Monday, November 30, 2009

Shooting Eagles


OK, first of all, if there is a learning curve for taking birds-in-flight pictures I bent it into a sharp right angle of a curve. I drove down to the Conowingo Dam in Maryland this morning to see if I could get some eagle pictures. Well, the birds were there. I overheard a count of 70 - 80 of them, I think this may have been high, but at least 40 - 50 I would guesstimate. Just some quick facts about this area... the dam was built in 1926-1928 as a hydro-electric plant spanning the Susquehanna River. The dam sucks in water (and fish) upstream runs it through the turbines and spits it out on the downstream side (including the fish). Well Bald Eagles like fish and the fact that it's easy picking, hence you get the largest viewable population of Bald Eagles east of the Mississippi. This area also had hundreds of Great Blue Herons and Thousands of Gulls, a whole bunch of Black Vultures and at least a few Cormorants. I took plenty of pictures, none spectacular. When they sat in the trees behind the parking area it made it a lot easier. But the flying shots are best left to all those guys with the big lens'. More, lots more, later.

3 comments:

Brad Myers said...

I have been watching Haney I just didn't have a chance to comment. Conowingo damn is a great place for bird photography. What did you think of all the money in the parking lot with cameras and lens?

Shane and I were down earlier in the month and it was to warm that they were not opening the damn so the eagles were not flying. They just sat on the rocks to far away. You don;t need a big lens for flying eagles but panning is a must and I need much more practice.

Maybe I will get back down next month for some eagles.

We need a photo trip together soon.

Holly Myers said...

Definately Great! I need to plan an adventure to see this!

Haney said...

Bradley, we should make this run before the holidays. I agree that being good a panning is a must. I just suck at it. And when they're flying straight at you focus is near impossible. As for the glass in the parking lot... It felt like I was using a Wal-Mart disposable camera. I difinitely suffer from lens envy.