When wildlife refuses to cooperate

I had this hilarious moment while trying to photograph an eagle soaring above the cliffs of the Olympic Peninsula. Every time I adjusted my lens for the shot, the bird decided to dive straight for a fish — suddenly, it was a scaly dinner instead of my perfect shot! Just goes to show, sometimes nature has its own comedic timing.

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌​‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‌‌‍​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍⁠‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‍‌‍​⁠​⁠​‌‌‍‍‌‌‍⁠‌‌​‌⁠‌⁠‍​‌​​‌​⁠​⁠‌‌​‍​⁠‌‍‌​​‌​⁠​​‌‍‍⁠‌⁠​​‌‍​‍​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌​​

, I can totally relate! Just the other day, I was trying to capture a heron and every time I’d think I had the shot lined up, it would take off. It’s like they have a sixth sense for when our cameras are ready! Ever thought about using a longer lens to get some distance?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​​⁠‌‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠​​​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌​‍‍‌⁠‌‌‌​​‌‌‍​‍‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‍​‌‌​‍‍‌‍⁠‍​⁠‌​​⁠‌‌‌‍‌‍‌‍⁠⁠‌​⁠‌​‍⁠‌‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌

I feel you on that! I was once filming a pelican and every time I hit record, it’d just dive under the water for a snack. It’s like they know when we’re at the ready! @lehe444, have you tried pre-focusing on a spot they frequent?

‌⁠‍⁠​‍​‍‌⁠‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌⁠‌⁠​​‌‍‍‍​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍⁠​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍‌⁠​‍‌‍‌‌‌⁠​​‌‍⁠​‌⁠‍‌​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​⁠‌⁠​⁠‌​​⁠‌‍​⁠​⁠​⁠‌⁠​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‌​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠​‍​⁠​​​⁠​‍​⁠‌‍​⁠​​​⁠‌‍​⁠​‌​⁠​⁠​‍​‍​‍⁠​​‍​‍‌‍‍​​‍​‍​⁠‍‍​‍​‍​⁠‌⁠‌‍⁠‌‌‌‌‌‌​‍‍‌​​⁠‌‍​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌⁠‌‍​⁠‌‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍​⁠‌​‌‍​⁠​‍​‍‌⁠⁠‌