Shots from the week-end (Eagles!!)

[Flew]

We had the first nice weather days in a month here Friday and Saturday, and I was determined to take advantage. I decided that I was leaving as early as possible Saturday morning to look for GBH's and, if I was really lucky, some Eagles.

Guess what??

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Yaaaaaa, hooooo!!!!

I was shooting at one of my favorite spots around Lake Guntersville (on the Tennessee river) and ran into a couple of birders that directed me to an active nest, with a mommy, daddy, and at least one baby (think there are actually two). I didn't get all of the shots that I would hope for, but I did get some decent ones for my first Eagle experience.

What magnificent animals!! As an aside, some of you may have heard of the school that I attended, Auburn University. The sports teams from Auburn are called 'The Tigers', but the rallying call is 'War Eagle!!'.

A bunch more photog's and birders sat waiting for the male Eagle to return to the nest, and suddenly he appeared and flew majestically over our heads. I was totally focused on getting 'the shot'. All of a sudden, one of the lady photog's yelled out 'Waaaaaaar Eagle!!!!'. I almost passed out.... :lol: My eyes teared up so bad that I couldn't even see the blasted bird. Talk about your basic chills....

Here are a couple more. Not as good as the one above, but about 150-175 feet away:

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And one more from the perch:

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All I can say is War Frigging Eagle!!

Frank

 

[PGB]

I'm so happy you got them. Well, not as happy as if it were me getting them. I'm thinking of going over there on Thursday. Leaving work early if I can.

Excellent shots and commentary.

Thanks,

 

[CraigH.]

Nicely captured light on the eagles. would be happy if I got half as close. gonna try it again soon.
Frank , maybee less screamers if you go out there on a weekday. :lol:

 

[Flew]

Frank , maybee less screamers if you go out there on a weekday. :lol:

Craig, I wasn't that upset by the screamer.... On top of that, I have to save my vacation days for the Merritt trip.... 8)

Thanks for taking a look.

Frank

 

[greyflash]

Wow Frank that first shot is great. Yes they are amazing animals and you have captured the majesty of them.

 

[Steve S]

Really great captures Frank. Wow, what a find! Good going!

 

[mike mac]

You da man

WOw I can feel your heart beating all teh way up here. You must be thrilled what a beautiful capture and Harris must be jealous of these!!! lol
-Mike

 

[Popeye39]

shots from the week-end(Eagles!!)

Magnificent(Haliaeetus Leucocephalus) Southern Bald Eagle! Cool, about 1 week ago I was searching for sites to photograph Bald Eagles in the S.E. and learned about Alabama's Lake Guntersville and the January Eagle Awareness Program that they have every Year,and thought"I wonder how long they hang around?" I printed out info on the Park and did a mapquest fom my home (370mi.)and filed it, planning on doing a trip after The Merritt Island Photo happening and PMA. thanks for posting the Great Images.


POPEYE

 

[Boobie Joe]

Those are really good Frank

Want to go for Great Grey Owl ?

Keep them comming.

 

[Flew]

Thanks Gordon....;-)

Wow Frank that first shot is great. Yes they are amazing animals and you have captured the majesty of them.

I just pointed the cam and shot. I was in such awe of these beautiful creatures. You dream about shots like these. When you actually get close to them, it is like you really are in a dream.... :shock:

Thanks for looking.

Frank

 

[Flew]

Very lucky Steve....

Really great captures Frank. Wow, what a find! Good going!

You are right. What a lucky find. Just beautiful....

Thanks,

Frank

 

[Flew]

Re: shots from the week-end(Eagles!!)

I printed out info on the Park and did a mapquest from my home (370mi.)and filed it, planning on doing a trip after The Merritt Island Photo happening and PMA.POPEYE

Bernie,

If you want to see the Eagles at the nest, you need to come in the next two weeks. After that, the babies will be gone, so they will be dispersed to the hills for another year.

As an interesting aside, this pair just built this nest about two months ago. They had a nest for several years about a half mile away, but it was in a tree that was hit by lightning, and it finally blew over during the recent hurricanes. This nest was built very quickly.

Let me know if you want to stop by, before or after the Merritt session, and we will go find something to shoot.

Frank

 

[Flew]

Re: You da man

I can feel your heart beating all the way up here.

Mike LOL!! You could hear it beating from half way to Mars.... :lol:

What a neat experience.

Thanks,

Frank

 

[hillrg]

Great shots Frank. Gotta love bald eagles! Since you brought it up, here is one I took a week ago, that is quite similar to yours. I'm still trying to decide if it is a keeper - the hot white on the head is not so good and the light is blah.

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[DavidM]

Hey Frank -

Congratulations! I remember the feeling I had at Bunche Beach when we stumbled across that Peregrine, even though it was waaaaay too far away for me to get a clean shot. My heart was beating pretty hard at the time, as I'd never seen one in the wild before and just to see it (much less get a shot of one) was a real thrill.

Eagles are on my list as well, and I'm hoping that we can put some in the viewfinders in a couple of weeks.

#1 and #4 are great portrait shots, and #2 and #3 are still keepers even though not quite as "classic". I'm sure you'll keep the memories that went along with these shots for some time to come.

 

[daodang]

Hi Frank,

Great shots, especially the #1. Too bad The Eagles have lost the SuperBowl .

My regards.

 

[Backdoctor]

So basically all that ******* and moaning from seeing my shots down here was an extreme form of sandbagging? Eagles, huh? And you were jealous of me getting out.

Great shots.

 

[jczinn]

WOWWWWWWW! That is possibly the best Eagle shot I've seen and I've seen a lot of them! Absolutely perfect, stunning, majestic, superlatives aren't enough :lol:

Now, this really deserves a big print and a frame and a spot on the wall!

 

[Uncle Frank]

Frank, this shot is fabulous... majestic... awesome!

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Compliments.

 

[Backdoctor]

Frank, this shot is fabulous... majestic... awesome!

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Compliments.

Geez UF, you're going to give Frank a swelled head. He'll be hell to be around if you keep this up.