Bald Eagle Fishing on Prince William Sound

[NorthernFocus]

Well we're back from our three day weekend on Prince William Sound. We had uncharacteristically clear, sunny whether all three days. We went to a new place we hadn't visited before. There wasn't nearly the eagle population that we are used to seeing most places we've been on the Sound but we did manage to find a couple of nests. Staking out a nest is the best opportunity to photograph them because they won't stray too far from it while sitting on eggs and/or while the chicks are small. If you stop the boat just offshore of the nest and sit quietly, after a few minutes they decide you're not threat and go about the business of fishing to feed the brood. Of course to get a decent shot they still have to come within range, flying in the right direction, with the lighting behind you, etc, etc.

Haven't had time to process photos from the trip but did throw a couple together.

This is a shot taken from the boat at anchor while having coffee Saturday morning.



Then one while paddling around in a kayak just at the sun was coming over the mountains. This is two frames taken with a Nikon V1 and stitched together. If you look closely there is a juvenile bald eagle in the top of one of the sun lit trees.



We did get a few passes within reasonable range and one really good pass. From what I've seen so far, it appears this will be the shot of the trip.

Nikon D4, 200-400VR
f/5.6 @ 400 mm, 1/2000, ISO 250




Interestingly I am not accustomed to shooting eagles in bright light due to it being overcast most of the time when we're on the water. In flat lighting it is much easier dealing with the contrasting plumage on the bird and to get some detail under the wings.

The green color of the water is from the sun lit trees on the mountainside that I was shooting towards. We were in a deep fjord with sun lit side opposite and shady side behind us. The eagles tend to sit with the sun at their backs while fishing. The bird in this shot was kind enough to bank in and take a fish at an angle to the light (and the camera)

[Digital]

These are excellent photos. Really nice job.


Bruce

[Geoff F]

Yes they work very well in all respects.

[dje]

Great stuff Dan, excellent shots. The eagle capture is superb and I really like the first landscape in particular. What a beautiful place.

Dave

[Cantab]

Dan, great shots! I'll look forward to more from the trip.

[Bobobird]

Great scenery which is expected of Alaska. The eagle capture - spectacular. Hope to see more...

[Otavio]

Gorgeous, Dan! Very good job!

[Donald]

My compliments also, Dan. Tremendous photography.

[John 2]

Excellent photography. The final shot is a real winner.

[Brownbear]

Beautiful images. I love the composition of #2.

The eagle... sigh... Stunning!

[terrib]

Love the colors and composition of #1. such a beautiful place!

The eagle is stunning. Even with the bright light, it's still gorgeous. Worth all the waiting I'd imagine.

[KHarmon]

Awesome photo's. The Eagle is absolutely incredible. I am envious of the landscape you have to shoot in Alaska.

[FlyingSquirrel]

Dan, thanks for sharing the pics, and the story, too. It's all been said about your photos. I really like the waterfall in shot 2, that is so cool.

[NorthernFocus]

Thanks for the comments, folks. Glad you enjoyed the photos. I like sharing our view of Alaska with others. As mentioned in previous posts landscapes aren't my strong suit. There are time when all you have to do is not screw it up as demonstrated by the first shot here. But the second shot really misses the mark because that morning was absolutely magical. When the light hit the tops of those trees they really glowed. Granted the camera has really limited dynamic range but I still failed to capture the mood. The bird gets all the credit for the third shot. That one was f16 rule, point at the bird coming towards you and hold down the shutter button. I think there are a couple more frames in that sequence will be keepers after PP.

There was a really interesting intertidal creek in the same area. On our last morning I spent a couple of hours trying to do something with it. I'll post a couple of the shots from that outing for C/C when I get a chance to do the PP on them.