During my recent visit to Mountsberg Conservation Area I had the opportunity to shoot a number of images of two bald eagles at the Raptor Centre.

Note: click on images to enlarge

These large, majestic birds are fascinating to watch and if you’re lucky they will treat you with their distinctive calls.

Bald eagles are large raptors with a wingspan of 1.8 – 2.3 meters (5.9 – 7.5 feet). They can weigh as much as 6.3 kg (13.9 pounds).

They look quite regal with their distinctive white heads and neck against the dark background of their body plumage.

In the wild these birds often feed on fish and are opportunistic hunters, often also feeding on various mammals and birds.

Their range extends from Alaska all the way down into northern Mexico and they frequent wetland areas.

All of the images in this article were shot hand-held using a Nikon 1 V3 with a Nikon 1 CX 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.6 lens. The 1080 HD video footage in the YouTube video was shot with the same camera gear along with a Manfrotto 055CXPRO3 tripod and Manfrotto 391RC2 combination tripod head. All images and video were shot through the wire mesh enclosures where the birds are housed.

Technical note: All images were produced from RAW files processed through DxO OpticsPro 10 with PRIME noise reduction. A DNG file was exported into CS6 and Nik Suite for additional adjustments as required.

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Article, all images and video are Copyright Thomas Stirr. All rights reserved. No use, duplication or adaptation is allowed without written permission.