EAGLE GETS DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT

 

I was photographing a Double-crested Cormorant when a female Eagle swooped down and snatched it away. The Eagle was hovering about twenty-five feet above the Cormorant when it made its move. The Eagle then flew off with its catch.

The eagle was having trouble gaining altitude with the cormorant in its talons. It made a low-level turn and headed back to the shoreline. 

From where it was captured, in the Guemes Channel near Cooks Cove, the eagle skipped the cormorant across the water all the way in.

I was fortunate the eagle swooped down close to where I was standing. This gave me a much better opportunity to photograph the eagle and its prey. The lighting conditions were also much better than if the eagle had been farther away. This incredible moment was happening right in front of me!

Then it happens! The wildlife photographer’s nightmare, losing its subject.

When the subject of your wildlife photograph disappears, you have two choices: sit down and cry or take action. I took action and headed where I thought it might have landed on shore. I worked my way up a gravel road, looking for any sign of where it might have gone. When I reached the end of the road, I parked and went to the cliffside to look for it. Fortunately, access to the cliffside was easy.

I located the eagle and its prey about a hundred feet below the cliff. No obstacles were blocking, and the lighting conditions were fantastic. This image was captured with my iPhone at the end of the shoot when the sun had gone behind the clouds.

As I arrived, the male eagle had already taken some of the cormorant and had flown away. The female eagle remained and finished most of the leftovers. The female eagle devoted a considerable time, warning the other eagles to stay away. Four eagles circled overhead, waiting for a chance to steal it. She made it clear, without any doubt, that they would not have that opportunity.

The other eagles respected her, all he had to do was call, and they would keep their distance.

The male returned after a while to check on his mate. She flew up to greet him, and they began to discuss something. I'm not sure what the conversation was about, but it lasted for quite a while.

Since the female eagle had left the catch, the others returned, ready to take it. The couple spent some time communicating to the others that the catch was off-limits. This interaction lasted about ten minutes and concluded with all the other eagles flying away.

I had quite an interesting morning with an excellent opportunity to capture this situation. I've been fortunate many times to encounter scenarios like this. scenarios like this.

© Chris LeBoutillier