Some Raptors from this weekend.

Canon_Bob · 03-02-2008, 11:32 AM

I stayed in my local area this weekend (Fort Myers, FL), but got out and made a few quick runs to see what the local birding was doing. here are a few raptors:

Male Bald Eagle. Sitting on guard duty not far from a nest. No matter how many angles I tried, there was at least one branch interfering with the shot. Finally decided it was better to have one across his tail than anywhere else :? .

Female Bald Eagle. Guarding the nest. This image captured with the 40D on the 600mm f/4L. The shadows were definitely in the way, but not much I could do about it. That nest is in a very big tree!:

Eagle Family Portrait. I took this one Friday night right after work. I waited until sunset to try and get enough light under the tree canopy for some decent images. I spent a LOT of time trying to get them all to turn their heads in the right direction at the right time, get a catchlight, have sufficient DOF to get them all from the side, ect.. I wound up with a few acceptable ones, but none that were "perfect". I'd say I have about 2 more weeks before they leave the nest completely. There are 2 chicks in the nest, but the other one is apparently camera shy.

Burrowing Owl at sunrise:

Swallow Tailed Kite. This is the first one I've seen of the season. He actually surprised me, but I still managed a couple quick shots with the 40D and 100-400 lens. Not up to my usual standards, but a fairly unusual bird, and hard to photograph because they never seem to land!

**gahspidy** · 03-02-2008, 11:51 AM

Nice works, love the family portrait.

Eric D · 03-02-2008, 12:55 PM

Awesome set of photo's!! Very crisp...
Eagles are so cool to photograph!!! Great captures!!

tufcat · 03-02-2008, 03:54 PM

The first two, are two of the very best nature photos I have seen. Absolutely amazing color and focus, especially at 600mm. Your work really raises the bar around here.

Great work!

**Loupey** · 03-02-2008, 05:30 PM

Excellent job as usual, C_B.

Love the family portrait. Fills my heart with warmth.

**paulnj** · 03-02-2008, 06:51 PM

Very cool that the eagles are near fledging already, while eggs are being sat on here. Burrowing owls are so damb cool and the swallow-tailed kite is great to(too bad about the fishing line in it's talons though)

Canon_Bob · 03-03-2008, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paulnj

Very cool that the eagles are near fledging already, while eggs are being sat on here. Burrowing owls are so damb cool and the swallow-tailed kite is great to(too bad about the fishing line in it's talons though)

I think its just some moss on a branch. He was swooping through the trees, as though looking for nesting material (even though they don't nest here). In all likelihood, there was a bug or lizard on the branch, and he just took the whole thing.

BFiredup · 03-03-2008, 07:08 AM

Awsome shots.....picture perfect IMO....

**paulnj** · 03-03-2008, 09:26 AM

moss..gotcha.

Canon_Bob · 03-06-2008, 05:46 PM

Thanks for the FP! I liked that image too. It's one of those opportunities you're not going to get a crack at very often. Glad it was appreciated, and even more glad to see the comeback the Bald Eagles have made. I think this image serves as a nice representation of that comeback by an absolutely magnificent species.

panthrcat · 07-17-2008, 08:57 PM

stunning photography!! the eagle shots are superb! well they all are, but I am partial to the eagle shots,, my goal for this year is to get some nicer (than what I already have) of eagles,, I have a spot where I want to sit and watch,, hopefully over the next month I'll get out and try it! really good work!!!

Sue

scott-devon · 07-18-2008, 07:18 AM

Beautiful shots, I love the burrowing owl and kite. The odd angle of the kite shot with it looking down really sets it apart.

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