Bald Eagle chasing Osprey with fish

 Osprey, Bald Eagle and Scenic Shots from Willow Springs Lake - Canon 10D

Uploaded 10/3/07

 With the monsoon now over, a trip up to one of the most scenic lakes up on the top of the Mogollon Rim escarpment was in order, with my friend Vince. The afternoon was spent photographing the lake with pines and aspens lining the shoreline, rimmed by yellow slabs of Coconino sandstone, sometimes with fossil trackways of ancient reptiles in them. On the edge of one of the bays, we were treated by watching three or four huge ospreys circling for fish. One did dive into the water and grab a nice sized trout and headed for its nest. But a bald eagle wanted that fish too, and chased the osprey directly over our heads into the woods! I managed to get some shots with the 10D in burst mode and focus on AI Servo. Here are some highlights of the shots I got with the 10D that afternoon.

Click on Thumbnails for 1290 x 960 size

A small valley empties into the Lake in this small bay. 17mm
The same scene with the 8mm fish eye lens
The view in Infra Red reveals a stark and almost snowy looking landscape.
Looking back up the valley toward the groves of tiny aspen trees. Fish eye
Straight up right in the middle of the aspen trees 8mm fish eye
A lone violet flower in the small valley 8mm
Cloud reflections in the water in the bay
Slab of Coconino sandstone with 280 million year old fossilized reptile tracks
Another very rare sighting: the "Common Merganser" with its brick red mane.
An Osprey circles overhead searching for fish in the choppy water
Banking Osprey with good wing details
This shows a great view of their white belly
Flying directly towards us
Nice side presentation with good wing detail
Start of the action: On the far side of the lake an Osprey grabs a fish from the water
Flying directly over us, the bird has the fish in its claws facing into the wind
You can see the trout's tail pretty clearly here
This is the best lit shot I got of the fish, under the Osprey
A bald eagle races in toward the Osprey with the fish
Powering in a full speed the Eagle is fast approaching the slower Osprey
Right over our heads and very close to catching up.
       

Camera: Canon 10D Lens: Canon 100 - 400L IS Platform: Hand Held Exposure: Aperture priority f/8 Filters: B&W UV Location: Willow Springs Lake, Az Elevation: 7200 ft. Outside Temperature: 62F Processing: Photoshop CS2 HOME
 

 
 


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