Edmonds Eagles 2017-2018

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Terry O

Well-Known Member
Some amazing shots, Bill! Particularly given the distances and difficulties shooting the Deer Creek nest!
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Wednesday evening (6-20-18) one of the Pt. Edwards eagles flew from the waterfront to a tree on Pine St. It remained on the tree long enough to draw attention from the crows, who continually strafed it until it flew off. Look carefully and you will see one crow perched on the tree to the left of the eagle that was content to leave the harassment to others.

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Saturday morning (6-23-18) four eagles were in the Deer Creek nest. Two adults are visible in this photo as well as the wing of one of the babies.

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One of the adults took off.

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A visit to the Pt. Edwards nest near sunset where one adult was perched atop the nest tree.

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The baby was grooming itself and checking me out.

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Monday morning (6-25-18) I just missed getting photos of an adult flying into the Pt. Edwards nest. It gave whatever prey it was carrying to the baby, then spent a few minutes screeching, as though it was calling for its mate to make a food delivery as well.

If you look closely at the branch above the eagle, you can see a Steller's jay screeching, too.

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The baby came out and stretched its wings. You can see feather shafts developing on the underside of its wing.

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Wednesday afternoon (6-27-18) the Pt. Edwards eagles took me by surprise at the marsh. I was standing at the #1 viewing platform when I heard the crows squawking. I turned around the see them going after one of the eagles about 30 yards away.

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The eagle circled the marsh three times with the crows in pursuit. I suspect the eagle was hunting for the mother duck and her small ducklings I had been seeing the past 2-3 days.
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My favorite photo of the many I took. The raptor tree on the fish hatchery grounds is in the background. I named it several years ago due to the many raptors I have photographed perched on its high branches.

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Some of my photos showed the crows making contact with the eagle as it circled the marsh.

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I suspect both eagles were drinking and/or bathing in Willow Creek, which is why I did not them when I first arrived. The eagle circling the marsh landed in one of the trees bordering the creek. The other eagle can be seen in the lower right corner.

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The pair beat me back to the nest at Pt. Edwards. One was in the sentry tree....

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while the other was perched atop the nest tree.

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The baby may have been disappointed its parents did not bring back a meal.

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
I drove up to check on our national birds on our national day. Earlier I had seen one of the Pt. Edwards pair fly around the condos with what looked like a large fish in its talons. Both adults flew into the nest just after I arrived. The nest was a little crowded, so one adult flew across the street.

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The remaining adult fed the eaglet at the back of the nest.

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Friday afternoon (7-6-18) I was at the fishing pier photographing a great blue heron on the marina breakwater. The heron began tracking something behind me.

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I turned around to see one of the Pt. Edwards eagles cruising over the marina.

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Saturday afternoon (7-7-18) the Pt. Edwards eagles made trips between their nest and the marina while I was at the marsh. One passed overhead with what looked like a fish.

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It was warm, which prompted one to take a water break at Willow Creek in the marsh.

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I drove up to Pt. Edwards to see one adult in the sentry tree....

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while the other one was in the nest with the baby. Note how the baby's wing underside feathers are filling in compared to previous photos. I would not be surprised if it starts branch hopping this week

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The baby moved to the back of the nest and could not be seen from the north side. I moved to the south side where the baby was standing upright.

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
The Pt. Edwards eagles continue to make food runs with water breaks in Willow Creek at the marsh. Shots from Monday (7-9-18).

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Both the Deer Creek and Pt. Edwards eaglets are growing up fast. I stopped by the Deer Creek nest Saturday morning (7-14-18) and saw one of the eaglets out of the nest. I got a grab shot from the parking lot across the street from the nest.

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I crossed the street and set up the super telephoto package (7DII + 500L telephoto + 1.4x teleconverter) closer to the nest.

The one outside the nest was spreading its wings.

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The one still in the nest started doing the same. Eagles have a nearly a seven foot wingspan, which will give you an idea of the size of the nest.

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I returned later in the afternoon for some back lit shots. One eaglet was in the nest. The other one is visible as the dark patch below the nest.

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Closeup of the one in the nest.

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
I then drove over to the Pt. Edwards nest. Both parents were perched in the sentry tree across the street from the nest.

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The eaglet was perched on a branch above the nest.
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I knew it was time to depart when the eaglet started yawning.

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Kenmore Camera had a used Canon 2x III teleconverter for sale, so Tuesday afternoon (7-24-18) I traded in my 2x II TC for it. I was never happy with the 2x II TC as photos taken appeared "soft." Therefore, I seldom used it. I had heard the 2x III TC produced much sharper photos, so I thought I would give it a try.

Later that evening after it had cooled down a little, I went to the Pt. Edwards eagle nest to test it out in conjunction with the 7DII + 500L telephoto lens. With the 7DII's crop factor of 1.6, the combo is equivalent to a 1600mm telephoto lens. While that may sound impressive, it is only 32x magnification. Many of the new mirrorless cameras have 60x lenses, the same as high end bird spottng scopes.

I couldn't find any eagles. The eaglet must have been hunkered down in the nest while its parent were out. I went down to the marsh, where I found one eagle in a tree by Willow Creek on the south side of the marsh. It may have been bathing before I arrived because it shook itself off.

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Its mate flew in from the vicinity of the marina and perched on the family tree at the top of Pine St.

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The eagle by the creek swooped down and flew to a nearby pole. It had caught something, possibly a pigeon.

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A passing train scared the eagle and it flew away with its prey toward the nest. I'll try to get more photos using the 2x III TC at a location where heat waves will not be a factor.
 
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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Thursday evening (7-26-18) I drove up to the Pt. Edwards eagle nest to see how my new/used 2x III teleconverter would do photographing the baby eagle, which is now as large as its parents.

7DII + 500L telephoto lens + 2x III teleconverter

The eaglet was perched above the nest on a branch that was best viewed from the south side of the nest. After setting up, I only got two good shots before it hopped down to another branch. Here is one of my uncropped shots. The eaglet changed location before I could adjust the exposure compensation for the back lighting.

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The eaglet perched on another branch above the nest that could be seen from the north side. These photos are also uncropped.

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Although I was extremely pleased with these shots, I knew the 7DII got me too close for good photos if the eaglet decided to branch hop and/or spread its wings. If I wanted to capture a full wingspread, I would have to back off by using one of my cameras with a full frame sensor.

5DIII + 500L telephoto lens + 2x III teleconverter

I swapped the 7DII for my 5DIII. This photo is uncropped.

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This photo is cropped.

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I wondered which was a better combo when I did not need/want maximum reach: the 7DII + 500L + 1.4x III TC (1120mm) or the 5DIII + 500L teleconverter + 2x III TC (1000mm). I decided the 5DIII + 500L teleconverter + 2x III TC would be the better choice as the 5DIII (full frame sensor) handles high ISO settings better than the 7DII (crop frame sensor) and the extra 120mm reach with the 7DII would not be significant.
 
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Terry O

Well-Known Member
Yep, I'm impressed! Its time I upgraded. I'll watch Kenmore's used stuff.

BTW I'm just getting my new iMac setup. Quite a transition from using a PC for about 30 years......but I'm loving it so far.

Terry
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
The Pt. Edwards eaglet has fledged. I photographed it flying around Pt. Edwards Friday afternoon (8-3-18).

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Its parents were nearby as well.

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Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
The parents seemed less than amused as a pattern developed. The eaglet would perch on one tree and start crtying for its parents. When the parents did not respond, it would fly over to the tree where the parents were perched.

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Continued....
 
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