African Fish Eagle

[Morkel Erasmus]

I captured this image last weekend on the Chobe river between Botswana and Namibia. The African Fish Eagle is my favourite raptor (along with its cousins, the American Bald Eagle and the Stellar's Sea Eagle).
The bird was lured with a fish caught in the river earlier, though it sank and the eagle didn't snatch it up on this occasion. Pretty much of all Fish Eagle in-flight photos taken on the Chobe and Okavango systems are photographed this way, though it's not always disclosed. A dead giveaway is often the upside-down fish in the bird's talons.

I'd prefer a 100% natural one, but for now I'll keep this one.

Techs:
Nikon D3s with Nikkor 500mm f4 VR-II
f7.1 @ 1/2500 SS @ ISO-640
Crop from horizontal

[Corey Hayes]

Very nice capture, Love the Pose.

Awesome work.

[Mike Veltri]

Great flight pose, and nice to see the seperation between the bill and the wing.

[Miguel Palaviccini]

Morkel-

Beautiful capture here. I like the pose with the outstretched wingtips and closed talons. The exposure control on the whites and blacks on the bird are great as well. Detail is superb.

Miguel

[Tim King]

I love it !! Beautifully presented. The pose couldn't be better. Fine job.

[PhilCook]

Such beautiful color shades on this bird Morkel, exposure and blue sky look perfect , love the way the wing tip feathers have curled........perfect !

[gail bisson]

Love the curled primaries and vertical composition.
Excellent IQ as well.
Gail

[stuart wanuck]

well done

[dankearl]

Cool flight pose Morkel and perfect comp.
Where is the D800?

[Dan Busby]

Love the pose and expression Morkel! Very nice detail and comp.

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks a lot folks...

Cool flight pose Morkel and perfect comp.
Where is the D800?

Dan, I still prefer the speed of the D3s for BIF and action

[Brendon Cremer]

Stunning Image morkel, great detail, well exposed and lovely soft colours.

[Shawn Zierman]

Awesome pose!! I've never seen a better image of this species.

[supreet.sahoo]

The composition is spot on and its a 10/10 for me in everything. The colors are nice and subtle, the details impeccable and the flight pose is something to remember. Great stuff here Morkel, tfs

[Greg Oakley]

Wow! That's a cracking flight pose Morkel! Just an awesome image...
Cheers, Greg

[arash_hazeghi]

dynamic pose with good under wing details and exposure. great work TFS

[Doug Brown]

Just love the curved pose, excellent detail, and great exposure. Nicely done!

[Melissa Groo]

That's a beauty, Morkel. Don't think I've seen a better image of this eagle in flight. Beautiful light, curving lines and I like your comp.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Sweeeeeeet! Fantastic all around.....enough said!

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Morkel this is the best image I've seen of this eagle! love everything about it!

[Diane Miller]

Drop-dead gorgeous!!

[Kiran Poonacha]

Beautiful stuff, Loved the pose captured bro..

[Morkel Erasmus]

Thanks for all the wonderful compliments, folks...