Wedge Tailed Eagles

[bloodhound31]

Got two this morning on the way home from a dawn shoot in the mountains.

Wedge tailed eagles are among the largest birds of prey in the world, with wingspans of around 2.27 metres. (7 and a half feet)

I managed to get a bit closer this time, though still not close enough. These are both heavily cropped, losing some resolution and sharpness as a result.

I'm still not satisfied but I'll keep at it and hopefully get closer each time.

Baz.

[AstralTraveller]

Nice shots. Just finding them perched is difficult, they are generally only seen in the air (or on a dead cow).

[bloodhound31]

On a dead cow would be PERFECT! :D

Baz.

[gregbradley]

Fantastic Baz.

I saw 2 eagles hovering around on my way home last Sat.

I picked up my TEC110 and 40D and went off to do a long distance shot (probably very hard to do if they are flying) but alas they had gone.

Greg.

[bloodhound31]

Yep, they're not easy are they Greg?

Baz.

[jamiep]

Baz,

I think my parents have a pair (although they're convinced there are three) on their farm in NW Victoria.

There is an old nest up the top of one of the hill padocks, and I think they nest at a nearby hill ... you often see them out in the middle of the paddocks hunting down prey, or by the roadside on a dead animal...

Here is a pic my father took (at the very end of the zoom on his p&s), but you get the idea...

Jamie

[bloodhound31]

Gosh they are a magnificent bird aren't they?

Baz.

[jamiep]

Amazing - and the pictures don't to justice to the scale of the size of them either - they're huge!

An absolute pleasure to watch in full flight (normally happens when you don't have a camera on you!).

Jamie

[Poita]

You should come visit, we have a pair that live on top of our hill.

[ChrisM]

Baz, I agree that you don't often see them in trees. We often get them here but they're circling at 500 - 1,000 feet. Good pics.

Chris

[astronobob]

Facinating, & Real Nice shootin' Baz !

[Adelastro1]

Nice shots Baz. We often see them up north of Pt Augusta on the side of the road eating road kill. Sometimes it can be a bit hairy coming round a bend and seeing one sitting on top of a dead animal on the white line! You never know which way they'll take off!

Forgive me for hijacking your thread but your photos brought back memories of ones that I've taken in the last few years. The first shot below is of one up north near Coober Pedy that we managed to stop the car in time to get a few photos of a pair feeding.
The next five are from Maralinga, SA in Nov 2010. It's great to see these birds living just a few km's away from 7 nuclear bomb test sites! No. 2 shows the wedge tail well in flight but it's hard to get the scale of the wingspan. No. 3 is an old nest that has been there for many many years. It's huge. I worked on site there in 1997 and it was there then. They use it from time to time I hear but there's always a pair in the area regardless. On the last trip I climbed on top of the Troopie and was just able to peer in and I saw No. 4!! Two chicks. In No. 5 you can't quite tell there's two though. No. 6 shows what's living in amongst the twigs of the huge nest - some zebra finches! The finches are either very brave or just plain stupid I think! BUT... no. 7 is one of the parents.... a Brown Falcon, not a Wedgie. So other birds use the Wedgie nest when they're not, and why wouldn't you!