It isn’t often that I don’t even have to leave my yard to photograph an eagle.
1/1600, f/5.6, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 100mm, not baited, set up or called in
Yesterday morning this adult Bald Eagle spent some time in an elm tree in my yard on the east side of my house. I live in the suburbs of Salt Lake City so a Bald Eagle in my neighborhood gets my attention. I believe it was attracted to my area because there’s a fishing pond within about a quarter-mile of my home and the Jordan River is nearby. I live at the top of a hill and this tree is a huge one, the largest and tallest in the area, so it provides a relatively safe haven for the eagle far above the ground. Here we see less than half of the tree and my house is just out of frame at bottom.
I zoomed back for this shot to provide some perspective.
1/1000, f/5.6, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM @ 400mm, not baited, set up or called in
I couldn’t get any decent images of the bird because it was buried in branches, the angle was steep and my 500mm lens is in the shop but I thought its presence was worthy of reporting here. An adult Bald Eagle has made a brief appearance in my tree several times in recent years – always in January. I wish I knew for sure if it’s the same eagle or not but of course I don’t – if it is, this bird is a little late.
I reported the first eagle appearance in the tree on January 28, 2011 and another one on January 9, 2014 (this one had some ominous undertones). We watched for another eagle appearance all last month but when February arrived and we hadn’t seen one we had all but given up so it was a wonderful surprise to find this bird yesterday morning.
I figured that today would be a good day to report this sighting which features only mediocre images because many folks are going to be thinking about football instead of birds and image quality anyway. If you’ll be watching the Super Bowl I hope you enjoy the festivities and that your team wins. As for me, I haven’t watched a Super Bowl in almost 20 years – there’s just too much hoopla and too little sport for my tastes.
I’ll spend much of the day culling images and daydreaming about the return of my 500mm lens.
Ron
I would be thrilled with these shots!
Charlotte
Jealous thoughts are travelling across the ether to you.
I wonder whether the eagle was messing with your mind. As in, I will land in his tree when his big lens is away….
That’s definitely a possibility, EC. And the weather has cleared up and we have beautiful light forecast for the next few days. Naturally!
Wonderful surprise, blue skies and an Eagle! I agree with many other responses, I love the second shot of the 2011 eagle, what a fun stretch pose. As far as monofiliment line, I hate the stuff! I wish they would make a biodegradable type but that might effect its strength . I’ve seen so much damage to wildlife in wildlife rehabilitation. When ever I am out around water I pick it up when I see it along the shores. Sometimes I come home with my pockets bulging with the stuff. I cut it up into little pieces and put it in my recycle bin ( I hope it is recyclable).
It’s dastardly stuff, April. It truly is.
What a special treat, Ron! And from the description of your location and if that were a redtail, I’d say the eagle chose that place because of its vantage. They like to perch in the tallest place possible to command as much of the local area as possible in a strategic context. But since you only see them rarely, there must be a) a better perch with a larger vista or b) it’s a bald eagle and not a redtail. Just funnin’ with you, but that’s true of adult redtails 😀
“I’d say the eagle chose that place because of its vantage”
I’m sure of it, Laura. A variety of raptors do the same thing but the tree is so tall and dense I can barely see them much less photograph them.
Jeeeeez! A Bald Eagle in your backyard!!!??? How lucky can one get! The only thing that could possibly top that would be a Golden Eagle! I would be so jealous, I would probably implode…I still might!!!
Patty, knowing my dismal track record with Golden Eagles I probably couldn’t get a decent shot of one if it landed at my feet. I keep trying though…
Do you think it’s possible that you’ve earned a reputation as flattering bird portrait photographer and this bird was hoping for a “selfie” of the two of you???
Ron, I like the images. Particularly the close-up. The natural “clutter” makes the eagle look very focused. At least you were able to get his head and eye. Too often all I see is the back side. Hope he stays around a while. Have you “upgraded” your camera rest in the truck? Hope you will post your solution to the problem!
Super Bowl? Is that today? 🙂 Not for me.
“Have you “upgraded” your camera rest in the truck?”
Yes, I have, Jane. But I’m not sure yet how effective my solution will be. I’ll have to wait until I get my lens back for that.
What a special yard bird. Do you think it is the same eagle that appeared last month? No Superbowl for me either. Study for a class, husband is giving a jazz concert at the university, care of our ‘special’ birds. I’d rather be birding.
Kathy, I didn’t have an eagle in the tree “last month” but if you’re referring to the birds in the tree in previous years in January it would be my guess that it’s the same bird. A special yard bird indeed!
NEAT! Beautiful capture even if cluttered and you don’t have your favorite lens! That happens down here with the big cottonwoods. Have to catch them up top on road kill and then it’s at a distance as they are fine with moving vehicles, but not so much with vehicles stopping. The former one with the fishing line was fortunate for the eagle. Suspect the attached bird was probably entangled and a fairly easy catch. Nice to have something like this when pining for your lens. 🙂
“they are fine with moving vehicles, but not so much with vehicles stopping”
That’s the case with so many birds, Kathy – raptors and nonraptors alike. Slow down or stop and they’re off. Frustrating for photographers but knowing the inclinations of far too many humans it’s definitely of survival value for them overall.
Here in Eugene, Oregon a pair have a nest on Skinners Butte, late February to July you view them on the nest, see the eaglets as they grow and finally fly off. They can be spotted along the river during the year as you walk the paths, and when you get lucky will see them bathing, and catching fish. At the nest you will see them bring fish to feed the young, branches and ferns for the nest. All this in town, so we are very lucky here.
“we are very lucky here”
You certainly are, Steven. We have many Bald Eagles here in Utah during winter but very, very few of them nest here.
OMG, Ron!! You lucky devil!!! I’ve been wanting to finally see one in the wild and I know there are a lot in my area – and you have one in your own back yard!! I’m SO jealous!! Oh and I love the captures you took – LOL!! I know the quality doesn’t meet your criteria but I’d give my eye teeth to get one half as good!! I also had to check out your two other set of photos. I absolutely LOVE the 2nd shot from your 2011 series. It looks like it plans to dive bomb you. I think the 2011 series is my favorite of the three you shared. Again, I’m jealous, jealous. jealous – but very happy for you to have them honor your yard with their presence!! I will tell you, I just love to open your blog every morning and see what wonderful wildlife you have chosen to share with us!!
Seeing this eagle made my day, Jo Ann. I’m hoping it will hang around for a while. It’s still before sunrise here in Salt Lake but I just now went out so see if the eagle is in the tree but it isn’t.
I enjoyed your excitement over this bird.