We had a twofold reason for choosing the canyon as our weekly photo adventure. The first being that it is a great place to get close to some of the more majestic birds of Colorado, and second, we could check on the eaglets.
The day got off to a great start when we spotted papa eagle perched along the banks of the river, furtively glancing at the crystal clear waters of the South Platte River, looking for a meal for his growing family.
He remained at his post for several minutes while we captured a few portraits. I dialed in Custom Function 2 on my Canon R7, which is my bird profile. A 2000th of a second in shutter priority mode.
Shortly thereafter, we spotted this beautiful great blue heron, also fishing for his morning meal. As the season progresses, the herons get a little more used to people, namely fishermen, and are a little more willing to stick around for a few pictures.
Remember though, if you do go to Colorado canyons and lakes to photograph the birds, if you spook them out of their fishing area, you get two chances. After that you are harassing migratory birds, and run the risk of being cited by rangers.
Finally, on our way out of the canyon, we stopped to check on the eaglets. I am positive I saw two, and pretty sure that there are still three healthy eaglets growing strong and reaching flight age!
They are big enough at this point that mama eagle feels safe leaving them alone for a few minutes while she leaves to help with the fishing duties. The biggest worry at this point is that one could get shoved out of the nest by a boisterous sibling, and fall to it’s death.
Here are a few more of my favorites from the adventure, hope you enjoy! Also, a few of these are now for sale as prints and gifts on my website, which is how I keep the site alive. Prints can be purchased on glossy metal and acrylic sheets ready for hanging, stretched canvas, and traditional matting and framing. A ton of cool household and gift items are also available, including, puzzles, yoga mats, blankets and pillows, apparel, coffee mugs and much more.!
I’m also pleased to announce the completion of my War on Wildlife trilogy, including fully functional interactive eBook versions now available on Amazon! Follow our intrepid cast of characters through trials and tribulations, love and loss, and triumph and tragedy as this saga spanning the western United States masterfully weaves a tale of entertainment and education about our iconic wild living heritage.
Steven W. Krull is a renowned photographer and author who has been photographing and writing of the beauty and wildlife of the Colorado Rocky Mountains for over two decades. Please visit his website at S.W. Krull Imaging to view his work, including thousands of prints for sale, stock images for commercial use, and his library of published books.
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Colorado Photographer / Author | Steven W. Krull 