Where can you find Bald Eagles in Nova Scotia? – Everywhere!!!

Bald Eagles can be found year round in Nova Scotia, from one end of the province to the other. Living on the North Shore, barely a day goes by when I don’t see at least one and usually many:. They can be found in trees overlooking the water or an open field, soaring high above or having a snack on the side of the road or shore’s edge. Oh, and of course, in my back yard – startling me and giggling.

Driving around the province will provide many opportunities to observe and photograph eagles, but if you are looking for a convocation of eagles (many that you can get quite close to and photograph easily) my suggestions are:

Go to an Eagle Watch

1. The Sheffield Mills Eagle Watch – Held each year in March. This year was March 25-26. I, unfortunately was unable to get to Sheffield Mills this year as I had planned but it is on my list. I haven’t been in a number of years and can’t wait to go back. I believe there were over 100 eagles this year. I’m sure lots of amazing pictures were taken. The Sheffield Mills Community Association does it well – there is a breakfast available, parking and musical entertainment. It is very well organized and a wonderful weekend.
2. Bayview Rd., Pictou County, NS – Just up from the NS / PEI Ferry Terminal. The eagle watch in Pictou county is not an organized watch, like in Sheffield Mills and more of an incidental stop along your way. But, what a wonderful stop!

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There is no dedicated parking and no breakfast to buy, but you will see lots of Eagles!

Local farmers “feed” the eagles each winter (Mid- January to Mid-March) – well, they actually put organic waste on their field, which will be plowed into the soil in the spring to help rebuild the nutrients. The eagles; however, like to help break down the waste a get a treat as a reward for their work.

This site is on private property and although the farmers don’t seem to mind people stopping to take pictures please be mindful of bird watching and photography etiquette – don’t block the field driveways, respect the birds, the land and other drivers and photographers. Be quiet and respectful and you will get some amazing pictures.

3. Note: If you are state-side Alaska is a great destination for eagle watching. Check out the American Bald Eagle Festival held at the Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve each November.

How to photograph Bald Eagles

Cameras and Lenses

Any digital camera will do. It is recommended to use a camera with a good, high ISO as you will often find unfavourable lighting conditions when photographing eagles: early mornings, late evenings, fog, clouds and finding them hiding amongst the branches in the trees. I personally used a Canon Rebel for all of the shots in my gallery.

A lens of at least 400mm is suggested by most photographers but all of the pictures above have been taken with a 75-300mm lens and it works just fine. If you are able to purchase or have a more powerful zoom lens all the better. The stronger lens will result in greater clarity and allow for crisp images even when cropped in post processing. You can also add a teleconverter to stretch your lenses focal length.

Telephto lenses available at Amazon.ca and Amazon.com

Other Equipment

A tripod or monopod can be very helpful when photographing Bald Eagles especially those in the nest or stationary on the ground. If you are looking to photograph the raptors in flight, fishing or hunting; however all you’ll need is a steady hand. If you are taking shots from your vehicle a foam pad, bean bag or pillow can help stabilize your camera on the window frame. Staying in you vehicle can be less threatening to the birds and they may stay around a little longer so you can get in some extra shots.

Settings

The three main elements to control exposure when photographing a subject are:

• ISO – ISO refers to the sensitivity of the camera sensor or it’s light gathering ability – ISO of 200 is generally good for Eagles.
• f/Stop – the aperature controls the amount of light that enters the camera – it is measured in f-stops – An f-stop of f/11 is a good place to start.
• Shutter speed – the speed at which the shutter of the camera closes, a slow shutter speed allows more light to enter the camera and gives a greater exposure, a fast shutter speed creates a shorter exposure. Fast shutter speeds 1/1000sec or better are best for birds in flight helping to minimize the blur of wing movement.

The photos on this page were taken with the following:

• Camera – Canon Rebel 7Ti
• Lens – Canon Zoom Lens EF 75-300mm
• ISO between 100 and 200 – some of the closer eagles on the ground only required a 100 ISO where as the birds in flight needed 160 to 200
• f-Stop between f/6.3 and f/11
• Focal lens of 300mm

Bald Eagles – Facts

• Eagles can carry up to four times there body weight and have been known to pick up foxes and small deer (fawns).
• Bald Eagles breed predominately in Canada and head to the United States for Winter but some stay in coastal areas of Canada (like NS) year-round
• Only adult Bald Eagles have the signature white head and tail – a juvenile stays brown with modeled white patches until they reach sexual maturity (around age 5)
• Bald Eagles can grown up to 1m (3.3ft) in length, weigh 3.5-5kg (6.6-12lbs) and have a wingspan of 2-2.5m (6.6 – 8.5ft)
• Eagles are opportunistic feeders and will eat fish (their favourite), medium and large size birds (ducks, geese, heron and owls), and mammals (rabbits, raccoons, baby deer, squirrels, etc.)
• Bald Eagles can live 25-40 years and even longer.
• The females are usually larger than the males – up to 25% larger
• Bald Eagles live only in North America (Canada, The United States and Mexico)
• The Bald Eagle is a Symbol of the United States
• Bald Eagles have a wider field of vision than humans and can even see ultra-violet light
• Eagles nests are huge – they can be up to 1.2m (4 ft) deep and 1.5m (5 ft) wide.

Do you have a favourite Bald Eagle watching spot in Nova Scotia, let us know in the comments below.