Eagle Chasing Heron

Gallery: AvianPosted July 5, 2011170 views10 comments

Here's one from this weekend's trip to Hood Canal. The eagles will often harrass the herons into dropping their catch but what doesn't happen very often is the heron flying off with the fish usually they just drop it where they are fishing and fly off. In this case the heron took off with the fish and was chased for quite a while before it finally dropped it's catch. We had a variety of weather with sunny skies the first day and cloudy, rainy weather on Sunday morning when this was taken. This is cropped to about 75% of FF.

7D 500F4 1/1000 F6.3, iso 800, manual exposure. AI Servo, handheld, center AF point plus assist points.

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Richard Olsen on July 5, 2011 at 5:15 PM

Cool behavior photo nate! I guess the eagles are up to an easy meal when they can get them.

Can you enlighten us on what an assist point is, and how many you use?

Thanks!

Richard

Registered on October 19, 2006, 306 Posts, 1571 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on July 5, 2011 at 6:04 PM

Thanks Richard
With the 7D it's called AF point expansion, I use the center AF point with AF expansion and the surrounding 4 focus points are activated and "assist" the center AF point. This is not to be confused with Zone AF mode which I don't use.

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

Comment posted by Ron Dudley on July 5, 2011 at 8:00 PM

Neat behavior from both birds Nate. Both sharp and the fish they each want is easily seen. I like the glaring, focused and intense look in the face of the eagle.

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

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on July 5, 2011 at 10:35 PM

Nice action, Nate and the exposure is right on.

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

Comment posted by Ray Whitt on July 5, 2011 at 11:11 PM

Wonderful action shot Nate. Both birds are nice and clear. Without knowing the end of the story I was rooting for the Heron. Great capture.

Ray

Registered on May 27, 2011, 92 Posts, 2619 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Maile on July 6, 2011 at 8:53 AM

Very nice action shot Nate, I would have loved to have seen this!!

Registered on March 2, 2009, 984 Posts, 2518 Comments

Comment posted by Ken Archer on July 6, 2011 at 5:17 PM

Very unusual behavior indeed, I don't know what that heron was thinking. Great action here, excellent sharpness in both birds.
Sweet Photo Nate

Ken Archer

Registered on October 28, 2004, 222 Posts, 6683 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Hackley on July 6, 2011 at 5:34 PM

Interesting action and nice job getting both in focus with detail, really cool shoot Nate, way to go.

Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments

Comment posted by David Sparks on July 6, 2011 at 8:39 PM

It's interesting to see both large birds in the same frame. If asked to draw an image showing the relative size of the two birds viewed at this angle I would have overestimated the length of the herons and/or underestimated the size of the eagle. Good work getting both in focus.

Registered on May 26, 2007, 290 Posts, 4270 Comments

Comment posted by Nate Chappell on July 7, 2011 at 2:29 PM

Thanks for your comments everyone!

William, Hood Canal is a large sound in Washington state. There's an area near the town of Seabeck that is excellent for Bald Eagle and Heron photography.

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