Jack Standing On One Leg
Though this happened on Valentine’s Day, I thought it was appropriate to post this to celebrate Independence Day! If you haven’t yet read previous Hawk At Home Blog posts, be sure to read them first, so you know who’s who.
An Unexpected Visitor!
Far off in the forest… perched high up in a tree… was a magnificent adult Bald Eagle!
I can count on one hand how many times I’ve seen Bald Eagles flying over my neighborhood— always high up. This is the first time I’ve seen one perched in the forest. Never before had I heard a Bald Eagle call so close to home. His rickety shriek echoed throughout the forest. In movies & commercials, they always pipe in a Red-tailed Hawk's shriek instead, because the Eagle’s sounds so lame.
I presume he’s a male, because by this time, females are on the nest with eggs. A little over a month before, during my trip to Conowingo Dam in Maryland (a famous haven for Bald Eagles), I photographed Eagles mating. So if the Eagle I saw in my neighborhood on Valentine’s Day has a similar timetable, he’s likely a male, while his mate is on the nest somewhere.
I’m sooooooo far away, shooting through a forest of trees, limbs, and branches at f20 with my 700mm lens to bring him closer while keeping my distance. I’m guessing he’s over a quarter mile away. Of course, at Conowingo Dam, Eagles fly maybe 100 feet overhead or lower, so you can’t stay back. That’s what makes that place magical. Yet, here I am at home— outside hearing and photographing a Bald Eagle!!!!!!
Sentinel On Watch
Though smaller, with a 3.5 Foot wingspan, compared to a Bald Eagle’s 7.5 Foot wingspan, Red-shouldered Hawks defend their territory. Of course, I happen to live in their territory. So I'm part of the scenery.
Ready For Takeoff!
Eventually, the Bald Eagle flew off, but not before I caught him spreading his wings! Ever since, I haven't seen a Bald Eagle around my neighborhood. That Valentine’s Day Standoff was all it took to convince the larger Bald Eagle that he was in Red-shouldered Hawk territory. It showed how birds of prey coexist by respecting territory.
Here’s another example of keeping a fast shutter speed (1/1,000th second) while photographing a perched bird. When he decided to take off, I was ready!
You just never know what you’ll see here: Jack, Jacuzzi, & our Nation’s Symbol in the same morning!
Stay tuned for future Blog posts with more stories and photos about Red-shouldered Hawks who live in my world, while I live in theirs!
General Settings
With so much distance between me and my birds of prey, I needed everything out of my big zoom lens. My settings had to compensate for using that big zoom lens, which can darken photos. Rather than give my settings for each photo here, I suggest a good starting point for your camera and zoom lens:
ISO 800 (to counteract potentially dark photos using a zoom lens), Aperture f16, Shutter Speed 1/1,000th Second
Photo Tips
Because I was so far from the Bald Eagle, I used an Aperture of f20 to get as much detail as possible. This meant my photo might be dim, because I was using my 700mm lens. I compensated by using an ISO of 1000. Because your camera and lens are likely smaller, try f16 and ISO 800 for starters. But the more you zoom in, the more you might have to increase your ISO.
Besides being far away, I had to navigate a labyrinth of tree branches— all while trying to be stealthy. This wasn’t easy. But I kept looking through my lens to find a clear view of the Bald Eagle. My shots shown here resulted from my constant effort to find a better view. My advice with any photo encounter is to take shots from wherever you begin, and then keep trying to find better views.
I used Single Point Autofocus on my camera, so I could move my one focus point directly onto the Eagle’s head— thereby getting the best chance of a sharp photo.
Review & Refine! Keep checking your shots to see if your settings are good enough. The more you’re willing to improve your settings, the better a photographer you will be!
Want To See More Red-shouldered Hawks? Check Out The Red-shouldered Hawks Gallery.
Experience The Red-shouldered Hawks 5 By 30 Inches Storyteller Photo.
This composite of 6 photos chronicles Red-shouldered Hawks through the seasons.
Soar With The Birds Of Prey 5 By 30 Inches Storyteller Photo.
This composite of 6 photos features a Red-tailed Hawk, Black Vulture, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Cooper’s Hawk, and a Red-shouldered Hawk.
Want To See More Birds Of Prey? Check Out The Birds of Prey Gallery.
Want To See Ospreys? Check Out The Ospreys Gallery.
Want To See More Birds? Check Out The Birds Gallery.
