Bald Eagle w/fish

Gallery: AvianPosted March 13, 2010161 views10 comments

Captured this BE with a huge, and apparently heavy fish at a marina on San Carlos Blvd. in the Ft Myers Beach area. It had tried to take off a few times, but seemed to be weighed down too much by the fish. But when a few brown pelicans got close enough it found the strength to take off to a nearby tree with it.

D300 w/Nikon 200-400 @ 400mm
F/4
1/5000
iso400
EC -0.7
Lightend the shadows and cropped
75% FF

All comments and critiques welcomed and appreciated.

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on March 13, 2010 at 6:58 PM

Neat behavior Doug and that's quite a load for the eagle. I like that you timed it so that both bird and fish are just barely off the ground to help illustrate your story. Nice that the eye of the fish has good light too. Can you get any more detail in the darks under the wing?

Registered on March 30, 2007, 437 Posts, 10915 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Gilham on March 13, 2010 at 7:37 PM

Ron
I tried to pull more detail out but it looked pretty bad because of the reflection from the water under the wing.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 77 Posts, 489 Comments

Comment posted by Sharon Hallowell on March 13, 2010 at 8:03 PM

Good capture and that sure does look like a big load for the eagle. I like that you can see the fish's eye. Sharon

Registered on November 1, 2003, 392 Posts, 4810 Comments

Comment posted by Kenneth Arni on March 13, 2010 at 8:37 PM

Great shot Doug, what i love here is the tention in the right talon of the eagle. Shows the struggle the bird is going through. Big fish. Little more detail as mentioned, under the wing and this is a real winner! Love it.

Registered on December 24, 2008, 112 Posts, 629 Comments

Comment posted by Dan Moore on March 13, 2010 at 8:59 PM

Doug,
Super shot! What a show of strenght. I understand the desire for more under the wing but there is some definition there.
Good story too,

Dan

Registered on February 11, 2010, 143 Posts, 1248 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on March 13, 2010 at 10:25 PM

Neat shot, Doug. The size of the fish makes this one for me.

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on March 14, 2010 at 2:45 PM

Neat capture Doug, the big fish makes this one for me.

Registered on February 1, 2006, 1158 Posts, 19528 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on March 14, 2010 at 4:25 PM

Great shot!

D&L

Registered on October 7, 2008, 166 Posts, 3044 Comments

Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on March 15, 2010 at 6:07 PM

Gotta love the fishes face. Well done

Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments

Comment posted by Mia McPherson on March 17, 2010 at 6:19 PM

Doug,

I really like how I can see that the eagle is struggling with the weight of that large fish.

Registered on June 25, 2007, 491 Posts, 12566 Comments