Valley of the Eagle

[Ziggy]

Ngama Malyan (Valley of the Eagle), Gundabooka NP (Australia), so named by the traditional owners.

The Wedge-tailed Eagle is our largest bird and apex raptor, growing a wingspan up to 2.5m.

When I got to the start of the summit climb early in the morning there were three distant Wedgies soaring and later another joined them. Three-quarters of the way up one came down and checked me out, circling directly above for a minute or so. Later one dropped into the gorge below and I got the chance to see a WTE from above.

At the summit I sat for an hour watching them soar.

A Peregrine Falcon took exception to the Wedgies and strafed them from directly above three times.

This was a bushwalk so I carried the A9 + 100-400 + 1.4 TC

Over 6-8 years they grow fully into black and white colouring, so this one is relatively young.

• ILCE-7RM3
• FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter
• 560.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/1600 sec
• ISO 1000

This was the one checking me out. Normally they ignore humans and eye contact with them is rare but clearly I'd wandered into its territory.
Shot at 560mm and not cropped on the vertical.

• ILCE-7RM3
• FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter
• 386.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/1600 sec
• ISO 4000

This one dropped below me into the valley.

• ILCE-7RM3
• FE 100-400mm F4.5-5.6 GM OSS + 1.4X Teleconverter
• 560.0 mm
• ƒ/8
• 1/1600 sec
• ISO 400

Here's a fully mature one from another session

• ILCE-9
• FE 400mm F2.8 GM OSS + 2X Teleconverter
• 800.0 mm
• ƒ/6.7
• 1/4000 sec
• ISO 1000

 

[Ralph]

We have got these close by just need to go out a little and then we can see them but not every time you go out that is.
My Sony RX 10 iv has not been good to me with these as no flying image has ever turn out too well.
I have got so many shots of this high in the sky but sadly they would be laughed out of here as they are that bad.
Unlike these top shots that I like a real lot. Well done Ziggy.

 

[Ziggy]

Thanks Aussie.
BiF shots ask a lot of a camera I think.