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I had just parked my car on Sunset Ave. when I heard the familiar cry the gulls make when they spot an eagle. I looked in my side view mirror and saw an eagle fast approaching with a gull and crow in tow. The eagle was quite close, so I backed off to the 100mm end of my 100-400L II zoom (+ 1.4x III teleconverter) to make sure the initial shots would be in focus. The first shot of this series was one where I had zoomed in with the 400mm end of the lens.
One of Pt. Edwards eagles took off from its usual perch near the ferry and flew far out over the Sound. The eagle made a dive as though it were going for a fish, but pulled out and continued flying towards Whidbey Island. I was shooting handheld with the 5DIII + 100-400L II zoom + 1.4x III teleconverter. I was surprised that the camera held focus on the eagle from such a distance.
The Hutt Park eagle continues to sit on her nest. I could not tell if any eggs have hatched.
The male was perched in a sentry tree off Olympic View Dr.
I think the Pt. Edwards pair of bald eagles are enjoying this year's break from child rearing. They like to bath in Willow Creek at the south side of the marsh. A good view can be had from the #3 viewing platform, where I caught this one Saturday (6/6) afternoon.
I was surprised the photos came out as well as they did, as it was very sunny and warm with heat waves rising from the mud flats. As is usual with eagle shots on a sunny day, I shot at -1 exposure compensation to avoid over exposing its white head and tail feathers. Although you may not initially seen an eagle from the #1 or #2 viewing platforms, the constant cawing of crows from the far side of the marsh will alert you to its presence.
Tuesday evening (6/9) one of the Pt. Edwards eagles sneaked up on me from behind while I was at the #1 viewing platform of the marsh. The eagle and its crow-tourage appeared to be doing an avian ballet.
The eagle landed just behind the lifeboat of the marine training school.
The eagle took off and landed on one of the telephone poles beside the railroad tracks at the west end of the marsh. I had been photographing the action handheld with my 7D + 100-400L zoom.
After it landed, I switched to my 5DIII + 500L + 1.4x teleconverter mounted on a tripod. The low sun and semi-back lighting created some interesting effects.
The eagle appeared to be eating crow, quite literally. I suspect it was one of the fledglings from the trees behind the boardwalk near the viewing platform. The past week I had seen a fledgling and its parents around the marine training school equipment where the eagle landed.
The eagle continued to eat while being strafed by angry gulls and avenging crows.
It finally had enough harassment and flew its prey to nearby Willow Creek on the south side of the marsh.
My attention to the eagle was diverted to the resident coyote, which was patrolling the marsh east of the crow. Between the coyote and the eagle, the crows were making a lot of noise. You can see more photos of the coyote in the Wildlife of Edmonds thread.
The eagle eventually took off and headed south with two crows in hot pursuit.
Wednesday evening (6/17) I checked on the nest of the Hutt Park eagles. One of them was snoozing on a branch next to the nest while the other was sitting on the nest. No sight or sounds of any hatchlings.
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