Edmonds Eagles 2017-2018

PNWPhotos.com a friendly and growing community of photographers with an interest in the Pacific Northwest region. We feature a Photography Discussion Forum and Pacific Northwest Photo Gallery. It's a fun and friendly place to talk with other photographers, ask questions, share you knowledge, view and post photos and more!


BobH

Administrator
Staff member
When photographing eagles in sunny conditions, Terry and I routinely start at -1/3 exposure compensation, then look at our photos so see where to go from there.

Yep, exactly. Which, for me, is more like -2/3 from default, since I always shoot at +1/3 under normal conditions.
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
I have frequently seen a juvie flying around town this winter. I suspected I may actually be seeing two or more birds, as there were three local fledglings in 2017. My thoughts were confirmed Monday afternoon (4-9-18) when I saw two juvies chasing each other around the bluff above Marina Beach Park where the Pt. Edwards condos are located.

IMG_0001.jpg


One was noticeably darker than the other.

IMG_0002.jpg


IMG_0003.jpg
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Thursday afternoon (4-13-18) one of the Pt. Edwards eagles was perched on the "family" tree at the top of Pine St. while I was at the marsh.

IMG_0001.jpg


Later I heard distress calls that gulls typically make when an eagle is in the vicinity. I looked up to see that the eagle had left the tree and was stretching its wings over town with an attendant gulltourage. I took some shots with the 5DIII + 500L telephoto + 1.4x teleconverter to practice tracking a bird in flight with that camera/lens combo, which has a narrow field of view.

IMG_0002.jpg


IMG_0003.jpg


IMG_0004.jpg
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
I was out on the fishing pier on a dark and dreary Monday afternoon (4-16-18) when the "sibs", as I call the two juvies I believe are 2017 fledglings, passed over the marina.

The first one, the darker of the two, made a few circles over Olympic Beach before heading south.
IMG_0001.jpg


The second one, the lighter of the two, chased a gull carrying a fish out over Puget Sound.
IMG_0002.jpg


IMG_0003.jpg


It gave up on obtaining a free meal and resumed its southward flight, flying past the fishing pier and over the marina in the process.
IMG_0004.jpg


IMG_0005.jpg
 

BobH

Administrator
Staff member
I've learned to love the young baldies. The mottled feathers and patterns makes them interesting. When I first started, I'd often pass them up in favor of mature adults. Now I've got so many bald eagle photos they all start to look the same. At least with the younger ones you have different patterns and variations in color etc to keep things more interesting.
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
I also like the juvies too. Until they mature and start concerning themselves with things like finding mates, establising territories, and raising young; they are like a bunch of rambunctious children without a care in the world.
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Tuesday morning (4-17-18) a sub-adult was flying over the Sound off Sunset Ave. It looks like a third year bird as it still has a few white feathers on its wings and body plus black feathers on its head and tail. Taken with the 5DIII + 500L telephoto + 1.4x teleconverter mounted on a tripod.

IMG_0001.jpg


IMG_0002.jpg


IMG_0003.jpg


IMG_0004.jpg


IMG_0005.jpg
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
I have seen reports of eagles in the Seattle area sitting on eggs. That is hard to determine with the nests I follow as I am looking up at the nests and the eagles are quite literally lying low. My only chance to determine whether or not eggs have been laid is to catch one of the eagles peeking up out of the nest or to be near the nest during a shift change when one eagle relieves the other at the nest.

Monday afternoon (4-23-18) I caught one of the Pt. Edwards eagles looking like it is sitting on eggs. I'll have to review last year's eagle thread to see when we may expect eaglets.

IMG_0001.jpg


IMG_0002.jpg
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Thursday afternoon (4-26-18) one of the Pt. Edwards eagles flew by the marsh towards the "family tree" at the top of Pine St. It was met by the sub adult (third year?) eagle that I had photographed earlier in the month. I was caught between cameras and just got some grab shots of the action.

1Dx + 100-400L II telephoto zoom, handheld

01.jpg


No reinforcements would be coming as the other Pt. Edwards eagle is sitting on eggs.

02.jpg


5DIII + 500L + 1.4x teleconverter, tripod mounted

03.jpg


04.jpg


Things settled down when the sub adult perched on a lower limb of the family tree.

05.jpg
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
I have seen reports of eagles in the Seattle area sitting on eggs. That is hard to determine with the nests I follow as I am looking up at the nests and the eagles are quite literally lying low. My only chance to determine whether or not eggs have been laid is to catch one of the eagles peeking up out of the nest or to be near the nest during a shift change when one eagle relieves the other at the nest.

Friday afternoon (4-27-18) I caught shift changes at both nests within about 15 minutes of each other.

Pt. Edwards nest
01.jpg


The eagle flew off about one second after I put down my camera.
02.jpg



Deer Creek nest
The eagle on the right flew into the nest.
03.jpg


04.jpg



I photographed these eagles last year and anticipated the direction the one on the left would take off.
05.jpg
 
Last edited:

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Looking back at last season's eagle thread, the eagles are on about the same schedule as last year. I photographed egg sitting and shift changes in mid April.
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
I was down at the marsh Saturday afternoon (4-28-18) and discovered that the "Sibs" were back in town
01.jpg


They were looking for trouble and started raising h*** on the family tree of the Pt. Edwards eagles.
02.jpg


By the time I got my gear packed up at the marsh and drove up to Pine St., the hooligans had been joined by one of the Pt. Edwards adults.
03.jpg


The adult had not only been booted from its perch, it had to suffer the further indignity of being harassed by an evil minion of the Dark Lord that ignored the juvies.
04.jpg


The Sibs looked as though they were getting a good laugh over the plight of the adult.
05.jpg
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
The adult had enough and took off with the crow in hot pursuit.
06.jpg


The Sibs took off after the adult. I missed the first departure but caught the second.
07.jpg


It soon caught up with its partner.
08.jpg


The crow peeled off and left harassment of the adult to the Sibs.
09.jpg


10.jpg
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
The adult flew south towards its nest. One of the Sibs attempted a landing on the spar just east of the family tree.
11.jpg


12.jpg


13.jpg


Sometimes things don't go the way you want.
14.jpg


15.jpg
 
Last edited:

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Monday afternoon (5-7-18) I caught one of the Pt. Edwards eagles perched in the sentry tree. I shot at -1 & 2/3 to keep from blowing out the head and tail feathers.
IMG_0001.jpg


The eagle turned around, so I went back to 0 exposure compensation in anticipation of a take off.
IMG_0002.jpg


IMG_0003.jpg


IMG_0004.jpg


IMG_0005.jpg


The eagle flew to the nest across the street. A second eagle did not fly out of the nest, so I assume it was warm enough to leave the eggs or hatchlings uncovered for a period of time.
 
Last edited:

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Friday afternoon (5-11-18) one of the Pt. Edwards eagles was getting harassed by the evil minions of the Dark Lord while it perched near the ferry dock.
01.jpg


I wondered why it started screeching, as it usually just ignores the crows.
02.jpg


It had spotted a sub adult (third year bird?) cruising northbound high in the sky. The sub adult turned around and made a low circle over the marina.
03.jpg


04.jpg


It then picked up a crow-tourage of its own.
05.jpg
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
The adult made a loop out over Puget Sound after the sub adult left.
06.jpg


It also made two unsuccessful dives near the ferry dock in violation of Edmonds City Ordinance 5.32-060
07.jpg


08.jpg


09.jpg


10.jpg
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Some closeups of our local eagles sitting on their nests. I suspect their eggs have hatched due to the eagles taking breaks off their nests.

5-14-18: Pt. Edwards nest
01.jpg


02.jpg


5-15-18: Deer Creek nest
IMG_0001.jpg


IMG_0002.jpg
 

Bill Anderson

Super Moderator
Staff member
Monday afternoon (5-21-18) saw a lot of comings and goings from the Pt. Edwards nest. I suspect there are babies to feed. It gave me the opportunity to take a lot of EiF (eagles in flight) shots.

This eagle came in low and hot with a crow on its tail. It looked as though it was carrying a duck in its talons.
01.jpg



Into the nest.
02.jpg


Takeoff from the sentry tree on a short flight to the nest.
03.jpg


04.jpg


05.jpg


Continued....
 
Last edited:
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)



PNWPhotos.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Top