Can you spot perched birds at a distance or do you need them to move in order for you to see them? Generally I need some movement for me to pick them out and it has been sometimes frustrating in the past not to be able to see birds that are almost right in front of me.
Yesterday morning, however, I managed to spot a Juvenile Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) that was perched in a distant tree. Actually, I didn’t know initially that it was a Bald Eagle and I wasn’t even sure that it was a bird. I was scanning the trees on the other side of a small pond with my telephoto zoom lens extended to 600mm when I noticed a dark shape among the branches. I took a quick shot and zoomed in on the screen on my camera and was thrilled to see that it was some kind of raptor. This shot gives you an idea of what I was seeing.
It was early morning and there were a lot of clouds, but periodically the sun would break through and illuminate the scene. I made a few adjustments to my camera and, of course, that is when the eagle took off. The eagle initially flew in the direction it is facing and my shots became a hopeless mess of branches that were in focus and an eagle that was not in focus.
Suddenly the eagle began to change directions and gradually started to head back in my direction, flying a bit closer to me. I was finally able to get some in-flight shots that are pretty much in focus, although they did require some cropping.
As the eagle flew away, I was able to get this final shot. The eagle’s face is mostly hidden, but there is something that I really like about the wing position and details and the way that some of the clouds are visible in the sky.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
It looks like what sunlight you saw was falling right on the eagle, which of course was the perfect gift!
Beautiful shots. I like to think that I’ve been training my eyes to be better at picking up shapes that turn into birds but I never know how many I miss so I’m not entirely sure I’m making progress.
I can’t even begin to tell you about the shots I’ve taken of brightly colored leaves, bumps on branches, and broken-off branches that I mistook for hawks, owls, or eagles.
Way to watch ’em, Mike. How fortunate it soared around again, and that you were ready. That third shot is spectacular.
Thanks, Gary. There is one particular area where the eagles sometimes hang out, so I scanned that area more closely than usual. Indeed I was quite lucky that the eagle circled around. I think that my reaction time is improving with practice.
Nice captures of the eagle i. Flight Mike!
Thanks, Chris.
One of my favorite things about hiking the mountains where I live is the opportunity to get close to the eagles and watch as they rule their world…It is a gift to see them soar through the air at those amazing heights.