Wahlberg's Eagle meal

[Stu Bowie]

During my recent trip to the Kruger National Park, we came across this Wahlberg's Eagle, having an early breakfast. Im not sure if he had killed this rabbit himself, as when we arrived, he was already eating, and the rabbit was still intact that it wasnt road kill. Another vehicle arrived and chased him away. As he had perched in a tree a little way away, I decided to angle my car very close, and turned my engine off and waited. A few minutes later, the eagle returned, landed behind my car, and very cautiously walked back to the rabbit. I now had front seats and captured many images of this sighting. Unfortunately it was very overcast that morning. Maybe a bit gory for some, but this is nature in the african bush.

Canon 50D
100-400 @ 250mm
1/400
F/6.3
ISO 640

Exp Comp +0.33
Hand held from the car.

[Kaustubh Deshpande]

Bloody good! Great details Stuart. Good job of getting both bird and prey parallel. A little tight at the top, I feel.

[Charles Scheffold]

Technically very good. The detail and the look in his eyes make it great for me.

Charles

[Stu Bowie]

Thanks guys.

Peter, here is a pic I have taken off the internet of a juv bateleur. Note the different feather detail around the head. Please note, this is not my image and have posted solely for ID purposes. There was no copyright attached to the image.

[Richard Unsworth]

Hi

OP is outstanding, mind you so are the others.

I looked up in Roberts and found Wahlbergs have yellow legs, Bateleur pale so the latter for me

Rich

[Stu Bowie]

Thanks a stack for the info Peter. I feel you are correct. I was never too good on ID's of raptors.:confused:

[Rachel Hollander]

Stuart - either way, an incredible image. Love the detail in the feathers and the eye. Well done.

TFS,
Rachel

[Randy Stout]

Note that the 'bird' has targeted the eyes of the hare first: Bateleurs are typical for doing this, they are known for being the 'crows' under the birds of prey. If a carcass in the bush has not been stripped of the eyes (by Bateleur or crow), vultures will not come close to the carcass.

Peter:

I am amazed that the vultures would shy away from a caracas with eyes. Are they afraid it is alive?

Randy

[Daniel Cadieux]

I don't mind gore like this at all in nature photography. Awesome IQ. Only an even lower angle would have improved on this to minimize the BG (as is you could darken the pale band running across the neck). Would you have been able to photograph from the ground from the other side and across the undercarriage of your vehicle, or are these guys too easily spooked?

[Craig Brelsford]

Great image, Stuart; you showed patience and a good use of the car. Great job, Peter and others, on nailing the species. (Seems raptors are tricky to ID no matter where you are; in Asia, certainly.) I'd like to hear Stuart's response to Daniel's question of whether a shot from beneath the undercarriage would have been feasible. Like Kaustubh, I see the shot being too tight at the top.

[denise ippolito]

Stuart, You really got a front row seat! Beautiful details. Maybe a tiny bit tight on the bottom. Excellent pose with it's talon on top of the meal.

[Troy Lim]

Great details. TFS.

[Ken Watkins]

Stuart,

I can certainly agree that Raptors are hard to identify especially juveniles, I agree with Peter that this is probably a juvenile Bateleur, the green in the beak looks right.

The image is stunning, but the BG is not, the tarred roads in Kruger may make game viewing easier for people in normal cars but they do not assist photographers, this would have been much better with a dirt road.

But you probably would not get "road kill" on a dirt road.

[Stu Bowie]

Thank you all for the feedback and comments. Much appreciated.

Craig. A lower angle wasnt possible, as you are not allowed out your vehicle at any time whatsoever, except at designated areas. With regards to the BG, it is completely out of my control. With any sighting in the Kruger park, sightings can occur anywhere. This just happened to be on a main road, and unfortunately it does spoil the surroundings a tad.

[Craig Brelsford]

I think you handled this opportunity about as well as it could have been handled. I'm liking this shot more and more.

[Krijn Trimbos]

Such an intens shot! Love the prey and the excellent detail in the Eagle! Wish the edge of the road was not intersecting with the eagles neck though. All in all a great shot!

[Ákos Lumnitzer]

Excellent documentary image bro. Lovely details, great pose and a shame you cannot change the BG etc. They way it is. Congrats! :) If you're in Oz, I will happily tutor you with regard to ID of local raptors. They're easy. :)

[Stephen Earle]

I love the details in the shot Stu. It is a juvenile bateleur though.

[Stu Bowie]

Thank you all for the great feedback and comments. Always appreciated.

[Pieter de Waal]

I missed this one Stuart - a superb image - excellent detail and clarity. The greenish face is a feature of the juvenile Bateleur together with the short tail.

[Stu Bowie]

Thanks Pieter. Yeah, the ID is now confirmed.