I had a wildlife sighting this morning, which included a half-a**ed
attempt at photography.
The first thing I saw was a large Bald Eagle lighting on the neighbors
tree, which is on a ledge overlooking Lake Champlain. Vermont is one of
the few states with no nesting pairs, but we get occasional visits from
New York birds. This one was big; a real beauty. Before I could get out
the door with a camera it was gone.
As I pull out the driveway, I see *three* eagles out on the newly frozen
lake, one of which is not sharing it's newly killed breakfast. OK, I run
back in the house and grab my OM-2n, some 200ASA print film, and the
longest lens I have--a Vivitar 400/5.6 The switch on this camera has been
getting funky lately, and sure enough on the first frame the mirror locks
and I can't get the camera to power up. Now, I run back inside and put
the same roll in my OM-1. As I'm fumbling with the film, I look out the
window and see a Red Fox trotting out on the ice towards the eagles.
About the same time I realize that my one mercury cell is in another
camera. Aaarrggghhh... I guessed my settings.
The Eagles scatter when the Fox approaches, but the kill lies on a 10ft.
wide crack, which had frozen over with thin black ice, and the Fox stays
back. One thing I noticed when it approached the thin ice, it assumed a
submissive stance, hesitant, with tail between the legs. The Fox moved on
to a patch of open water with ducks, who couldn't have cared less.
Finally it slinked off toward Burlington, still hungry. It was
interesting to see how animal behavior shifts when the lake freezes. The
eagle had to seek out remaining patches of open water. These may also act
as waterfowl corrals for the Fox. The one near me has piles of ice all
around that would make a good blind for predators.
The 400/5.6 was hard to focus with the 1-13 screen, even though my
subjects were on sunlit snow. I really needed a 1000mm lens, but if I get
anything worth seeing, I'll post them.
Morgan
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