{"id":166625,"date":"2025-02-03T06:10:34","date_gmt":"2025-02-03T13:10:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.featheredphotography.com\/blog\/?p=166625"},"modified":"2025-02-03T07:24:33","modified_gmt":"2025-02-03T14:24:33","slug":"golden-eagle-skimming-along-the-top-of-a-ridgeline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/2025\/02\/03\/golden-eagle-skimming-along-the-top-of-a-ridgeline\/","title":{"rendered":"Golden Eagle Skimming Along The Top Of A Ridgeline"},"content":{"rendered":"

Five days ago I spotted a Golden Eagle perched atop a ridge in a perfect spot for photography. But there was a problem. He was in front of me on the wrong (right) side of my pickup, so my only chance for photos was to drive past “him’, turn around and come back. All I could do was hope he wouldn’t take off as I drove past him.<\/p>\n

He was still there when I turned around but he took off before I got close enough for photos. But to my great surprise, instead of taking off away from me, he flew in my direction, along the top of a ridgeline to my left. I was delighted to get about a dozen photos of him in flight as he cruised by.<\/p>\n

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\"\"<\/p>\n

1\/4000, f\/7.1, ISO 800, Canon R5, Canon EF500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n

This is one of my favorites, in large part because it includes quite a bit of the top of the ridgeline in the lower background. I also like his asymmetrical wing position and the good light on his face and ‘golden nape’. Many of the rest of the photos look quite similar to each other.<\/p>\n

I soon learned that this eagle wasn’t alone. Another Golden Eagle had been perched close to the first one and I didn’t see it until after it took off and followed eagle #1 along the ridgeline. By the time I spotted eagle #2 it was almost past me. All I had time for was a couple of very quick shots that I had to take before I’d acquired sharp focus on the eagle.<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This abomination was the result. I barely kept eagle #2 in frame and my focus point locked onto the jutting rocks below the bird, so the eagle is soft.<\/p>\n

In bird photography, sh*t happens. Regularly. I’m just glad I had better luck with eagle #1.<\/p>\n

Ron<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One out of two ain’t bad. (2 photos)<\/p>\n

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