Eagle Through the Trees

I'd like to think I know what I'm doing.  Or sometimes have a little more luck than I'm entitled.  The truth is often somewhere in between.
First, the restrictions on Michiganders have been reduced.  I can go out and about, solo.  And that is a good start.  And this evening was a nice one.  Perfect time for a few breaths of fresh air with the Park Eagle family.
And this evening was a good time.  While waiting for the Eagles to do something, anything, my little area was visited by a wood pecker.  How neat.  And I saw a muskrat swimming less than 10 feet away from me.  I was blending with Nature.  
It was so nice and quiet.  One small duck flew past me so close I could hear the wings flapping.  Serious.  And later in the story, the Eagle flew close to overhead of me, I could hear its wings as well.
To the Eagle chapter.
I was in my watching spot for about 45 minutes tonight.  As to the primary action, the Eagle first showed up from somewhere I didn't expect.  Usually the Eagles approach the nest from above, or higher than the nest.  The tend to land, like an airplane, coming down.  Not this evening.  The approach was from below the nest.  This approach came from out of the lower trees.  No time for camera, but very cool to see.  I'm guessing that this was the shift egg sitter doing some close by wing stretching.  Usually where there are two Eagles in the nest area, one usually leaves and sits close by.  In this case, after the Eagle arrived, I never saw it in the nest.  Optical lines.  I've also noticed that the Eagles usually don't leave the nest in a quick manor.  They will stand on the edge of the nest, look around, test the wind and go.  And this evening, that was not the case.  One move out of the nest and it was coming in my direction.  I was lucky to get that 6 pounds of glass pointed in the right direction.
I did get a few good shots, more than I missed.  But this one is the winner for me this evening.  Not because of the subject, but because....   Going back tot he beginning, I'd like to think I know what I'm doing.
I usually shoot with single point auto focus.  Today, was a bit different.  Tonight I was using Dynamic Area AF 9 points.  All cameras have some form of this.  So, I had a good lock on the Eagle out of the nest.  The D780 and monster lens locked on FAST.  And the AF worked fine, even with this tree trying to photo bomb the picture.  Focus Tracking with Lock On.  Sure, I left the defaults in, but it worked.  The AF kept the lock through the tree.
This is awesome.

Eagle Through the Trees

NIKON D780 Ver.01.00/200-500mm f/5.6E

270 mm, 1/1,000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 180 (AUTO)

MANUAL Mode, Size FX

For the things I didn't do right, I left a lot of lens in the bag.  This is aggressively cropped.  The the D780 could handle it.  Looks great on the monitor.  Eye is sharp.  Miracle shot?  Or lucky?  Or somewhere in between?