Behind the Shot: Bald Eagle on the Causeway

Some of the best wildlife encounters happen when you least expect them.

My son and I were heading out to run a few errands when I spotted a mature bald eagle soaring above the causeway between Shoal Harbour and Clarenville. Naturally, I wanted a closer look. The problem is, there’s nowhere to pull over on the causeway itself. Just after it ends though, there’s a small turnaround area, so I pulled in, hoping we could relocate the bird and maybe get a shot.

At first, nothing.

We scanned the shoreline and treeline, figuring it had dropped down out of sight, but there was no sign of it. I was just about to put the car in reverse and move on when a massive shadow passed over the sunroof.

The eagle had doubled back behind us.

It came in low along the shoreline, locking onto what looked like the remains of a fish, likely left behind from an earlier meal. I grabbed my camera, thankfully with a full battery and cards ready to go, and got out as quickly as I could.

What followed was one of the closest and most intense bald eagle encounters I’ve had. The bird was completely focused on the shoreline, giving me a rare opportunity to capture a series of up close, detailed images that I’d normally never get.

A couple of takeaways

Wildlife is unpredictable. If you lose sight of your subject, don’t assume the moment is gone. Sometimes it comes back in ways you don’t expect, and those are often the best opportunities.

And just as important, have your camera with you whenever you can. This wasn’t a planned shoot. If the camera had been at home, this entire encounter would have been missed.

Gear and settings

This was shot on the Canon EOS R5 paired with a Sigma 150-600mm, working mostly in the 400 to 600mm range.

Settings were:

• Shutter speed 1/2000
• Aperture f/6.3
• ISO 1000

Fast shutter speed was key here to freeze motion as the eagle moved along the shoreline, and the longer focal length helped fill the frame without disturbing the bird.