After a less-than-desirable breakfast of coffee, “homemade” turkey sausage, egg whites, and a side of ketchup, I was off to the trails for another wintry hike.
I pulled into the lot, got my micro-spikes on, and as I was getting my pack situated, an eagle flew overhead while my camera lay on the seat of the car. I’ve been working on my negative thought process lately, but I couldn’t help but mutter, “Just my luck, why the hell do I always see an eagle when I have no chance of getting a shot??”
And with that “woe is me” attitude, I drug my ass down the main path from the parking lot and into the woodsy trails.
I headed towards the covered bridge trail, and as I lumbered along, I saw some deer hiding in the trees. It was hard to get focus through the limbs, but I managed one OK shot. Then I was off again.
Not long after, I came around a bend and could hear a nuthatch calling in some trees to my left. I stopped, hung out for a second, and there it was, flittin’ and flyin’ from branch to branch. I got a shot or two and, once again, was off lumbering down the trail.
Soon, I was back at the covered bridge for which the trail is named, and just as I was about to enter the bridge, I saw what I thought was a large hawk fly overhead and swoop down out over the river.
Despite my well-known inability to capture birds in flight, I took my camera off my pack and tried to get some shots, but it turns out I still had my shutter speed set pretty low, and I couldn’t avoid some motion blur. Rookie mistake. Sad, too, because upon checking the files, what I actually saw was a juvenile bald eagle, NOT a hawk. Getting closer!!!
When I got home later, I played around with the files in Lightroom and was able to at least salvage a memory of that eagle, but it took some work, and the wings are still pretty blurred. Oh well, live and learn. Posting the shot here as a memory of seeing an amazing bird, not because I think it’s a quality shot. Too much motion blur due to my unpreparedness. LET THERE BE SHAME!!
I was soon back on River Trail, and to my right was a steep hill and the river below. The trail is high enough that you are basically in amongst the tall trees by the river, but safely on the trail; KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK!!!!
There, just to my right, was a pileated woodpecker, slammin’ and jammin’ its prehistoric-looking, MF-ing head into a tree. I stood, watched a second, and then reached for my camera, getting as many shots as I could. The pecker was pretty chill, and I got a few shots of the critter head-bangin’ before moving on.
I moved on and entered a bend in the trail near the river that has some super tall dead trees on the other side. I’ve seen numerous birds of prey here over the years, usually without my camera, and have learned to now have my camera ready just in case (usually with no luck whatsoever).
I entered the bend, stood looking out at the icy slush making its way down the Chip and then started surveying the trees looking for birds. I gazed up and down a few times, and then there it was—an American Bald Eagle sitting just opposite me (I nearly shat myself with excitement).
I fully expected it to fly off; they usually do. But this one seemed unfazed and kept gawking downriver in search of something. Perhaps the juvenile I saw not more than 15 minutes ago?
I debated whether to reach for my camera or not because, despite their size and ability to bite through muscle and bone, they are quite skittish birds. Eventually, I unclipped my camera, took a few shots, and then continued to gaze at it. “I need you to look the other way; give me some beak gahdamnit!! PPPPLEEEASE???”
I finally got some beak, but to be honest, it’s still too close to the tree for my liking. Yes, I finally got another good shot of an eagle, and I’m bitching about it, and yes, I’m an ass. Then, I got greedy and tried to move my position along the trail, and it flew off.
THAT. WAS. AMAZING!!
Photo-wise, the rest of the lumber was uneventful. I continued on, not seeing much, and ended the hike at 5.32 miles.
This was one of my best photo days ever, and I’m stoked with the images. Could they have been better? ABSOLUTELY! However, for images taken while hiking, and with a (relatively) cheap crop sensor camera/lens, I will take this shit in the face all day long.
As I type this, we are in the midst of a snowstorm, and I have no idea if I’ll get out tomorrow or not. In any event, the next lumber will surely be done on snowshoes. If a lumber doesn’t come through, I’ll be in the basement Whooshing on the trainer, I swear.
Later.