Yet more Edmonds Eagle Shots
- Thread starter Terry O
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I didn't track the eagle with the 500L + 1.4x tc. That combo was mounted on a tripod which I locked on the eagle. I fired away with the cable remote release when the eagle looked as though it was going to take off. The real trick was picking the eagle up with the handheld 5DIII + 100-400L zoom and tracking it with that.
I had the 1.4x tc attached to the 500L, so I was shooting handheld with just the 100-400L zoom. That worked out for the better as the eagle was very close when it flew by.
Correct. I was on #1 platform looking south.
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Terry and I have been observing activity at the nest of the Pt. Edwards eagles. We don't know the significance of the activity, but we hope the pair are parents once again this year.
Saturday (4/12/14) afternoon one of the eagles made a low flyover almost directly above us on the Pt. Edwards walkway.
We later caught one of the adults dropping off a branch at the nest. This is the only good photo I got as the eagle left the nest. The eagle's bright white head was completely blown out in the other grab shots of this sequence as they were taken with no exposure compensation. The ideal setting would have been -2/3 or -1 exposure compensation.
While waiting (to no avail) for further eagle action, I managed two shots of a hummer hovering high above a nearby evergreen. I assume it was hunting bugs.
Saturday (4/12/14) afternoon one of the eagles made a low flyover almost directly above us on the Pt. Edwards walkway.
We later caught one of the adults dropping off a branch at the nest. This is the only good photo I got as the eagle left the nest. The eagle's bright white head was completely blown out in the other grab shots of this sequence as they were taken with no exposure compensation. The ideal setting would have been -2/3 or -1 exposure compensation.
While waiting (to no avail) for further eagle action, I managed two shots of a hummer hovering high above a nearby evergreen. I assume it was hunting bugs.
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Two different eagles provided some action on Monday (4/14/14).
A subadult was perched low in a tree on Pine St. which is adjacent to the tree where the Pt. Edwards pair often perch. It was continually strafed by an evil minion of the Dark Lord.
It could only take so much harassment before it flew off with the crow following directly behind.
A subadult was perched low in a tree on Pine St. which is adjacent to the tree where the Pt. Edwards pair often perch. It was continually strafed by an evil minion of the Dark Lord.
It could only take so much harassment before it flew off with the crow following directly behind.
A mature adult, probably the Pt. Edwards male, was perched on the piling off the Senior Center between the marina and ferry dock. I mounted the 7D + 4.0/500L + 1.4x teleconverter on the tripod and locked it on the eagle. I got this sequence of the eagle taking off towards me.
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I picked up the action with my 5DIII as the eagle flew its familiar flight path low over the water heading to my left.
To my surprise, the eagle pulled a sudden reversal of course and swooped low over the water as though it were doing to dive for a fish or bird.
The eagle pulled up and flew south along the marina.
To my surprise, the eagle pulled a sudden reversal of course and swooped low over the water as though it were doing to dive for a fish or bird.
The eagle pulled up and flew south along the marina.
photographmemories
New Member
Niiiiiice! 
I didn't track the eagle with the 500L + 1.4x tc. That combo was mounted on a tripod which I locked on the eagle. I fired away with the cable remote release when the eagle looked as though it was going to take off. The real trick was picking the eagle up with the handheld 5DIII + 100-400L zoom and tracking it with that.
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OK, then, I take it all backBut, both are tricky! Your work with that hand held 560mm is astounding anyways.
I had the 1.4x tc attached to the 500L, so I was shooting handheld with just the 100-400L zoom. That worked out for the better as the eagle was very close when it flew by.
Monday (4/21/14) an eagle landed on the far south side of the marsh. I suspect it was taking a bath in Willow Creek. I attempted to shoot its flight with the 5DIII + 500L telephoto + 1.4 teleconverter mounted on a tripod. I was shooting into bright sunlight, which presented some lighting difficulties.
After bathing(?), the eagle flew to a nearby tree to dry off.
After bathing(?), the eagle flew to a nearby tree to dry off.
Correct. I was on #1 platform looking south.
Thursday (4/24/14) I checked on the nest of the Pt. Edwards eagles. I suspect they will be parents again this year as I saw one of them on the nest. It rose up, spent several minutes doing something in the nest, then hunkered down out of sight. All the while a strong wind was rocking the nest back and forth, enough to make a lesser eagle seasick.
7D + 500L telephoto lens+ 1.4x teleconverter, tripod mounted, 35mm equivalent = 1120mm. Taken with -1 exposure compensation to keep the eagle's white head from being terribly overexposed.
7D + 500L telephoto lens+ 1.4x teleconverter, tripod mounted, 35mm equivalent = 1120mm. Taken with -1 exposure compensation to keep the eagle's white head from being terribly overexposed.
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I am 100% certain the Pt. Edwards eagles are sitting on eggs based on the series of photos I took Friday (4/25/14).
To give proper perspective to the cropped telephoto shots Terry and I post up, here is an uncropped photo of the nest taken at 50mm with my 5D III + 24-105L wide angle zoom.
When my son and I arrived, I could see one eagle doing something in the nest. I took a few handheld shots with the 5DIII + 100-400L telephoto zoom + 1.4x teleconverter. This shot was taken with no exposure compensation.
Terry and I have discovered that on sunny days we must shoot with negative exposure compensation to keep from blowing out the eagles' heads. The remaining shots were taken at -1 exposure compensation.
I had just mounted my 5DIII + 500L telephoto + 1.4x TC to the tripod when the eagle took off.
The photos revealed a second eagle in the nest.
To give proper perspective to the cropped telephoto shots Terry and I post up, here is an uncropped photo of the nest taken at 50mm with my 5D III + 24-105L wide angle zoom.
When my son and I arrived, I could see one eagle doing something in the nest. I took a few handheld shots with the 5DIII + 100-400L telephoto zoom + 1.4x teleconverter. This shot was taken with no exposure compensation.
Terry and I have discovered that on sunny days we must shoot with negative exposure compensation to keep from blowing out the eagles' heads. The remaining shots were taken at -1 exposure compensation.
I had just mounted my 5DIII + 500L telephoto + 1.4x TC to the tripod when the eagle took off.
The photos revealed a second eagle in the nest.
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The eagle hunkered down in the nest and nothing happened for about an hour. I started packing up my equipment when the second eagle returned. I missed its inbound flight and landing.
One of the eagles quickly took off and flew to the nearby sentry tree. I got some grab shots with the 7D + 100-400L zoom.
I moved the tripod + 5DIII + 500L + 1.4x TC over to the sentry tree and got some photos before packing up and heading home.
One of the eagles quickly took off and flew to the nearby sentry tree. I got some grab shots with the 7D + 100-400L zoom.
I moved the tripod + 5DIII + 500L + 1.4x TC over to the sentry tree and got some photos before packing up and heading home.
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Wednesday (4/30) I dropped by to see how the eagles were doing. I saw one eagle in the nest but failed to see the second one perched in an adjacent tree. It is barely visible in the upper right corner of this photo that I took handheld with the 5DIII + 100-400L telephoto zoom + 1.4x teleconverter before I dragged out the big 500L telephoto and tripod.
I mounted the 5DIII + 500L + 1.4 TC teleconverter on a tripod and locked it on the nest, hoping to catch the arrival of the second eagle. I am glad I first took a few photos with the telephoto zoom, as I was unaware the second eagle was already present until it flew the short hop into the nest. That caught me off guard and away from the camera.
I did catch its departure. Like the previous time, it stayed for a few minutes then flew over to the nearby sentry tree.
Continued on page 5.
I mounted the 5DIII + 500L + 1.4 TC teleconverter on a tripod and locked it on the nest, hoping to catch the arrival of the second eagle. I am glad I first took a few photos with the telephoto zoom, as I was unaware the second eagle was already present until it flew the short hop into the nest. That caught me off guard and away from the camera.
I did catch its departure. Like the previous time, it stayed for a few minutes then flew over to the nearby sentry tree.
Continued on page 5.
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