Post by baja252 on Jul 7, 2013 16:09:40 GMT -6
Yesterday about 8:00 am, I found a Juvie hanging out on the deck of a lake home. No one was home, but that would be quite a sight to wake up to. As I said before, it’s only one more house and 150’ of water and they will be in my front yard.
Note: If you don't come down to your lake home over the July 4th weekend you never know you may move in. This deck has become a juvie favorite.
That night the kids were doing fireworks and I tried to take a few photos. I've never done it before and I have heard it's kind of hard. I got lucky and got a couple of nice shots.
I always leave my camera on the kitchen counter and I go so far as to change the setting on it as the sun changes position throughout the day. If an eagle flies by or lands you have to be ready, you only get seconds to take pictures. It was late when we finished with the fireworks and I was tired. I left the memory card in the computer (we looked at the firework photos), the camera on the table without the telephoto lens and still set up for capturing fireworks. This was a decision that would come back to haunt me.
I usually get up about 6:00 am, but I was sound asleep this morning at 5:56 when the loudest SQUEEEEEEEEEEK I have ever heard (and I’ve heard a lot) jolted me awake. I must have jumped a foot off the bed, my wife says I kicked her but I don’t remember. The Squeeeeeeking was so loud I thought they were in the house!! Then the squeeking stopped as suddenly as it started and as I got dressed I remember thinking maybe I was dreaming. I ran upstairs anyway and grabbed the camera wrong lens and all and ejected the memory card out of the computer. I stuffed it into the camera as I ran to the windows. In my rush I had no choice but to set the camera on AUTO, I never use the AUTO settings. I looked outside at all the usual limbs, but no eagles. The sun was just barely coming up; it was dark and overcast outside. I slowly opened the sliding glass door as quietly as I can and stick my head out. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the light, but I see nothing on the deck, nothing in the trees and nothing on the dock. Although it’s not loud, I hear rustling in the yard. As I slowly stepped out on the deck I decided to turn my head to the left, as a general rule I never look left, it’s just the screened porch, stairs down to the dock and trees that aren’t really good for eagle friendly landings. When I do about 2’ above my head and 15’ away is Stein standing on the corner of the roof of the screen porch. I’m not sure who was startled more, me or Stein. But surprisingly he just stood there looking at me; I was practically eye to eye with him for 4 to 6 long seconds. I sloooowly raised my camera and clicked off two shots. BANG, BANG, the stupid flash went off. @#&@#! Stupid auto settings…… he took off, swooped down, circled the deck and landed in the same tree and same spot as the flag photo.
A bad mistake on my part, now its two times this week I’ve scared an eagle without meaning to. Later while looking at the photos on my computer I realized just how dark outside it was and without the flash I would never have gotten these.
No time to worry about Stein anymore, I headed downstairs. I look out the sliding glass door and both Juvies are taking off, I got nothing. The squeeking that woke me up was so loud because they were in the yard about 10’ out from my bedroom wall. I couldn’t see them upstairs because the deck blocked my view. I turned to my wife and said “they were right there”!!! She calmly replied, “ I know, I’ve been watching them eat a fish out the bedroom window”.
I’ve been waiting for this day for months and I missed most of it. I then see Stein fly off towards the dam and have no idea where the juvies went. I go back upstairs and out the front door, circle the house and found one in a tree.
I want them to come back often, so I went inside and left him alone. He flew back towards the nest awhile later. I took this shot thru the window.
I went outside where they were eating the fish and here’s all that’s left.
We’ll see if they return tomorrow.
Note: If you don't come down to your lake home over the July 4th weekend you never know you may move in. This deck has become a juvie favorite.
That night the kids were doing fireworks and I tried to take a few photos. I've never done it before and I have heard it's kind of hard. I got lucky and got a couple of nice shots.
I always leave my camera on the kitchen counter and I go so far as to change the setting on it as the sun changes position throughout the day. If an eagle flies by or lands you have to be ready, you only get seconds to take pictures. It was late when we finished with the fireworks and I was tired. I left the memory card in the computer (we looked at the firework photos), the camera on the table without the telephoto lens and still set up for capturing fireworks. This was a decision that would come back to haunt me.
I usually get up about 6:00 am, but I was sound asleep this morning at 5:56 when the loudest SQUEEEEEEEEEEK I have ever heard (and I’ve heard a lot) jolted me awake. I must have jumped a foot off the bed, my wife says I kicked her but I don’t remember. The Squeeeeeeking was so loud I thought they were in the house!! Then the squeeking stopped as suddenly as it started and as I got dressed I remember thinking maybe I was dreaming. I ran upstairs anyway and grabbed the camera wrong lens and all and ejected the memory card out of the computer. I stuffed it into the camera as I ran to the windows. In my rush I had no choice but to set the camera on AUTO, I never use the AUTO settings. I looked outside at all the usual limbs, but no eagles. The sun was just barely coming up; it was dark and overcast outside. I slowly opened the sliding glass door as quietly as I can and stick my head out. I waited for my eyes to adjust to the light, but I see nothing on the deck, nothing in the trees and nothing on the dock. Although it’s not loud, I hear rustling in the yard. As I slowly stepped out on the deck I decided to turn my head to the left, as a general rule I never look left, it’s just the screened porch, stairs down to the dock and trees that aren’t really good for eagle friendly landings. When I do about 2’ above my head and 15’ away is Stein standing on the corner of the roof of the screen porch. I’m not sure who was startled more, me or Stein. But surprisingly he just stood there looking at me; I was practically eye to eye with him for 4 to 6 long seconds. I sloooowly raised my camera and clicked off two shots. BANG, BANG, the stupid flash went off. @#&@#! Stupid auto settings…… he took off, swooped down, circled the deck and landed in the same tree and same spot as the flag photo.
A bad mistake on my part, now its two times this week I’ve scared an eagle without meaning to. Later while looking at the photos on my computer I realized just how dark outside it was and without the flash I would never have gotten these.
No time to worry about Stein anymore, I headed downstairs. I look out the sliding glass door and both Juvies are taking off, I got nothing. The squeeking that woke me up was so loud because they were in the yard about 10’ out from my bedroom wall. I couldn’t see them upstairs because the deck blocked my view. I turned to my wife and said “they were right there”!!! She calmly replied, “ I know, I’ve been watching them eat a fish out the bedroom window”.
I’ve been waiting for this day for months and I missed most of it. I then see Stein fly off towards the dam and have no idea where the juvies went. I go back upstairs and out the front door, circle the house and found one in a tree.
I want them to come back often, so I went inside and left him alone. He flew back towards the nest awhile later. I took this shot thru the window.
I went outside where they were eating the fish and here’s all that’s left.
We’ll see if they return tomorrow.