Changes are a coming but not to our National Symbol: the Bald Eagle. I have been seeing more Eagles (Bald and Golden) and many other raptors this Fall in the Washoe Valley, which is located between Reno and Carson City, NV. This adult Bald Eagle I first saw in a tree at the northwest end of the Little Washoe Lake. The image below was taken with my Nikon D7200 with a 500mm f/4 lens. It was sunny so I could use almost ideal setting with a high 1/1600s shutter speed, f/5.0 aperture, and a low 100 ISO. These settings allows for tracking birds in motion and creating sharp images. When capturing birds I use single spot focus point and back button focus so I can shoot using continuous focus, which gives me some great images.
Photo of the Week 42: Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) - Little Washoe Lake, Washoe Co. (NV)
EQ: D7200, 500mm f/4 Taken: 10-13-2016 at 11:32
Settings: 750 mm (35mm eqiv), 1/1600s, f/5.0, ISO100, +1/3EV Conditions: Sunny
First spotted the Eagle perched in a tree but it soon took flight.
Little Washoe Lake, Taken: 10-13-2016 at 11:17
Settings: 750 mm (eqiv), 1/1600s, f/5.0, ISO160, +1/3EV
Little Washoe Lake, Taken: 10-13-2016 at 11:32
Settings: 750 mm (eqiv), 1/1600s, f/5.0, ISO360, +1/3EV
The next image I was a little lucky to get. After the Eagle first took flight, it flew around the area and I lost sight as it flew toward Slide Mountain to the west. While I was scouting for more birds I saw the Eagle on the beach near the boat launch. I grabbed my camera and slowly walk toward the guy using the willows along the shoreline for cover. I got within 10m (<30ft) of the bird when it took flight right across my vantage point resulting in very high image resolution.
Little Washoe Lake, Taken: 10-13-2016 at 11:32
Settings: 750 mm (eqiv), 1/1600s, f/5.0, ISO100, +1/3EV
About a month later I came across an adult Bald Eagle at the north end of Washoe Lake State Park near the boat launch. Kaja was with me and we were walking toward the dunes and when we were near the top of a dune there it was perched on a trail post.
Washoe Lake SP, Taken: 11-9-2016 at 11:37, Sunny
EQ: D7200, 500mm f/4
Settings: 750 mm (eqiv), 1/1600s, f/5.6, ISO250, +1/3EV
Washoe Lake SP, Taken: 11-9-2016 at 11:38, Sunny
EQ: D7200, 500mm f/4
Settings: 750 mm (eqiv), 1/1600s, f/5.6, ISO250, +1/3EV
Next will be the return of the raptors: Rough-legged, Ferruginous, Merlin, with the year round Kestrels, Red-Tail, and Harriers.
Your comments are welcomed and if you have any questions about the photo or any other leave me a message.