Twisting and turning in midair. Spinning and cartwheeling, wing over wing – all while its head remains level and focused on the target. These aerial acrobatics unfold against a beautiful blue sky. This was the scene during my recent photo tour to Alaska to capture images of bald eagles.
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is one of the largest birds of prey in North America. It’s found across Alaska, Canada, all of the contiguous United States, and into northern Mexico. Its primary food source is fish, so bald eagles are rarely far from water – whether freshwater or saltwater.
They do not have bald heads, as their name implies. The term “bald” comes from the Middle English balled, meaning “shining white.” Incidentally, the word “eagle” comes from the French aigle, which derives from the Latin aquila, meaning eagle.
The bald eagle builds the largest nest of any North American bird – and the largest tree nests ever recorded. Some have measured 13 to 15 feet deep, 8 to 10 feet wide, and weighed several tons.
I traveled to Alaska with my photography group for a couple of key reasons. The state is home to the largest population of bald eagles – an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 birds, more than all the lower 48 states combined. To capture the kinds of images every photographer dreams of, I charter a boat and head out into Kachemak Bay, part of the Gulf of Alaska. It’s ideal bald eagle habitat, with tree-covered islands and open waters teeming with fish.
The birds are fishing, and we take advantage of this activity to capture images of them in flight or pulling fish from the ocean. The trick is to position ourselves with the wind and sun at our backs. When the birds fly into the wind, they twist and turn in midair, spinning or cartwheeling before returning to the ocean’s surface to snatch a fish.
Using fast shutter speeds and relatively long lenses – approximately 500mm – we aim to capture the eagle as it turns in midair, feet extended, wings spread wide and head level with the horizon. Since our cameras shoot 30 to 40 frames per second, we track the eagle in flight and while fishing, trying to capture that one perfect moment when everything comes together. With each pass, we take hundreds of images, hoping one will be the perfect shot.
In this part of Alaska, fish make up most of the bald eagle’s diet. They use their exceptional eyesight to spot fish and rely on remarkable flying skills to approach their target at high speed. At the last second, they swing their large, powerful feet forward and snatch the fish from the water. Their long toes are tipped with 2-inch talons – each one sharp enough to penetrate and hold onto prey.
At the end of the four-day trip, we had taken tens of thousands of images of these remarkable raptors. Each photo captured a unique moment in time and showcased incredible bird behavior. If you are a photographer who would be interested in and experience like this check out naturesmart.com.
Until next time …
Editor’s note: Stan Tekiela’s NatureSmart column appears twice a month in the Eden Prairie Local News. Tekiela is an author, naturalist, and wildlife photographer who travels extensively across the United States to study and capture wildlife images.
You can follow his work on Instagram and Facebook. He can be contacted via his website at www.naturesmart.com.
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