Mutual interest - a photo on Flickriver

Mutual interest

            Yesterday was a much-needed mental health day for this kid as I desperately desired watching another Ohio River sunrise, followed by several hours of playing in the mud in search of ancient Indian artifacts.

As often happens, several potential obstacles presented themselves making me wonder if I should just stay home. Just as I was setting my alarm for the next morning’s adventure, a dense fog warning posted on my phone. The next morning, I awoke a full hour (4am) before my alarm was set to go off…making me question if I would have the energy needed to walk for miles in the mud. Not to mention…I’m pretty sure that our bed has never felt better!

Putting all that aside, I was on the road in time to be launching the boat an hour away at daybreak. With no other cars on the road, my music blaring and coffee in hand put all of life’s concerns aside…nothing clears my head more than going on an adventure! All was right with the world…

And then, on a fogless stretch of the highway, not 5 minutes from home, she appeared! An adult female whitetail deer decided to trot out right in front of me. With reflexes I had assumed were long gone, I swerved into oncoming traffic, releasing my coffee cup mid-air to grab the wheel with both hands as I attempted to put my car and now severely swaying trailing boat back in our lane. The deer was missed by both my car and boat by inches, my paper coffee cup with lid on landed right in my lap and remarkably only spilled a few large drops.
The blessing of this encounter was that I now had my heart in my throat…and there was no way that I could possibly fall asleep anytime on the next hours’ drive.

The launching ramp was reached without any further ado and my much-anticipated sunrise was completely obscured by the heavy fog. However, my spirits were rejuvenated instantly as I just enjoyed the blessing of being there, having another day and the anticipation of what might be both found and seen as adventure awaits!

The river was still out of its normal banks by some 6-7 feet and was full of drift…the banks…pretty muddy with only 7-8 artifacts retained, all broken but still cherished. The main blessing of the day quickly became this young lady (presumed based on my limited eagle knowledge base) who seemed to have as much interest in me and what I was doing as I had in her. 

The problem with juvenile eagles is that you often disturb them, placing them in flight when you have no desire to. Without the white heads, they easily blend perfectly in the shadows of the trees canopy…no doubt part of God’s plan.

This young lady flew ahead once disturbed, then veered out over the river. I assumed she was heading for Kentucky so I just went on my way back to the ramp to conclude my day. I glanced back to see her change direction again, now heading right back at me. I slammed my boat into neutral, grabbed my camera and waited some 20 seconds or so before lifting my lens to start capturing her in flight…waiting is the hard part as experience has taught me that eagles will often drastically change direction once you point anything at them. Giving her time to close the gap was a gamble that paid off as she came directly overhead, maybe 80-100 feet off the water, granting this shot.

As I trailered the boat and sent a text to the Mrs. letting her know that I was safely off the water, an understanding of, an appreciation for the gift I had been given filled my head and heart with the joy that only another successful day of adventure can do. Getting the shot of my eagle fly by from a rocking 16’ flat-bottom aluminum boat is simply a bonus!

Adventure before dementia!

Taken on: May 16, 2024

Tags:

1.4x

Bird

Birder

Birding

Birds

Birdwatching

canon

Dattilo

EF100-400mm

EOS

Indiana

MarkII

MotherNature

nature

Ornithology

Outdoors

Outside

Wild

Wildlife

WOW

Aves

NGC

Juvenile

American

Bald

Eagle

In-flight

Flying

Overhead

Curious

Ohio

River

Southern « less

Groups appears in: • Birds • The Photographer's Club more » • Wildlife Photography • ~Nature~ • ~Nature Beauty~ • Your Favorite Photos - Unlimited! • Bird Lovers • Wild Animals • Animal Pictures • Birds/Aves • Just Photos. [No AI or SL] • NATUREPIX • Photography Corner • Outdoor Photographer Magazine (Unofficial) • Total Photography (No AI or SL) • wildlife photographers • Beauty is Simple • Bird Fanatics! (No Limits) • Your photo goes here! no 30/60 • Unlimited Birds • Bird Images • Awesome Nature • Beauty of Nature • The Magic of Nature • CLICK the CAMERA • *amazing nature* • Animal Planet • Amateur Photographers United • "Bird Brained" • Your mind, your photos • BiRDS are Beautiful • My Favourite • Outdoor Photography • The Flikr Group • Birds of the world • ***The Wildlife Photography • ANYTHING & EVERYTHING PHOTOGRAPHIC / NO SL/AI • Spectacular Raptors • Welcome To My World (WTMW) • The Magic of Colour • Beautiful Earth • Animal Photos! • Spectacular Eagles • Countryside & Nature • Flickr Elite Group • SJohnson's Fauna PLEASE READ: surgery complete doing well • Born Free, Living Free • PHOTO NOW • NaturePhotographs • Nature...Anything Goes • " EARTH NATURE (no humans, nothing manmade) • Better Than Good • Beautiful Birds • ♥ANIMALS ♥ • " MASTER CLASS PHOTOGRAPHY " • Dragon Gold Award " The Best Of Flickr " • ALL Welcome - I am sick of 'rules and regulations - New Contest • ~*Nature Pics That *WoW* Us*~ • Bird Watchers • ~Beauty of Nature~ • **ALL KINDS OF BEAUTY** (Moderated! NO MODELS!) • **Simply Superb (P 1- A 2)** • All birds all the time • *Nature Pics* • ONLY ANIMALS (POST1,COMMENT1) • Flickr Number One !! • Nature's Pot-of-Gold • !WORLD OF ANIMALS! (Post 1 and Comment 1 or more) • Days out and about • The Birds Of Flickr • " Your BEST of Today " - Through MY Eyes • Wonderful World! • Birdshare • Dragonfly Awards * Post1 - Award 3 * *Sweeper Active* • National Geographic Wild Life • Animals/Birds of Planet Earth • MY CAMERA NEVER LIES (P1+A3)Sweeper Active • National Wildlife Magazine Photo Group • BirdWatching Magazine • The world of photography • Photographing Birds • *Nature's Beautiful Photography- (P1~A1)NO PEOPLE/NO BUILDINGS • Your pics and shots [No AI or SL] • Nature of the World Unlimited (9000+ Invite your friends!) • Canon Digital Photographers (Nature & Wildlife) • National Geographic Group • *That's MY Photo ! * • NATURE'S PRIME (P1/A4) • NATURE RULES!!! • Eagle Photography • !Your Best Animal Photo ~~Award 2 • World of Birds • Flickr Global (Your Best Photographs). • FLICKERIANS • outstanding! • AWESOME BIRDS ! (Award 2 Please) • :: | Bird Photography |:: • Wild Bird Photography • NATURE (Post 1 / Award 4) • Planet Earth! • my life is a picture... • ►the best photos◄ • Animals looking at You • *Animal Photography Group* (NO CAGES/ENCLOSURES) • Flickr OBSESSION' • the world i see • Wildlife (Animals) Unlimited • Any kind of wildlife/nature • ` FLICKR ´ • Flickr Photographer • 60+ Seniors' Shooting — Beauty And Fine Perception • Wildlife Photographs • Your Best Shot For Today • Flickr Hall of Fame • Flickr center • EOS Experience • brilliant flickr • Digital Photo Mag • Photographers from around the world • * Wonderful World of Wildlife * • illumination focus • Flickr No1 Pics • Your best of the best • Photo's passion of the world • We love cameras • Nature and all that is beautiful • Worldwide Fauna • This is Why I Bought A Camera • Today's Flickr • !*Flickr All Stars*! • Nature and Animals (Wild Only) • [][][] The best pictures [][][] • Explore Flickr (unofficial) • flickr world wide • Group for all users of FLICKR - No 30/60 Groups Limit • Birds of prey (Accipitriformes, Falconiformes and Strigiformes) • WORLD AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS • The best picture of the world • AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHER • FLICKR INTERNATIONAL - No 30/60 Groups Limit • Interesting Nature • Canon EOS 5D MKIV Wildlife Photography. • Nature photographers. • Nature and Wonder • -- Only Birds! « less

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV, f/8.0, 1/2000 sec, 299mm, ISO 400 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens:	EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM +1.4x
Aperture:	f/8.0
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/2000)
Focal Length:	299mm
ISO:	400
Exposure Bias:	-1/3 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Manual
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Lightroom 7.2 (Macintosh)
Show full info

Stats: 1,001 views / 19 comments