Nikon Z9 Wildlife: Return of the White Tailed Eagle

Winter time is eagle time ! I am on the road visiting hot spots of the white tailed eagle in northern Germany with my Nikon Z9 and the Nikon Z800 PF (with TC) and the Nikon Z6 III with the Z 180-600 and the F 300 F/2.8 VR II. We were really lucky as the number of eagles is increasing since the 90ies. Eagles in flight on touch down and seven (!) eagles feasting together on a goose….

Intro: 00:00
Back in the Air: 00:47
Eagles on the Hunt: 02:55
Eagles in Flight: 05:41
The Eurasian Curlew: 08:12
Herons and Hawks: 09:47
Ducks & Ducks: 11:40
Eagle Society and Facts: 13:35


Back in the Air: Winter time is eagle time ! Why ? They cluster close to gathering points of water birds. Once it freezes their chances for hunting success increases. The dominant eagle couple still tolerates groups of juveniles prior to the start of the breeding season in the spring. Calling for the youngster to touch down ? There is clear room for improvement on touch downs on icy runways for the juvenile.

Eagles on the Hunt: It could be so nice - resting in a peaceful wetland area before heading back north... The presence of this bird of prey leads to an instantaneous take off of all water birds trying to escape ! It is amazing to see these eagle gatherings in this foggy wetland area. Eagles often act as real "punks" .... messing around with each other.... However, cute how they hop over the ground !! On the other hand eagles appear to have strong social bonds building up small family groups and interacting in a social manner.

Eagles in Flight: This white tailed eagle was flying towards the hide along the water way .... passing by several bystanders such as the grey heron on the other side.... the ducks did not notice this amazing bird of prey. All photos handheld.... The light weight and fast AF of the Nikon Z 800 PF even with TC makes it an excellent tool. After a while the eagle decided to take a turn towards the tree line .... looking for a mature white tail sea eagle. Juveniles are
accepted by the parents until they are mature. There is more than "just" eagles to discover....

The Eurasian Curlew: The Eurasian Curlew as a breeding bird in Germany is highly endangered. It is mostly present as winter guest from Scandinavia... There are still ongoing efforts to save this bird. But reduced living spaces and increased pressure by predators yield complex boundary conditions. I personally never had a problem with the Z6 III
and bird tracking - I use it with the 180-600 for 6 K video in parallel to the Z9 and the Z 800 PF.

Herons and Hawks: Contrary to the Eurasian Curlew the number of Herons and Hawks is strongly increasing. The dominant herons in the area are the grey heron and the great egret. Both increased in numbers. Where you have herons you can find fish. Apparently, the hawks (buteo) in the area have learned that lesson well and try to pinch some food from them. As always where you can find food - you find also conflicts of interest ...

Ducks & Ducks: The diversity of aquatic birds seems high enough to get the eagles safely through the winter... During winter many ducks that are not common to the area show up. I am personally quite a fan of the "sound rich" widgeons.... As we twist and turn it - we need to understand the eco system as a whole and learn how these are interconnected - in case we intend to protect.

Eagle Society and Facts: The juvenile eagle is most likely from last years breading season.... Interesting to see how the juvenile pays respect to the mature dominant eagle... Eagles in Germany were critically endangered in the 70ties and 80ties due to the use of the pesiticide DDT together with a lack of protection. Now they are back in larger numbers in the north-eastern part of Germany. Since 1990 the number of eagles in Schleswig-Holstein is clearly increasing from just 7 breeding pairs to 147 in 2024. The number of young birds increases accordingly. Today the biggest threat for young eagles seem to be trains, that hit them when they try to feed from carrion. Either way it is time to thank the people protecting these magnificent birds during the last 35 years. NABU Schleswig-Holstein/Projektgruppe Seeadlerschutz! During winter you can often see groups of eagles lined up along the tree line overlooking the area. They tend to hunt a feast together shaping the whole eco system.


Eagle Protection in Germany Information:

https://schleswig-holstein.nabu.de/na...
http://www.projektgruppeseeadlerschut...

Link to the Nikon Z9: https://www.nikon.de/de_DE/product/ca...
Link to the Nikon Z 800 PF:
https://www.nikon.de/de_DE/product/le...
Review of the Nikon Z 800 PF:
https://photographylife.com/reviews/n...