Bald Eagle Snares Lunch

[rstuntz]

The cold weather has made its way into the midwest (we just dipped below zero F last night). The ice has built up on the Mississippi river and the Eagles are out. I thought I would share a couple of captures from yesterday. Any critiques would also be welcome.

Ryan

http://stuntzonline.com/thread/Bald%20Eagles%20033_2.jpg

http://stuntzonline.com/thread/Bald%20Eagles%20105_2.jpg

[pttenn]

Wow! Couple of terrific shots there! Kinda looks like that eagle grabbed ice!
Karen

[ACEHOLE]

amazing birds
really nice shots

i wish there was more than corn in indiana :)

[hTr]

Great Capture Ryan!!!

[aligater]

Cracking shots Ryan, great job on the whites.

[Howler-Cat]

For all of you Eagle shooters in this forum, I hate you guys...(just kidding)! Excellent images Ryan!

[canonloader]

Great shots Ryan. Where are you? I haven't been out in days, working for money does that to me, so I haven't checked the condition of the river here. I suspect it's about frozen and eagles are about. I guess I need to get out tomorrow. It's snowing again right now. :(

[rstuntz]

For all of you Eagle shooters in this forum, I hate you guys...(just kidding)! Excellent images Ryan!

Thanks for the responses. Howler... I understand the envy. They are majestic birds to watch something I wish everyone could see across the country. You'll just have to visit Iowa in the winter sometime ;)

[Sindri Skulason]

Outstanding in-flight shots. Very well done indeed. :-)

[gymell]

Nice job, I miss Iowa! My only nit would be the harsh lighting. Looks like you took the photos around 2:30 pm (according to the EXIF) Difficult to properly expose such a high contrast subject on a bright sunny day like that. Not saying that you didn't properly expose according to the light you had, but I think they would be that much better if it were early morning or perhaps later in the afternoon!

[Trique Daddi]

Beautiful captures! What lens were you using? Those shots really make a pair! The first shows the muscle tone of the eage while the second shows the canopy like wingspan. Definite "wall hangers".

Thanks for sharing them.

Trique Daddi

[bromm]

very nice Ryan, cant get over the amount of Ice you have, we have just a light skim on the deadwater so far.

[sugarzebra]

Great shots Ryan...the first is terrific.

[rstuntz]

Nice job, I miss Iowa! My only nit would be the harsh lighting. Looks like you took the photos around 2:30 pm (according to the EXIF) Difficult to properly expose such a high contrast subject on a bright sunny day like that. Not saying that you didn't properly expose according to the light you had, but I think they would be that much better if it were early morning or perhaps later in the afternoon!

Liz,

I agree, the lights is a little harsh. The picture was at 2:30, but in the winter, the sun at 2:30 is at about the same angle as about 1 to 1.5 hours before sunset in the summer.

I didn't relaize the fish would be so far south of me and the sun (of course) coming from the south made this image that much more difficult. I think had this occured east or north of me, the lighting would have been excellent.

Ryan

[rstuntz]

Wow! Couple of terrific shots there! Kinda looks like that eagle grabbed ice!
Karen

I didn't notice until now, but it does look like ice. It is a fish I promise... Here is the next picture in the series....

http://69.66.31.124/thread/Bald%20Eagles%20034BW.jpg

[rstuntz]

Great shots Ryan. Where are you? I haven't been out in days, working for money does that to me, so I haven't checked the condition of the river here. I suspect it's about frozen and eagles are about. I guess I need to get out tomorrow. It's snowing again right now. :(

I was halfway between Lock and Dam 11 and the 151 bridge into Wisconsin. There were about 20 eagles out. In a couple of weeks, there should be tons!

[gymell]

Liz,

I agree, the lights is a little harsh. The picture was at 2:30, but in the winter, the sun at 2:30 is at about the same angle as about 1 to 1.5 hours before sunset in the summer.

I didn't relaize the fish would be so far south of me and the sun (of course) coming from the south made this image that much more difficult. I think had this occured east or north of me, the lighting would have been excellent.

Ryan

Well even so, you did a good job of getting the entire bird lit up. Usually when I try to shoot in harsh light, I get a blown out head and tail, and a completely dark body. ;)

[canonloader]

In a couple of weeks, there should be tons!
Yup, I know, just waiting for the river to close in a bit.

Here's some of what I got last winter (http://www.flashbax.com/slide_shows/american_bald_eagles/bald_eagles.html).

[nitin]

Ryan-
These are lovely. I always find shots of birds grabbing fish from a water body the most exciting. Did you use your 300/2.8 for this? If so, did you use an extender? And were these hand held? How far were they? Thanks,
Nitin.

[rstuntz]

Ryan-
These are lovely. I always find shots of birds grabbing fish from a water body the most exciting. Did you use your 300/2.8 for this? If so, did you use an extender? And were these hand held? How far were they? Thanks,
Nitin.

Thanks for the kind words. I did use the 300 2.8 I had the 2X extender on the at the time. They were hand held. It is hard to say how far away the bird was since I was looking through the eye piece. I would guess he was 50 yards?????

Ryan

[rstuntz]

Yup, I know, just waiting for the river to close in a bit.

Here's some of what I got last winter (http://www.flashbax.com/slide_shows/american_bald_eagles/bald_eagles.html).

Nice Images!

[HWP]

Great shots. Love the action.

Henry