Flying with Geese and Bald Eagles-First Mavic Edit

[Egon Brainparts]

Got my Mavic about 3 weeks ago and recently had the chance to go bird watching in the Sacramento River delta of California. There are huge wintering populations of Snow Geese and other ducks this time of year, as well as tons of raptors that prey on them. The opportunity to check out the abundance of life from the sky was truly unbelievable.

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Shot with D-Cinelike -1, -1, -1 and Taco ND filters. Still not happy with mushy shadow areas...all in due time.

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[CactusJackSlade]

Very nice and quite beautiful and sorry to bag on you on your first post but this is exactly why we are not allowed to fly in (most) State Parks and all National Parks. This gives those agencies a good case against us. General rule of thumb: If the animal you are filming reacts (moves away from you) then you are harassing it/them. You were pretty obviously pursuing the Bald Eagle... and flushed birds numerous times. As a fellow flyer I'd ask that you take the video down or at least privatize it so only your friends can see it. Beautiful images, but not good for the drone users as a whole...

 

[Brutus]

****, you were in the middle of that bird swarm! Do you have balls made of steel or titanium?! Very nice video, but I do also have mixed feelings about disturbing the birds. At least in the Netherlands it's prohibited.


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[DroningOn]

Very nice!!

 

[Inayat]

Beautiful video... nice work....

 

[Lees23]

Some of the best footage that I have ever seen. Very cool

 

[Egon Brainparts]

Very nice and quite beautiful and sorry to bag on you on your first post but this is exactly why we are not allowed to fly in (most) State Parks and all National Parks. This gives those agencies a good case against us. General rule of thumb: If the animal you are filming reacts (moves away from you) then you are harassing it/them. You were pretty obviously pursuing the Bald Eagle... and flushed birds numerous times. As a fellow flyer I'd ask that you take the video down or at least privatize it so only your friends can see it. Beautiful images, but not good for the drone users as a whole...

Thanks for the kind words and constructive feedback. I should have indicated that none of this was filmed in any state or national parks or refuges and in no way do I want to bring negative attention towards drones in California(or anywhere else).
As for pursuing/flushing animals, I see why several shots appear to startle the birds, however the birds in many of these scenes were actually reacting to distant gun shots from hunters. I did however pan and "pursue" one of the Eagles I encountered...I had mixed feelings about the beauty I was witnessing tempered with worry that I was disturbing it's natural behavior. It's something that I've grappled with before doing ground bound wildlife photography and is a delicate balance. Either way I hear you and appreciate your input.

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[DroningOn]

Dude, you didn't do anything wrong. You don't have to explain anything to us..... again, great vid!

 

[erkme73]

One blind or clumsy bird and your drone is in the drink. Beautiful video, but wow, talk about luck/nerve. I might do that with my PV2+, but not this new one.

 

[juroda]

I get nervous when a flock fly close to mine. I had the impression that the drone would scare the birds away but they behave the opposite. About twice I have the mavic in the air and the flock would swoop around it. If a rotor would clip one, there goes my mavic. I'm pretty sure the bird would recover but not the drone.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

Dude, you didn't do anything wrong. You don't have to explain anything to us..... again, great vid!

I guess many new pilots don't get it.... although awesomely beautiful, my point is THIS is the kind of videos State and National Parks administrators use against us.

 

[Lees23]

Isn't a park and you aren't allowed to fly in parks anyway.