Texas, Bald Eagle nest - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

03/24/2004 11:52:20 AM · #1

Another Texas sized opportunity. I don't really have a long enough lens, but someone might be interested. Seen on fredmiranda.com
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Any bird enthusiasts coming to the Austin area might want to allow time for an early morning trip to the Llano area to view/photograph a bald eagle nest that's 140 yards from the fence alongside the TX 29 right-of-way. The nest has 2 juvenile baldies, estimated to have been born the last week in Jan. The curious part is that 3 adults have been observed, and photographed, in and around the nest in Feb. and earlier this month. I made my second trip there last Thursday, but did not see the 3rd adult as I did on my first trip the week earlier.

You can get decently tight shots with a digital body and 500 or 600 with a doubler. (I used a Canon 10D and 500mm f/4 + 2x teleconverter.)

Early morning light is best; if it's a warm day the heat waves will start degrading image quality around 10 am.

The site is 21.5 miles west on TX 29 from the intersection of US 281 and 29 in Burnet, on the south side of the road. If you go, please pull your vehicle completely off the road, which has a fair amount of traffic, for safety purposes. Don't leave any trash, in fact, pick up any you see; and DON'T cross the fence onto the private property.

Even if you don't wish to photograph, it's a rare opportunity to observe juvenile and adult bald eagles. A spotting scope would be best; good binoculars would work, too.

Mike Murphy, photo editor
Texas Highways, the official travel magazine of Texas
//www.texashighways.com

jab119

03/24/2004 01:17:14 PM · #2

man I wish I had time to zip out there. My girlfriend wants a day trip out to the hill country soon, but with her schedule right now it will be tough. That area is nice and i have been though there several times.

ummmm I could use my telescope (2000mm) to get and equilivant of 3200mm, should bring the nest in REAL good

James

RHoldenSr

Canon EOS-5D

03/24/2004 01:59:08 PM · #3

James

That would be nice to see!
And the photos you could get.

Originally posted by jab119:

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

04/01/2004 11:48:55 AM · #4

A couple of shots by a friend of a friend, Bruce Covill.

He mentioned that many people were using stacked 1.4x and 2x teleconverters on 500mm and 600mm lenses to get tight shots, so I think I'll give it a miss! The shot above is from a 400mm with 2x on a 10D. he also said he did see one other Nikon camera out there in the sea of Canon gear, but it had a sigma 50-500 so the user was kinda hiding :) He noted that the only Nikon lens in that shot was from the shooter from Texas Highways- the theme being people who buy their gear seem to buy Canon and people who get it bought for them, seem to get Nikon.

Message edited by author 2004-04-01 11:52:02.

justine

Canon EOS-50D

04/01/2004 12:47:45 PM · #5

Gordon, about how far are these photogs from the nest?
Looking forward to your shots.

Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM

04/01/2004 03:15:40 PM · #6

Not sure how far it is - I haven't been there, and likely won't bother with just a 200 and a 1.4x

The original suggestion was that you'd need a 500mm, with a 2x, on a 10D
so that would be a bald eagle full frame at 1600mm ? Any idea what distance that works out at ? I don't even know how big the eagle would be :)

justine

Canon EOS-50D

04/01/2004 03:23:05 PM · #7

Oh, okay thanks.
I don't do math but someone here will figure it.
I was assuming it was some distance just from my past experience with park rangers, forestry workers and these nests. Knowing that your friend did a good job with his shot.