Chance encounter with white-bellied sea eagle and eel reaps rewards for photographer Greg Close

Amateur photographer Greg Close was testing out his new kayak when an eagle flew over his shoulder and provided him with a stunning picture. CHECK OUT THE PHOTO >>

A white-bellied sea eagle snatching an eel out of the Mersey River at Latrobe. Picture: Greg Close.

“Pure luck” is how amateur photographer Greg Close describes capturing an image of a white-bellied sea eagle snatching an eel.

He snapped the picture while kayaking around Pig Island on the Mersey River at Latrobe.

Having started his journey in underwater photography in the late 1970s, Mr Close said he had to switch to drier land after a medical condition prevented him from scuba diving.

“I got into nature photography with birds being a prime interest because they are quite a challenge,” he said.

“I’m looking at anything that looks quite interesting, and getting them doing something interesting is a prime thing to do.”

A white-bellied sea eagle perched in a tree near Pig Island on the Mersey River at Latrobe. Picture: Greg Close.

Despite his fascination with birds, Mr Close said he was on the water near Pig Island to test his new kayak.

“The sea eagle came in from behind; I didn’t see, I didn’t know it was there. It caught me by surprise.

“I got two photos out of the set that were usable, and the rest were either blurred or were not framed properly because it was a matter of pulling the camera out and hope for the best.

“It was just pure luck that I was able to catch it at all because it was totally unexpected for it to come in straight over my shoulder.”

He said the unknown of nature photography attracted him to it.

“You’ve got to be prepared to a degree; you don’t quite know what you’re going to be prepared for most of the time,” he said.

“So you set your camera up so that it’ll be somewhere near the mark for whatever turns up. I’d say 80 per cent of the time I go out, I don’t get a decent photograph.”

White-bellied sea eagles are listed as a vulnerable species in Tasmania.

Eric Woehler is a bird ecologist based in Hobart who has received an Order of Australia medal for his work in the field.

“We’re very fortunate in Tasmania to have as many of the sea eagles that we do,” Dr Woehler said.

“And in some ways, it’s easy for people to become complacent about the eagles.

“Given that so many people spend time in Tasmania close to the Coast, I think most people will be familiar with white-bellied sea eagles.”

Originally published as Chance encounter with white-bellied sea eagle and eel reaps rewards for photographer Greg Close