A few years ago, Florida native Mark Smith sold off all his belongings and chose a carefree lifestyle, traveling across the United States in a motorhome to capture images of wildlife. He says this experience broadened his horizons, leading him to pursue his passion of photographing predatory birds hunting by the water’s edge.
Since settling back in his hometown in 2017, the 52-year-old Smith has been flying to Stewart Island on the coast of British Columbia, Canada every summer to capture the intense moments of birds hunting for food. At the Arran Rapids, one of the most dangerous tidal flows in the world, flocks of bald eagles can be seen soaring high, diving for food, and preying on hake.
The annual feast of birds has inspired Smith, highlighting the survival struggle of the eagles in contrast to his own trivial problems.
Smith shared, “This made me realize how insignificant my problems might be compared to these animals that hunt fish day in and day out for survival.” He added that he found the eagle’s fishing skills “very solid” and “humbling”.
The annual feast is caused by tidal surges that bring a large number of marine life from the deep sea to the surface. The weakened and dying fish are then exposed on the surface, swollen and fragile, easy prey for the bald eagles.
Smith usually travels to Stewart Island with his 26-year-old son, Torin, and their own cameras. They stay in a small cabin on the island and have attracted other bird photographers with their amazing videos posted on social media.
Last summer, Smith and Torin stayed and filmed for 10 days in the rainy weather. They, along with other photographers, rode inflatable boats through turbulent rapids to capture the majestic sight of the eagles in flight over the water surface.
Smith revealed that shooting at Arran Rapids requires experienced maritime survival skills. The strong currents there can be likened to moving mountains and the photographers must be able to move smoothly with the flow while keeping the birds in focus.
Throughout the 10-day stay, rain was a constant presence, but Smith praised the rainy weather, saying, “Rain scares off some photographers.”
One day, the weather conditions provided the perfect setting for water activities.
Smith revealed, “Just as the rain stopped, we encountered what’s called perfect lighting. When the clouds are plentiful, the lighting is very soft, allowing you to see more details of the flying birds.”
In a video shot that day, slow-motion droplets of water added drama as the iconic eagles geared up for action. The eagle descended, adjusting flight speed and direction precisely, its grey tones matching its resolute gaze. With a swift plunge, the eagle’s talons hooked onto the prey in the water, then ascended with its catch.
Smith first saw the eagle in the distance and realized its intentions as it flew towards his filming position. He quickly set up his camera and managed to capture the intense moment when the eagle snagged the hake, creating a whirlpool that nearly pulled both the eagle and the fish underwater.
Sharing hundreds of such breathtaking scenes on social media, Smith has become a small sensation online, with famous figures like Joe Rogan and Will Smith sharing his “Eagle Show” video clips.
After a day of shooting, as the tide receded, the eagles disappeared. With a few hours of daylight left, the crew searched for new subjects near Stewart Island.
“There are many large marine mammals there,” Smith disclosed. “There are humpback whales, orcas, Pacific white-sided dolphins, and Dall’s porpoises.”
Aside from the eagles, both land and marine animals eye the annual hake feast.
“There are sea lions, otters,” Smith said, “In some areas, bears even come into the water to gnaw on these fish.”
Smith showed a photo he took of a black bear, which revealed intricate details as the furry bear stared directly into his lens through the salmonberry bushes.
If the idea of so many carnivorous animals preying on these helpless fish seems ruthless, Smith pointed out that by the time the tide rolls these fish to the surface, their survival chances are slim. Pulled from the depths to the surface, these fish undergo a drastic change in pressure, with some of their organs already bursting — a condition known in humans as “the bends.”
“There are hundreds of fish floating on the surface, all near death. The eagles come to clean them up,” Smith explained. He added that last summer, there were so many fish on their last breath that the eagles couldn’t finish them all.
(Associated Press)