The lake we have our cottage on used to have an eagle nest 30’ from the shore. We could see the eaglets in the nest (photo of eaglets in Protecting Our Loon Chicks was taken that way. But in 2013 the tree the nest was in blew down. Now their nest is deep in the woods and I have not discovered it.

Most of my eagle shots are taken by first spotting them setting in a tree along the lake shore. With our cottage on the northwest corner of the lake, I generally see them eastward on the north shore. Then I get in my kayak and paddle down toward the eagle. Since the prevailing wind comes from the south or SW, I set myself up out from the eagle 100’ from the shore where the wind will blow me toward the eagle. This way I don’t have to paddle. I just drift in with camera ready. I shoot photos as I get closer. Eventually, the eagle will decide I’m too close and take off and fly away. That’s when I get the flight shots. I have the camera set to do multiple shots when holding the shutter button down. That gives me more choices of shots to choose from.

But you have to be careful you don’t get so close that you cut off it’s wing tips when it takes off. This photo was full frame – not cropped.

Next Blog – More stories and photos from past years