Nest Report * 4-18-10

Smugglers Slough Nest * 9:50 - 10:40

This is one of my favorite photographs of the day. Here we have both parents, side by side, perched above the nest looking down at their brood in the nest.


Before long, one of the eagles took flight.....


.... and returned to the nest. The nest was without a parent for only two minutes.

Nest Report * 4-18-10

Smugglers Slough Nest * 9:50 - 10:40

The perched bird takes flight and performs a few beautiful circles around the nest tree.

Nest Report * 4-18-10

Smugglers Slough Nest * 9:50 - 10:40

Nest Report * 4-18-10

Smugglers Slough Nest * 9:50 - 10:40

Nest Report * 4-18-10

Nooksack Nest

I'm not sure what is going on with this pair. This was the first time in the last few visits that I have seen an eagle near the nest. It was in their usual perch spot. Usually the pair are together and don't pay any attention to me. This time the lone bird seemed nervous and took off shortly after I arrived. It did a few loops and then started doing some amazing flying, in and out of the tree area. Really fast with sharp turns and talons extended. Then a red-tail hawk came out to harass the eagle. The red-tails in this area seem awfully grumpy lately. Both here and at the SS nest I have seen the hawks going after the eagles. A few weeks ago these birds seemed to get along. I have to think that the red-tails are nesting and more territorial than usual. The eagle took an unbelievable flight through the trees and landed on the nest. By the time I moved to the nest observation spot, no eagles were seen at the nest. It, or they may have been out of sight in the nest. Since the nest is so deep, I can not see into it. My best guess is that this pair is behind the schedule of the other local eagles. They are now incubating, which is why I don't see them as much. I'll keep checking on them.



Local Red-Tail Hawk

Would love to know the settings on your camera when you are getting those in flight shots. I think we had a hatch here in Seattle last Thursday. Sky has been too white to get any real good shots. Found a Pileated Woodpecker today hammering out his nest, already way inside the tree and blowing the chunks out with his beak. Here's to sunny skies!

Hi Melanie * It is great to hear that your Seattle nest has had an egg hatch. Best wishes for continued success with your local eagle family. Thats cool that you saw a Pileated Woodpecker building its home. Love those birds !! Its rainy again today, but Sunday was gorgeous, and yesterday was pretty nice too. Around here, we have a special appreciation for sunny days.

When I photograph birds in flight, I usually use the Shutter Priority setting with the shutter speed at 1/1000 second exposure. I sacrifice depth of field for stopping the movement. I also overexpose about 2/3 of a stop when the sky is the background. The sky is so dominant in the light reading that I compensate by overexposing. This makes the bird a bit brighter. I think that my camera allows me to automatically bracket exposures. I need to reread the manual. That would be a useful option, as well. Nearly all of my photos are hand held with a 300 mm lens.
The eagles were certainly showing off on Sunday morning. I think they are getting to recognize me, especially the SS pair, as they see very few humans in their nest area. That will change in a couple weeks as the fields below their nest will be plowed for planting corn.

NEST REPORT from two days ago.

Red River Nest * 4-21-10

I visited the nest twice, visits were about two hours apart. Both times there was one adult eagle on the nest, no other eagles seen.