Breakfast With An Eagle
So a few days ago, I’m standing in my kitchen, having a bowl a cereal, and I notice a large bird flying right outside my kitchen window, and I say, out loud (with nobody around but me), “Oh my gosh was that a bald Eagle???!!!!!”
I’ve lived in Florida my entire life, and I can tell you the only time I’ve ever seen an American Bald Eagle in person was in a zoo, and now there’s one in my backyard. Anyway, I keep looking out the window and he lands at the top of a tree right in my backyard. I am stunned. So, I grab my camera, put my new 200-400mm f/4 lens on, attach a monopod, and go running out the door.
Amazingly, he’s still there once I get back there with my gear, but I’m not 100% certain it’s really a bald Eagle (for the reasons listed above), until I zoom in on him, and son-of-a-gun; it is! Now, you’d figure that I would carefully, slowly, and deliberately find a hidden vantage point to shoot from, but I was so excited, I just plopped my monopod right on a walkway in the backyard and aimed up at the tree. You can guess what happened next.
Needless to say, I scared the eagle away, and he took off, but just as he did I was able to snap a few shots (shown above—click for a larger view). I totally know that these aren’t great eagle shots, and I know that it was silly to run out there and clunk down my monopod and start firing, but I was just so freaked out/amazed that there was a bald eagle in my backyard, that I’m lucky I got a shot off at all. Sadly, the Eagle hasn’t been back since. He must know that now I’m poised and ready. 
Great story, Scott! They really inspire a sense of awe that I personally haven’t experienced with any other bird. They have a presence to them that makes them known. I’m impressed that he stuck around long enough for you to grab you gear. Are you near water, or was this just a lucky visit. If you have a body of water nearby, he may be scouting out new territory – in which case you might have a new regular subject for your shots.
All the best, Rob
That is incredibly cool. It’s so great to see the bald eagle population up these days. It is a truly magnificent bird.
WOW, amazing !!
Great to have a 200-400 laying around when things like this happen
.
You captured a beautiful bird, so elegant…
Wes
Nice shot for the short time! Thank you.
Scott
I’m sure you’ll be dialing Moose’s number for some pointers.
Don
Great shot Scott, particularly a spur of the moment, heart thumping “gotta shoot it now” capture. Mine would have been way out of focus…but then I prefer that look!
I love those moments, “Get the camera, get the camera!!!” I had an old WWII bomber (Lancaster) fly really low over my house in England a few years back and the thing banked over and circled back. To see the top of the plane as it slowly banked around was awesome.
We should time ourselves from reading this blog to getting our camera set up ready for an ‘emergency shoot’!
To Ned:
I knew, when I posted a shot of a bird, that it wouldn’t be long before I heard from you.
Great to hear from ya, man!
-Scott
OK Scott, if as you say, “it was silly to run out there a clunk down [your] monopod and start firing,” what SHOULD we do when a situation like this presents itself? I am faced with similar choices with some frequency and always seem to get some terrible frames that I don’t want anyone to see. A wild turkey came to roost in one of our trees a few months ago and I grabbed my SIGMA 50-500 and fired away, getting much worse images than yours.
Got some advice?
P.S. If you do call Moose, don’t take his advice on post processing. His images all come out too dark for my taste.
We live in Carrollwood / Citrus Park and our neighbors swear they’ve seen a bald eagle in the conservation area behind our houses. I figured they just saw a hawk, but maybe they’re right.
We keep trying to get a good shot of the hummingbird(s) that visit our butterfly garden but they’re very skittish and only seem to show up at dusk.
I think if this was me, I would have been running around the house trying to remember how to turn on the camera and missed everything. Very cool shots. These type are always the best. No time to think; just do it. Sometimes we surprise ourselves with the results.
Scott,
You would be surprised at the number of Eagles in Florida. I’m in your neck of the woods, twice a year, and spend 80% of my time down there in the swamps and woods taking wildlife photo’s. I still get excited every time I see one. If you had tried to hide, you probably wouldn’t have gotten the shot.
Most wild Eagles don’t like their picture taken, captive one’s have no choice.
Up in Alaska, they are like pigeons and plain don’t care.
Great catch for you, hopefully you will see it again!
wonderful photo of bird in flight
thanks for sharing
do not know where else to write you:
will there be more CS4 for photographer seminars in 2009?
attended recent seminar with dave cross here in atlanta
would love to attend a 2009 CS4 for photographers seminar
thanks for all the photoshop and lightroom help
you and all the others provide
take good care
wendy
When I looked at your blog this AM, I thought it was a photo I took last week in northeast Pennsylvania. My husband and I were driving to town on a country road when an eagle with an eel in its talons swooped by. I grabbed my D70 — always attached — and rolled down the window. The eagle conveniently flew over the car to my right and I got off three shots. Two turned out pretty nice.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8459982@N06/sets/72157607874996320/
Hey Scott,
Great shot! They are framed perfectly. I live in Michigan and I have a lot of wildlife around and I’m lucky if I can get a shot off before it runs, flies or leaps away, let alone get it framed so well. lol Plus, I guess I should stop keeping my monopod in my car.
How cool to see an eagle in your yard!! Thanks for sharing!!
Here in Iowa, bald eagles are easy to find if you know where to look. Last year I shot down by the Mississippi River and there were hundreds fishing at the dam. There are eagle-watching events each year in the wintertime.
I think the best thing about this post is the fact that you’ve shot so many incredible scenes around the country and world, and yet you couldn’t contain your excitement when you saw this raptor. There is something amazing about a bird in flight that I think all us photographer’s get jazzed by… makes us want to immediately run out and try and capture the moment (I usually trip, glad you didn’t
Scott:
Do you know about this one guy who for the past ten years,every day of the year, has been shooting ( his only photography) two red tail hawks that live in Central Park NY? He has quite an obsession with them:
http://www.palemale.com
Great shots… that must have been awesome. Migration is in full swing right now, so the eagle likely won’t be back. This is a great time for raptors, as they are on the move and likely to be seen in places you wouldn;t normally see them. I was at Dulles airport the other day and there was a bald eagle hunting the pond in front of the terminal – awesome stuff. Of course, I didn;t have a lens long enough to reel it in. Still fun to watch, though.
You might consider a daytrip up to Hawk Mountain in PA. You’ll easily spot 100+ raptors flying south along the ridgeline there.http://www.hawkmountain.org/
Wow, you have them making house calls!! Nice!
I love eagles. I only discovered this year that I lived 10 minutes from a great spot for them. So, if you ever make it down the Maryland way (especially between November through February), I can point you to a great spot for them. Plus there is always a ton of photographers there to hang out with!
That is SO cool! I love birds of prey, but rarely see anything beyond red-tailed hawks around here. What a great thing to have looked out your window at just that time. Who cares what the shots are like! Sometimes the experience is all that matters, right?
That is awesome. I am still just an amature so I am the same way. I see somthing cool, I jump in it. And yes, I normally do scare it away. But hey, it’s fun trying at least. Good luck with your eagle. Hopefully he comes back and you can name him.
Being from Florida myself, the only things I ever saw there were alligators and hawks.
Scott,
That is too funny. I grew up in North East Iowa where I would see eagles every day and really never shot them a whole lot. It is interesting how easily we forget our surroundings. By the way I am going to be in Orlando in January and would love to check out NAPP headquarters. What is the possibility of getting a tour from someone and where would I find the place.
Thanks so much for your work and open humor.
Blessing,
John Beyer
By the way, thanks for the post on the Tether lap top stands.
Scott,
You gave me a chuckle! We have Eagles thick like starlings up here in the PNW! What we get excited about are pelicans as we don’t get many up here. Funny how normal one place isn’t in another, like seeing Bill Gates eating dinner at a food court in a local mall!
If you ever get up here give me a shout (not that I’m that kind of pro!), I’d love to show you someplace where you could shoot dozens of them.
Adam
http://www.photobby.com
Scott,
To increase your opportunity to get some great shots of Bald eagles, go just south of downtown St. Pete to Boyd Hill Nature Park. There is a bird rescue there for raptors. You might also see a Pileated woodpecker. If your in the area, also check out Fort de Soto Park. I saw three Bald eagles there this past Monday. I didn’t get any shoots of them with my point and shoot though.
James
That’s cool. What’s funny is I can totally picture you standing in the kitchen with a bowl of cereal saying “Oh my gosh that’s a bald eagle”
Gav
This sort of post sums up why I’m proud to be a NAPP member, Scott. You’re in it for the right reasons, and you’re having a ton of fun doing this stuff without hiding behind your ego! Great story!
Scott, your story reminds me of a similar experience. This type of shot always comes along when you don’t expect it. A few years ago, I had screw mounted my camera on a tripod to take a landscape picture of Mt. Rainier towering over Gig Harbor, Washington. After lining up the shot, my brother-in-law shouted “Look! Here comes a bald eagle with a squirrel in its talons”. I made a pathetic attempt to unscrew the camera from the tripod but couldn’t. As I tried to point and focus the camera with the tripod still attached, I nearly hit everyone around me. Anyway, I was able to look away long enough to see the eagle, but I missed the shot. Needless to say, I now have a quick release head on my tripod! Well, I hope the eagle comes around again!
Scott- yes there are Eagles at Fort DeSoto and they sit in some trees just south of Tierra Verdi. I was ‘home’ last week and saw several.
I was thrilled the first time I spotted one at the Fort, I’ve seen several in captivity, but the fun is finding them in the wild.
Linda
Holy cow those are fantastic shots!
I used to live in Austin, Texas and while driving one day saw a large bird off in the distance. It turned out to be a bald eagle and I had the same reaction, I couldn’t believe there was a bald eagle down in Texas! Did a little research and it turns out they have quite a range.
Great job getting those emergency shots!
Aren’t bald eagles majestic? When I used to be an archaeologist in Tidewater, Virginia (Flowerdew Hundred) there was a tree in the cow pond where bald eagles nested each year. When we drove down to one of our sites each morning an eagle would accompany us, flying just above our car. It was really cool.
Hmmm, coincidence… I also saw my first eagle since moving to Florida last Sunday I believe. It was in the Oviedo area. Not sure where you live but maybe it was the same one! Or not…
I just had a funny bird story this week. I was just about to begin teaching my 8th grade history class and out of the corner of my eye I saw a bird on the fence by the building. All of a sudden… it was gone… or so I thought. I falcon came down from behind it and snatched it. It then proceeded to stand on the fence with the semi-dead bird in its claws. It was there for about 10 minutes… only about 30-40 feet away. It eventually flew to a higher location in at tree (still visible) and started eating. Couldn’t see much but it looked like it was snowing feathers. I so wish I has my camera that day but didn’t. Needless to say it was nearly impossible to teach my 8th grade class until the falcon show ended. Something I will not forget anytime soon.
Hi Scott,
Great shots. If you go up just north of Tarpon on Anclote Blvd between Anclote River Park and Anclote Gulf Park, there’s a nest that has produced baby eagles each of the last several years.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Anclote+River+Park,+Fl&ie=UTF8&ll=28.17649,-82.787856&spn=0.029318,0.039439&z=15
Here are some shots I’ve gotten the last two years:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjacobsen/sets/72157600024197491/
I usually first notice them the week between Christmas and New Years. They seem to grow quickly and learn how to fly by the end of February.
It’s a great location – park on the side of the road, set up your tripod and shoot away! It’s easy to waste 3 or 4 hours there watching them do their thing!
Scott,
Are you sure that was a bald eagle? It looked a lot like Matt
Jeff
Welcome to Florida Scott ;-}. My son lives in Riverview and they see several balds out there. But I had to go to Alaska to see some! I guess they don’t like Port Tampa. Heck, I still get excited seeing a Roseate coming up out of a drainage ditch or a woodstork walking down Lumsden Road. Don’t you just love living here! Wonderful wonderful pictures! I am so happy that you have an eagle in your neighborhood. (Hopefully you don’t have a small dog.)
Great story, Scott. I had a similar deal two days ago (Tuesday, 10/7) involving a large owl, a fence post, a mini van, and a convenient place to pull off the road. However (and here’s where the story differs), I got as far as getting the 70-300 attached. I turned to check for oncoming traffic before opening the van door, and saw the owl lifting off the post and winging off into the evening dusk. Shucks. He was literally 15 feet away. I think it would have been a nice shot.
If you do make it to the PNW, may I tag along with you and Adam on your Eagle hunt? Adam is right–there are some great Eagle places up here!
I love that you still love to click the shutter and that your heart still pounds at “the moment”.
Keep choosing joy and wonder Scott…. and keep spreading it around. It makes the world a better place.
Blessings,
Simon
YESSSSSSSSSS!!!
YOU FINALLY PUT UP ANOTHER MCNALLY VIDEO ON KELBY TRAINING…I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR EVER!!!
THANK YOU SCOTT!!!
That is too cool. I’ve yet to see one in the wild here in California. Well the exception being the Bald Eagle that escaped from the San Francisco Zoo and took up temporary roost in a pine tree a block from my house. Sadly I didn’t have a camera with me at the time. I look forward to seeing more photos of your new neighbor.
I had did a cycling trip this summer on the sourthern coast of BC, Canada. Everytime I looked up there seemed to be an eagle soaring above. The most amazing thing I seen was a guy who lived on waterfront property. His neighbour said that they guy usually feeds the eagles in the evening. Sure enough, an hour later the waterfront home owner starts throwing fish guts into the ocean. Very soon after, there were four eagles swooping down to the water for their dinner! What a site! Unfortunetly, I do not have a telephoto to get close to the eagles. My 18-55mm couldnt get near close enough…
Nice composition in the heat of the moment. Always want to keep my photographic wits about me when the sky starts to fall. Nice frames.
Just wondering if you had time to sign him up for NAPP?
WOW, that is too cool! We were driving through Yellowstone several years ago and I had just put away the camera and handed the bag to my wife (I was driving) and all of a sudden there is a huge buffalo less than 10 ft from the car. Just standing next to the road like he was waiting for his turn to cross. I was all like “THE CAMERA THE CAMERA GET ME THE CAMERA NOW!” Now I usually have my camera on the seat next to me (if I am alone) or on the console in between the seats. I usually leave my long lens on (well, long for me: 55 – 200) and have gotten a few shots that I would not otherwise have gotten (a coyote on my way in to work is my favorite so far)