Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Photo Essay: The Eagle That Got Away on Hamahiga Island

This photo shows a hill on Hamahiga Island Okinawa, Japan and the blue skies we had today.

From the top of the hill a good portion of the village is visible in this photo.

Even though it was a warm, sunny day the top of that hill had a stiff ocean breeze blowing.

That gave me enough of a chill to order some hot noodles from the folks in the building in the lower left hand side of this photo.  Sitting on the veranda, where the sun would still hit me, I was sipping some hot tea.


My camera was packed away in the holster and I thought I was done shooting for the day when this juvenile-looking buzzard eagle landed on a fencepost just far enough away to make me forget about the lunch I ordered.  When it's showtime food can wait, get cold and rot.


The little eagle could hear me firing away.  People around me, when I'm shooting birds in the wild, probably think I'm crazy.  I talk and say things like, "Gimmie an eyeball in the sun.  C'mon baby.  Turn yer head just a little more towards the light".

Well, this juvenile eagle didn't want to cooperate.


He got tired of hearing me yapping and snapping.


And he headed for the hills.


The only way I'd catch the sun in this bird's eyes would be climb back up that hill.....


because that's where the sun was coming from.


He just kept going higher...


...and faster up into the hills.


And he was hiding his eyeballs from me...


...so I couldn't catch them being lit up by the sun.

The eagle got away.  I had cold noodles.  Then, I went home.


I got news for that buzzard eagle on Hamahiga Island.

Keep yer eyes open.  You made my things-to-do list, today.

I'm gonna light you up.















2 comments:

Ryan said...

Beautiful creature Mike, great shots.

RyukyuMike said...

Ryan,
They are one of my favorite birds to watch in action. So far, this year I haven't nailed any award winning photos of one but, I'll work on it for ya !