Bald Eagle from Texas Hill Country (56k beware)

[Maestro]

Well, this past weekend I drove down to the Texas Hill Country to help in the annual bald eagle count along the Colorado river. Specifically I went to Lake Buchanan. Lake Buchanan, part of the Colorado River system, has bald eagles that come down for the winter months. Some people kayaked down the Colorado counting bald eagles as they kayaked. Most, like myself, chose to ride a big boat out to Garrett Island on the lake. The weather though did not cooperate. It was about 35 degrees Fahrenheit, gusty northwestern wind, rain mixed with sleet and no light. It was very cloudy and dark. So as a consequence, my photos were completely ruined.

The exposure is blown because my camera is overcompensating for the lack of light. Couple that with no decent external flash and a lens with a f4.5 rating, you have yourself a tough day shooting. I've probably thrown away 2 gigs of photos. I did get this really strange shot that I didn't even know I had. I call it "Finish Line."

At any rate, I couldn't even hike the wonderful birding trails that the lodge has where I stayed because of the rain and cold weather.

:(

By the way, we did see three eagles, two mature and a juvenile. We were in the boat so far from the trees that my shots really do not show anything.

That is an eagle at the top of the tree.

I also saw an osprey and a ton of cormorants.

See how yucky the day was.

However, as we left, I decided to go a little out of the way to view some other eagles that come back to the same tree year after year. It is just outside the small town of Llano, Texas, about 20 miles west of where I was previously. Directly on the side of the highway about 75-100 yards off the highway, there is an old pecan tree. There is a small river behind it not surprisingly called the Llano River. In this tree is a ginormous nest. When we arrived, there was no activity, but I heard the calls of an eagle. I started to desperately search the sky with my eyes and lens. Suddenly, I see an eagle coming in fast. Man, these birds are majestic and awe-inspiring.

Please excuse the poor white balance. It was still raining and very dark. I had to do a lot of post processing just to get this presentable.

Even though the weather did not cooperate it still was worth it to see these majestic birds in the wild.

[Pink Floyd Veteran]

ahh eagles are fantastic creatures. good pictures