Here is the hillside where I look out on an eagle-nest vista.
Very often, the sun has not yet reached over the hill, the eagle mom is motionless, and the only sound from the occasional passing car or coyotes howling in the distance. I fiddle with my camera, trying to keep one eye on the nest and peripheral vision everywhere. It's cold, I put on gloves and my extra hood. I grab my tea and take sip, check my settings. Oh, damn, he just flew in, missed it! The eaglet pops up for a second then down. the mom jumps to the side of the nest as dad maneuvers the branch into position. Then I start shooting and the struggle with the branch, the eaglet almost in the way, begins. My camera is silent, the only sign of photos being taken is a flashing green box around the scene in the viewfinder. I let up my finger as the dad turns his back and the chick goes down again. Somewhere in those 50-100 shots I just took is a keeper. I smile and try to view the previous photos knowing I might miss a fly-out. I do miss it. I laugh at myself and say out loud "You idiot!" and turn back to watching watching watching.
Soon I am completely blissed out. 4 hours pass in a dream of all shades of green and blue. I shoot the comings and goings, the feeding, the preening, the nest repair. I take home 3000 photos and a full heart.