![\"golden](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/golden-eagle-5198-ron-dudley.jpg\")
<\/p>\nGolden Eagles are my #1 photographic quarry, bar none. I’d rather get a magnificent flight shot of one of these regal birds than any other species I can think of and that includes other raptors like Snowy Owls and Gyrfalcons. I’ve been trying for years and I’ve come close many times but it still hasn’t happened, though it very nearly did with this eagle just over a month ago in western Utah County.<\/p>\n
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1\/2000, f\/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM + 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n Most Golden’s are wary and extremely difficult to approach but this one was different. It was perched on a utility pole along a remote dirt\u00a0road and it let me get close. Once a huge tanker truck came along and\u00a0passed directly beneath it but the eagle didn’t even flinch, despite the incredible noise on the\u00a0rough road\u00a0and the resulting cloud of dust that enveloped us all.<\/p>\n I despise poles and wires in my shots so my only\u00a0chance to get the image I wanted\u00a0was to\u00a0wait until the bird took off (I\u00a0don’t deliberately flush\u00a0raptors to get the flight\u00a0shot) and hope it took off in a direction that gave\u00a0me good light on the bird without wires or poles in the background. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/1600, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM, not baited, set up or called in<\/strong><\/p>\n But once again my Golden Eagle subject didn’t cooperate. It took off slightly away from me and in some of the best shots in flight the wires you see were in front of the bird. But I’ll admit that I still\u00a0like this image because it shows the magnificence of the eagle in a stunning pose.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D Mark II,<\/em> Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS II USM, wire removed,\u00a0not baited, set up or called in\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n By the time the eagle cleared the wires it had turned even further away from me and another opportunity was lost.<\/p>\n I’d estimate that I’ve had about three dozen\u00a0reasonably good chances\u00a0with Golden Eagles over the years\u00a0but something has gone wrong every damned time – poor light, a wing in front of the face, wrong take-off direction, a running engine that softened the shots, clipped body parts,\u00a0ravens spooking the bird before I was set up, deep shadows on the eagle because it was too late in the day –\u00a0the list is endless.<\/p>\n The one that haunts me most was\u00a0the time\u00a0I approached a Golden Eagle on the ground\u00a0as it fought with several ravens over prey. The birds were in great light and they were close to the road I was on but I was pulling my camping trailer and couldn’t stop for them because I could see a vehicle approaching in my rear-view mirror. I’ll never forget that one.<\/p>\n One of these days I have to get lucky. I keep thinking I’ve paid my dues and the dice eventually have to roll my way but it hasn’t happened yet.<\/p>\n A nemesis bird indeed. The quest continues…<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Golden Eagles are my #1 photographic quarry. I’d rather get a magnificent flight shot of one of these regal birds than any other species I can think of and that includes other raptors like Snowy Owls and Gyrfalcons.<\/p>\n![\"golden](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/golden-eagle-5243-ron-dudley.jpg\")
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