Bald Eagles in Flight

When filming wild bald eagles during low tide at Spanish Banks in English Bay (Vancouver) I always try to get as close up a shot as possible. But it gets really challenging, in the odd times when an eagle flies very close, because they are so fast-moving they are difficult to track with the camera. Often I get to enjoy the close-up view myself, but on camera the eagle is completely out of focus.

I was quite lucky though, when this eagle decided to circle almost directly over my head! I was walking through knee-deep water to get to a sand bar that forms on the farthest reaches of the low tide. I didn't have the tripod ready, so had to hold the camera free-hand. In one regard that is better for the direct overhead shots because the tripod I have is not able to move to a total 90 degree angle to the ground. But on the other hand it's impossible to hold the camera as steady as a tripod would.

In this case, I managed to achieve a happy  medium; able to get a good clear close up while the camera shake is kept to a minimum.