Eagle #3

"Holy frozen feet BATMAN"

I am assuming that after I left last night they had a meeting of the Bald Eagles.  The discussion revolved around what was on the agenda for tomorrow.  Most of the birds agreed that they did not want to be photographed.  They liked the perches up Centerville Canyon much better.  I wish I had some input.  

Though not totally skunked it was a memorable night.  The first Bald did not arrive until much later than usual.  My shooting location was new.  In the shade and on the Snow and ice.   You would think that an experienced outdoorsman (that would be me) would wear something more than a pair of tennis shoes for three hours of standing in the snow.   Duh.

The usual perch for the magnificent Bald eagle was being occupied by a bunch of little noise black and green birds.  I had to photograph something and they were right there ready as ever!

Then came this tiny hawk!  His antics made me laugh until I almost cried.  A cute little bugger.  He would raise his leg and put it straight out in front of him.  A Kung Fu stance?   Bird Yoga? Actually if you look close he has what looks like a thumb pointing up.  Maybe he was tired and just thumbing a ride?  Whatever the case he was hilarious and cute at the same time.  You know,  come to think of it when he arrived all the little pain in the butt black birds were out of there.  My neighborhood needs a lot more of these little guys

Finally one of only three bald eagles arrived.  Every time they come gliding in with that huge wingspan and land on a branch like an olympic athlete I am in awe.   I positioned my self tonight to hopefully frame the moon with the eagle (if they landed on this tree).  I was very lucky.  Liberties were taken by me to convert the photograph into infrared black and white.  The moon in the regular color photo had less contrast.  No manipulation of light or color was made.  I simply used NIK software and made the conversion.  It won't make any galleries but it was fun to create.
This guy was the last to arrive.  The sun had just set.  Probably another plan by the eagles to bug me. After almost three hours of standing in the same place I was right there in the low temp range of a Norbest turkey.  This beauty must have missed the meeting last night.  Why the others avoided this area today is amazing.  In one day it went from eighteen or so birds to three.  I am not satisfied.  I will conquer...eventually.  That's the thing about wildlife.  You get the pictures they are willing to give.  And you have to be there!