The Swoop - Just One Eagle

[canonloader]

While out checking on the Pelican, I took a couple pics of the big guys. This one stood out for me. :)

http://www.freeassociationblog.com/potn/feb07eagles/swoop4.jpg

[Jostel]

Absolutely perfect!!!!!

National Geographic quality!!!!!!
BTW- which lens?

[canonloader]

Thanks Jostel. I use the Canon 400L f/5.6 almost exclusively. :)

[hTr]

Damn, That is nice Mitch

Very good one!!!!

[canonloader]

Thanks Gary. Ya know, there is something to be said for having a shooting spot 30 feet over the water. Whole other aspect. I was talking to another shooter, that I'd like to try from down on the ice some time, see what kind of perspective that would be. He started shaking his head in the middle of the sentence. Says the ice just isn't safe in the river. ;)

[philc123]

Superb! as usual:)

[canonloader]

Thanks Phil. Didn't even know I had this one til I got home. :D

[Reyno]

Another Killer shot Mitch. Tack sharp and well exposed.

[canonloader]

Thanks Reyno. It's becoming second nature now, with all the practice I've been getting. :)

[Jostel]

Thanks Jostel. I use the Canon 400L f/5.6 almost exclusively. :)

I hate being ignorant, but AM still a noob- is that a 400 Prime lens, or a zoom/telephoto??

BTW, how is the pelican doing?

[Kevin]

Great shot Mitch. I'll take a BE over a Pelican any day.

[canonloader]

I hate being ignorant, but AM still a noob- is that a 400 Prime lens, or a zoom/telephoto??

BTW, how is the pelican doing?
Yes, it's the 400L Prime. I had the 100-400L zoom for awhile, but just couldn't get real sharp pics from it, so I got the Prime. Much better birding lens, IMO.

I didn't see the Pelican today but a guy that was down there said he saw it flying close to the bank and headed south. :)

Great shot Mitch. I'll take a BE over a Pelican any day.
Thanks Kevin. I would like more shots of the Pelican too. I seem to be able to shoot eagles any day I want to drive downtown. But there won't be many more Pelicans til spring. :D

[Wayne Wood]

great shot Mitch ,,, I think your lucky what with Baldies Pelicans and even Kingfishers ,,, somehow it doesn't seem fair ;)

[philc123]

Yes, it's the 400L Prime. I had the 100-400L zoom for awhile, but just couldn't get real sharp pics from it, so I got the Prime. Much better birding lens, IMO.

Mitch, the 100-400 was going to be my next lens, i take it you did'nt get on with it then?

Phil

[canonloader]

Thanks Wayne. I can't wait til spring when some new birds show back up. Give the eagles a break. :D

Phil, I had a soft copy that I bought used. Used it for 2 months before I realized it just wasn't going to get it. Sent it to Canon and they replaced the whole IS unit inside. Got it back, kept trying to get a nice tack sharp shot and finally gave up and got the 400 Prime. I have since gotten rid of all my IS lenses and don't regret it at all. At best, IS is only going to give you 1 or 2 stops over non-IS and I can work around that with flash or CS2. ;)

[rathke]

Mitch, you nailed the exposure there. It's hard to get detail in the dark feathers like you did. Really makes it. Very nice capture.

[canonloader]

Thanks Rathke. What would you guess is the background in that shot? Looks like sky doesn't it? It's not, it's snow over ice on the Mississippi River. From where I was shooting, about 30 feet above the river level, I was aiming down to get this guy. Exposure is easy. I just dialed in 1/3 stop exposure compensation and the camera did the rest. ;)

[Sindri Skulason]

Great in-flight shot Mitch. This one is for the wall. :-)

[canonloader]

Thanks Sindri. I wish that printer ink were cheaper. :)

[pttenn]

Wow what an incredible shot! You and hTr seem to have the "eagle eye"!! Wonderful!
Karen

[canonloader]

Thanks Karen. I'm going to check out another spot tomorrow. The hole in the ice here is getting too small to support a lot of eagles now, so I'm going to check out the next lock and dam to the south. The water is always open for a ways below the dams and always brings in the eagles. :)

[Jaime]

Awesome.

[Kevin]

Thanks Kevin. I would like more shots of the Pelican too. I seem to be able to shoot eagles any day I want to drive downtown. But there won't be many more Pelicans til spring. :D
We both have our cross to bear, I have not seen a BE this season. But I can send you a couple hundred thousand shots of Pelicans.:lol:

[downywp]

...Uh oh, I think I hear the sound of the "bar" being raised yet again:) Great shot!

[canonloader]

Thanks guys. With the temps the way they've been recently, it's more fun seeing them on the screen than getting out and taking them. Still, what else is there to do? :D

[Kiddpsychotic]

Very nice Canonloader, excellent shots of the Bald Eagle, like a lot of people I never see this most magnificent of birds, so I just have to enjoy others work

[canonloader]

Thanks Kidd. I got eagles, but hey, even they get old after awhile. Well, not old, just I would like something else to shoot for a change. :D

[Miniflash]

cool shot~ Bravo

[Bignerd]

Brilliant shot. All I can say is WOW.

[canonloader]

Thanks Deb and Bignerd. Every now and then one shot just jumps out at you. I wasn't going to post yesterday, but this shot just begged for a thread of it's own. :D

[dphillips81]

Mitch, every time i see that you have a new post of BE, i know i am in for a treat, and you never dissapoint!! And you always make me go out and practice even more to try to meet the standard that you and htr, have set,
Great shot as always!!! I will have to try to find a point of view that high above the action, as i am always 20-30 feet below them. i wonder how much a lift rental is?:D

Dustin

[Greg_C]

Boy Mitch, that shot would stand out against just about anything else. Awesome work.

[canonloader]

Thanks Dustin and Greg. :)

I have been looking for a place to get a different perspective, namely, down on the ice at water level, but to get there is over ice and snow covered rocks and then the ice may not be safe. I'll be checking out another spot below a dam near here, where the ice is known to be safe. Can't wait to see what I can do with that. :)

[dphillips81]

me either!! Can't wait for you to post pics from your new spot!

[canonloader]

I was going to go down there today, but it turned out to be dark skies and snowing a little. We put it off for a day or two. But I'm thinking about perspective, even now, although I've never been to this spot. :)