OK, so I wasn't eating a banana but I was driving. Aaron and I took the day yesterday and drove down to the Flint Hills Wildlife Refuge in Kansas. It's suppose to be a wetlands refuge but with the lack of rain this year it was more like a grasslands refuge.
We spent the day hunting for ducks and geese to photograph and we occasionally saw a red tailed hawk and even a flock of white pelicans but the pickens for photos was pretty slim.
Once we decided to call it a day we headed for the highway to take us home. Just as we were leaving the area of the refuge Aaron spotted a bald eagle flying out of the trees and right above the car so I slammed on the breaks and we both bailed out of the car leaving it sitting in the middle of the highway. Luckily there were no other vehicles around but unluckily, the eagle didn't cooperate and I was without a long lens.
This shot was taken with a Nikon 80-200 f2.8 lens at 200mm and cropped to the maximum. I was being a nice guy and let Aaron use the Sigma 150-500mm so my chances at a good photo were slim. I quickly switched over to the 28-300mm lens but by then the eagle had gone.
This was the first eagle I have ever seen in Kansas but hopefuly it won't be the last. Aaron and I are planning another trip back in a couple of weeks and I will be using the 500mm lens next time! LOL
Since there were few birds to be found we stopped and took some photos of the landscape. This is an HDR image, using five bracketed shots. This tree apparently didn't like it's photo being taken because after I tok my shots I was attacked by the tree. Well, I guess it was more like I attacked the tree. I had to crawl under a large branch to get the angle I wanted and after getting the shot I stood straight up, not remembering the broken branch above me.
I was reminded of it rather quickly though when the large and very sturdy branch jammed into my bald and not so sturdy head. After falling down on the ground slightly stunned, bleeding a little and cussing a lot, we were back to taking photos.
Who knew photography was a contact sport? Well, except for Parker that is! LOL
Not so easy being a photographer and you have scars to prove it! LOL
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you found a Bald Eagle. Just remember next trip bring the biggest lens you have and a banana peel!
great. now you're gonna rub my nose in eagles... i've never seen one in the wild. we get the mexican eagle here (crested caracara) but that is it. pfft...
ReplyDeleteI don't know that I will be getting THAT many eagle shots Tex. We just got lucky that Aaron saw this one and we had our cameras in our hands. Although, if I do get a chance to get some better eagles shots I'll be sure to post them, just for you! LOL
DeleteWell, at least you guys spent some valuable time together today! The chance to get this Bald Eagle is that to ask the park ranger to see they knows where the nest is. Then get there early in the morning just after the sunrise. Birds tend to feeding in the morning in and out from their nest. Once, you choose your spot, prepare to sit at that spot for hours. Remember, play by the bird rules or you not play at all. Good luck!
DeleteEagles, banana peels, and tree draws photographer's blood. Waves, mittens, and slot canyons! Now that's alot of subject matter in one day!LOL
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