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Bald Eagles of Alaska
by BCJ Staff
Have you ever witnessed a bald eagle, as it soars across a deep azure Alaskan sky, snatch a fish directly out of the talons of an osprey in mid-air?
If you were to join Backcountry Journeys Bald Eagles of Alaska Tour, you might see just that. Rather than doing their own fishing, bald eagles often go after other creatures’ catches. Avian pirates, of sorts!
Each day on this tour, we’ll be positioned just right for a scene as such, on the deck of our privately chartered vessel, floating through the icy-frigid waters of Kachemak Bay; snow-capped mountains framing the horizon off in the distance.
With a population estimated at 30,000, or about half of the total population, Alaska boasts more bald eagles than any other location on the continent. The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey that is only found in North America. For the most part, they call home forests that are near rivers, lakes, reservoirs, marshes and coasts. Bald Eagles are often found along Alaska’s coast and offshore islands where the highest nesting densities occur in southern Alaska in locales such as Homer, and the coastal waters of Kachemak Bay. Precisely where we’ll be on our 2019 trip, which runs March 25-29. This time coincides with peak eagle numbers in the area. Bald eagles are typically solitary creatures, however, when there is abundant food they may gather with others in groups of up to 400. We’ll travel just a bit later in spring so as to allow for more daylight hours which means more time to photograph these large congregations of birds.
With a wingspan of up to 7.5 feet, and body weights between 8 and 14 lbs, these fellas (and ladies) are able to achieve 30 mph in flight, becoming even faster when diving after prey when they achieve upwards of 100 mph.
Interesting fact about male versus female in the eagle world: In fact, female bald eagles are about 25 to 33 percent larger than their male counterparts. They are roughly three inches taller as well as a broader wingspan. More often than not, according to research from Popular Science, the amazing images of bald eagles that we see (precisely like the ones we’re all going to make on this trip) are actually of female eagles.
Cool, no?
With all that size and speed we better come prepared with lenses fast enough to capture crisply all that velocity and movement!
Prime lenses like a 500mm or 600mm will provide some seriously good quality, however, these birds move and move quickly. And so does the boat we’re on. Because of this we might recommend a good telephoto zoom lens such as a 70-200mm or a mix of both.
Fish are the main diet of the bald eagle, who also dine upon waterfowl, small mammals, sea urchins, clams, crabs, and carrion. In fact, past trips have provided us with amazing photographic opportunities for much more than just eagles. Yes, this trip is dedicated towards photographing eagles however there can be additional opportunities to round out the adventure nicely. Who knows, you may capture your best image on some other crazy critter such as sea otter, harbor seal, a puffin or even a moose or a bear.
We’d love for you to join us on this 2019 adventure, or even in 2020 when we’ll be back in Alaska for more!
If you were to join Backcountry Journeys Bald Eagles of Alaska Tour, you might see just that. Rather than doing their own fishing, bald eagles often go after other creatures’ catches. Avian pirates, of sorts!
Each day on this tour, we’ll be positioned just right for a scene as such, on the deck of our privately chartered vessel, floating through the icy-frigid waters of Kachemak Bay; snow-capped mountains framing the horizon off in the distance.
With a population estimated at 30,000, or about half of the total population, Alaska boasts more bald eagles than any other location on the continent. The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey that is only found in North America. For the most part, they call home forests that are near rivers, lakes, reservoirs, marshes and coasts. Bald Eagles are often found along Alaska’s coast and offshore islands where the highest nesting densities occur in southern Alaska in locales such as Homer, and the coastal waters of Kachemak Bay. Precisely where we’ll be on our 2019 trip, which runs March 25-29. This time coincides with peak eagle numbers in the area. Bald eagles are typically solitary creatures, however, when there is abundant food they may gather with others in groups of up to 400. We’ll travel just a bit later in spring so as to allow for more daylight hours which means more time to photograph these large congregations of birds.
With a wingspan of up to 7.5 feet, and body weights between 8 and 14 lbs, these fellas (and ladies) are able to achieve 30 mph in flight, becoming even faster when diving after prey when they achieve upwards of 100 mph.
Interesting fact about male versus female in the eagle world: In fact, female bald eagles are about 25 to 33 percent larger than their male counterparts. They are roughly three inches taller as well as a broader wingspan. More often than not, according to research from Popular Science, the amazing images of bald eagles that we see (precisely like the ones we’re all going to make on this trip) are actually of female eagles.
Cool, no?
With all that size and speed we better come prepared with lenses fast enough to capture crisply all that velocity and movement!
Prime lenses like a 500mm or 600mm will provide some seriously good quality, however, these birds move and move quickly. And so does the boat we’re on. Because of this we might recommend a good telephoto zoom lens such as a 70-200mm or a mix of both.
Fish are the main diet of the bald eagle, who also dine upon waterfowl, small mammals, sea urchins, clams, crabs, and carrion. In fact, past trips have provided us with amazing photographic opportunities for much more than just eagles. Yes, this trip is dedicated towards photographing eagles however there can be additional opportunities to round out the adventure nicely. Who knows, you may capture your best image on some other crazy critter such as sea otter, harbor seal, a puffin or even a moose or a bear.
We’d love for you to join us on this 2019 adventure, or even in 2020 when we’ll be back in Alaska for more!
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Brown Bears of Alaska: Beyond Brooks
Immerse yourself in the Alaskan wilderness and capture stunning images of Brown Bears!
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BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations include Yosemite, Alaska, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Hawaii, Utah as well as Botswana & Costa Rica."
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
- Russ Nordstrand, Backcountry Journeys Founder & Director
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All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLCs - Copyright 2024
BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations include Yosemite, Alaska, Yellowstone, Glacier National Park, Hawaii, Utah as well as Botswana & Costa Rica."
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2024
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.