During late May/early June each year, the plainfin midshipmen (Porichthys notatus), aka toadfish, come in during the spring king tides to spawn. This draws a gathering of bald eagles (and photographers) and creates a lot of drama. Eagles, herons, gulls, and crows feast on the spawning fish when they are trapped in tide pools after the tide has receded. This juvenile bald eagle, probably a one-year-old, is chasing after a mature eagle with a toadfish in its beak. About six months ago, I submitted a photo of an eagle chasing a gull. I wanted to demonstrate that eagles also rob each other.
Nikon Z9, Nikon Z 800mm, f/ 6.3, 1/3200 sec @ f/8.0, 0EV, ISO 1000, Metering mode ??“ pattern
I used Topaz Photo AI to reduce noise, slightly sharpen, and enlarge the original. I then used Photoshop with generative enlargement to expand the photo to the right so the eagles had somewhere to fly. I made slide adjustments with the sliders in Lightroom Classic, but few were needed.
8 comments posted
Bruce Benson
(Groups 59 & 72 & 91)
Hey Bud I am visiting from groups 91 and 72. Cindy Marple also belongs to group 91 so checking out her post from New Mexico. I see we seem to have many of the same interests. Yellowstone, Africa, Florida?, Alaska, Washington. I am from Tacoma so may have shot next to you at Big Beef Creek for eagles. You have a wonderful collection of images. My website is www.pbase.com/brucebenson Bruce Benson Posted: 01/03/2025 22:58:18
Bud Ralston
Hi Bruce -I see we've photographically traveled many of the same roads. I love your bear photo on Group 72. I've been spending these rainy days sorting through my photo library and culling out the dogs. My website is www.budralstonphotography.com. I have May 27-29 targeted as prime eagle days at Seabeck this year. Let me know if you'd like to get together and shoot the breeze about photography over a cup of coffee one of these days. Posted: 01/03/2025 23:23:55
Bruce Benson
(Groups 59 & 72 & 91)
Hey Bud, Will keep in touch about getting together for eagles in May. Do you live in Washington? If so I assume you go to Skagit for snow gees and owls, would love to meet up around there to shoot the breeze and talk photography. Posted: 01/04/2025 16:57:07
Bud Ralston
I live across the Tacoma Narrows from you in Gig Harbor. I have lots of free time these days, so let me know whenever you'd like to get together. Posted: 01/04/2025 17:25:08
Larry Treadwell
Bud
Your images demonstrated why Ben Franklin proposed the turkey as the national bird for the USA. He noted that the bald eagle is a thug and a bully and NOT a noble bird and thus unfit to be the nation's mascot.
Yes, eagles will attack anything they can find to snatch a meal as your shot well demonstrates. I am a bit confused and find it hard to believe that your original shot is actually the original. The position the position of the birds relative to each other does not match. This would be an easy image to add canvas space on the right since nothing is there. But I would suggest cloning out the white spot on the ground on the left from the finished images. It is a sort of distraction. Posted: 01/05/2025 14:30:27
Bud Ralston
I missed that white spot on the ground. You tend to overlook things after looking at a photo for so long. That's why these critique sessions are invaluable. I did add a lot of space on the right with Photoshop to give the bird somewhere to fly. Posted: 01/05/2025 14:52:58
David Kepley
Bud,
Both eagles are very sharp without any merging! Excellent. Love the fish in the mature eagle's mouth. It's too bad that you had to deal with a background that is blue and then green. But hey, that is what nature gave you! Posted: 01/07/2025 21:43:59
Cindy Marple
Bud, nice sequence of the pursuit, catching both birds in good poses and sharp. I like the poses in both of the shots, but like the background better in the one you submitted because the birds don't intersect the white line as much. Good idea to extend the canvas, it really helps. Clone out that one spot Larry noted and this is quite lovely. Posted: 01/21/2025 00:07:15
