Reelfoot Eagles

[GBZee]

Finally got to Reelfoot Lake in NW Tennessee. A lot of wintering Eagles there, but this is one of the few that stay year round. Two nests about a mile apart along the Mississippi. This is the male of one of the pairs. The night before, a cold front pushed out the over cast sky giving way to a crisp clear morning...a couple of hours later, the clouds moved back in. First time I had a chance to view and photograph these incredible raptors...my heart was a pumpin'

Nikon D300, 200-400 f4 VR with 1.4TC
1/1250 f5.6 ISO 250 EV -0.3 10:30 AM


http://gboldizarphoto.smugmug.com/photos/252283335_n5UMY-X2.jpg


These aren't much photo wise but kinda neat to see the female in the nest. This was about 4 hours later. It became over cast again. The nest was pretty deep in the woods at the edge of the river. I was shooting from the levee that gave me the ability to get a peek into the high nest. The second one is a 100% crop...you can just make out her eye!


http://gboldizarphoto.smugmug.com/photos/253930908_k647S-L.jpg


http://gboldizarphoto.smugmug.com/photos/253930848_x7BMP-L.jpg

[raptorcaptor]

Like the first shot George! :thumb

[Maestro]

That first shot is a real keeper! Awesome! It has incredible detail, color and the focus is tack sharp! :thumb

[Harryb]

That first shot is outstanding, excellent work with the exposure. :clap

[BBiggs]

That first shot is excellent! Well done!

[jgoetz4]

Excellent shot George. Great color & detail :clap
Have a good evening :D
Jim...

[Giphsub]

Wow! :clap Beautiful shot there! Great to see you got a bit of blue sky to make the most of that beautiful bird. I like the nest shot too. It makes me fell more like I am actually there than the full shots. That is the kind of view that I get more regularly than the full shots!

[jonh68]

The first one is classic. Great sharpness and nice backgrounds and contrast. You nailed the exposure on the white and black feathers. I think I would crop out the branch on the right if it didn't change the sharpness too much. That branch doesn't add anything to the picture. You would have a natural line from bottom right to top left.