could do was cuss a blue streak, which I did with enthusiasm, and then get the remaining eagle on the pole in my viewfinder.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"102465\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/18\/golden-eagle-perched-taking-off-and-in-flight\/golden-eagle-9969-ron-dudley\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9969-ron-dudley.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"900,643\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"10","credit":"RON DUDLEY","camera":"Canon EOS 7D Mark II","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1631697632","copyright":"","focal_length":"700","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.0004","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"golden eagle 9969 ron dudley\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9969-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9969-ron-dudley.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-102465 size-full\" title=\"golden-eagle-9969-ron-dudley\" src=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9969-ron-dudley.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9969-ron-dudley.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9969-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9969-ron-dudley-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9969-ron-dudley-150x107.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>1\/2500, f\/10, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Almost immediately that bird took off in pursuit of its companion. The wire going across this eagle’s wing broke my heart but even the ugly wire couldn’t diminish what a huge and magnificent bird this was. This version of the photo is full frame (uncropped) except for a narrow slice I took off of the right side for purposes of composition. With this flight posture I was incredibly lucky to not clip or cut off body parts.<\/p>\n<p>Normally you won’t see me post photos of birds in flight that include poles, wires and other hardware but for a Golden Eagle, in a flight posture like this one, I’ll make an exception.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"102466\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/18\/golden-eagle-perched-taking-off-and-in-flight\/golden-eagle-9978-ron-dudley-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9978-ron-dudley.jpg\" data-orig-size=\"900,643\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{"aperture":"10","credit":"RON DUDLEY","camera":"Canon EOS 7D Mark II","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1631697633","copyright":"","focal_length":"700","iso":"800","shutter_speed":"0.0004","title":"","orientation":"1"}\" data-image-title=\"golden eagle 9978 ron dudley\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9978-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9978-ron-dudley.jpg\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-102466 size-full\" title=\"golden-eagle-9978-ron-dudley\" src=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9978-ron-dudley.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"643\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9978-ron-dudley.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9978-ron-dudley-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9978-ron-dudley-768x549.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9978-ron-dudley-150x107.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>1\/2500, f\/10, ISO 800, Canon 7D Mark II, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + EF 1.4 III Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n<p>For reasons that I still don’t understand I’d been having trouble getting sharp shots all morning and this is the sharpest photo I got after the eagle left the vicinity of the pole. There was a wire in this shot too but it didn’t pass in front of the bird so I got rid of the damn thing. I couldn’t bear to post two photos with wires in them.<\/p>\n<p>I was kicking myself in the butt for the entire drive home for not seeing that Golden Eagle on the ground! If I’d seen it in time, and I should have, I’d have stopped my pickup sooner and most likely would have had lots of opportunities for perched shots and eventually takeoff and flight shots.<\/p>\n<p>I’ll get over it but as I’m sure you can tell it hasn’t happened yet.<\/p>\n<p>Ron<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two, count’em TWO, magnificent Golden Eagles right in front of me to choose from but I didn’t even see the one that would have been the best opportunity by far until it was too late.<\/p>\n<p> <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/18\/golden-eagle-perched-taking-off-and-in-flight\/\"><span>Continue reading<\/span><i class=\"crycon-right-dir\"><\/i><\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":102465,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[334,642],"tags":[643,146,153,2738,311],"class_list":["post-102463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-birds","category-golden-eagles","tag-aquila-chrysaetos","tag-flight","tag-golden-eagle","tag-takeoff","tag-utah-2"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/golden-eagle-9969-ron-dudley.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1zzJh-qED","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102463","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=102463"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102463\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":102500,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/102463\/revisions\/102500"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/102465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=102463"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=102463"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=102463"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}