The Golden Eagle
Bulgaria is one of the best places in Europe for birdwatching and photography. My recent trip here focused on Golden Eagles, a bird I’d previously seen from a distance, but never photographed up close. Several baited hides are set up in Bulgaria to allow photographers to get close to the eagles. This helps with their conservation by providing a safe food source, free of poison and away from hunters. We entered our hide, located 1300m above sea level on the beautiful and remote Ponor Mountain, just before sunrise, and we’d be staying here for the next two days.
The landscape of the Ponor Mountain
It was only about an hour before we met our first Eagle. A young bird I think, based on the dark colour of its eyes, it was a skittish animal and did not hang around long before retreating to the nearby hillside.
It wasn’t until last light that the bird returned to the bait. Snow had started to fall, which can supposedly trigger a feeding instinct in the animals, perhaps to prepare for a long period of weather ill-suited for hunting. Photographing in heavy falling snow at low light was challenging but definitely rewarding.
A Red Fox appeared to take advantage of the periods in which the eagle had taken a break from feeding - it also remained far past the time where photography was possible, and was back first thing in the morning. Both the fox and eagle appeared to be terrified of each other, never coming to the bait at the same time, and often watching one another from a distance. Golden eagles taking down foxes is not unheard of, but perhaps this young one was not so confident in his abilities.
On the second day we were graced with multiple long visits from prime fully mature Golden Eagle. Intermittent bursts of sunlight lit up both the mountains and the bird, allowing its eponymous golden nape to shine.
Unlike the younger bird from the day before, this eagle was not at all phased by the local crows and magpies and would charge or fly straight at them when they came too close. They quickly learnt to stop bothering it!
Watching this magnificent bird up close for so long was a real treat, and I couldn’t have asked for more! Hopefully they’ll continue to thrive and one day be as common here in the UK as they once were.