Yeah, I staged these as well- I am actually an "Eagle Whisperer", they respond to my commands.
Even if I were willing to venture onto the ice, I doubt an animal with the keen sense of an eagle would come near the situation, although I am not the expert. They usually won't let you get within 50 yards of them unless very gradually.
I have been tracking the birds to this location during their annual migration for several winters, and have been to this area now 6 times this year alone, in anticipation of their arrival. In the west, The Great Salt Lake is the largest body of water between Canada and Mexico, and is surrounded by marshlands. Since temperatures and snowfall have been severe here this year, their are only a few places with enough current from the fresh flowing streams where the birds can fish. These areas are surrounded by seagulls, hurons and others, and they row up like shopper women waiting for the carp to swim by. When the Eagles notice one catch something, they swoop in majestically, scattering the other birds in fear of thier own lives, and often steal the catch from the hard working bird which was forced to abandon it.
Often, two or three Eagles will fight over the same fish, till one of them manages to get far enough away from the others to finish the meal off. It is really fascinating to watch, and believe me many many hours were involved in " staging" these shots.
We have had many storms this year, and in between the storms, there is a feeding frenzy- everywhere you looked, smething was being eaten- often alive! A very bloody place!
I don't want to put my whole portfolio of them on line and risk thier unauthorized use; but a few more to make my point.
They catch thier own sometimes as well- through holes in the ice
These were all taken with Canon 20D or 5D. with either a 100-400 f/4-5.6 zoom, or the 500mm f/4.
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