Bald Eagle - Our National Symbol - Vol. #5

An immature flying by .......

More great pictures Linth. That's interesting about the herons.

That's a great shot of the vultures. I'm told that our Golden Eagles usually fly with the vultures here and are very hard to spot. I don't think you've ever mentioned that you've seen one there. According to my Sibley Guide, there have been rare sightings of them in your area, hope you find one.

I'm tracking two female Golden Eagles on the internet that winter in the Chesapeake Bay area. They are working their way south. One was in western Pennsylvania and the other in New Jersey the last time I could confirm a location. 'Avayalik' spends her summers in Labrador and Quebec. 'Salluit' spends her summer in Quebec, about 1500 miles from the Chesapeake Bay area. They could be in the neighborhood right now ? I'm sure that there are others that pass through here, also.

In the meantime, here is another adult Bald Eagle.

And, another ........

Same eagle ........

An immature, or juvenile .....

A few more from last weekend ......

Another .....

Another fly-by .......

Last one from previous weeks ......

Charlie.... as always... just Wow!!!
Excellent photos!
I sure hope I can get there some time...
it will now be after Christmas if I do.

Great Shots Linth!!

Beautiful shots Linth!

More great shots Linth!!

Ditto!

Some discussion about eagles in the iris forum thread on voles. Thought you all might get a kick out of this article from 1895 that stormyla found: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9803E7DB173CE433A2575AC1A9639C94649ED7CF

Thank you all ......

Va_Wild_Rose, I do hope that you get there sometime. This season has been a little unpredictable, however. I've had some rather mediocre days. Mediocre means 20-30 Bald Eagles.

Stories of eagle attacks are not unheard of. In most instances it occurs when one is invading the eagles world, usually during the nesting season. Here's another incident in New Hampshire several years ago. Also, wildlife researchers that climb up trees, to tag eaglets, must be extra careful.

http://home.hccnet.nl/r.goedegebuur/roofvog/amerikaansezeearende.html

Just playing around with this photo .........

I actually like this one better ......

I would love to see an eagle fetch a football.
Philadelphia should draft him.
They glide overhead occasionally usually when
weather changes -- a couple of weeks ago there
was a few heading south--
now a big ole cold snap.
We aren't as smart as we think we are.
BTW wonderful photography and commentary, read
and look and follow. Thanks for taking the time to put
this on.

dirt, are recently drafted players in Philadelphia called eaglets ? They're currently flying high and nesting at the top of NFL eastern division. I root for all birds, i.e. Ravens, Eagles, etc.

Try being a Seahawk fan these days.

One more thought on the last linked story.
Do people where you camp out try to feed the birds
to get them closer? Seems a fish monger would be
doing good business down there.

I'd be getting those stuffed swordfish off the mantle and
tease them into a closeup.

"Hey you -- ya the short guy-- I got this fish costume and
I wanna pay you to..... hey wait .. don't go...."

just thinking and the ideas are just flowing .... (when I do it hurts my head)
eaglets-- ya thats what I would call them and have your running shoes on.
keep up the good work.

dirt, to answer your question: where I go they do not feed the Bald Eagles. For the most part that is discouraged by wildlife biologists. Case in point is the 'Eagle Lady' in Homer, Alaska who fed the eagles for years as photographers came there in droves to photograph the Bald Eagle, up-close and personal. The town has since passed an ordinance forbidding the feeding of the eagles. Ms. Keene passed away in early, 2009 at age 85.

I've posted the second link before but in case you missed it is a unique journey into the land of the Bald Eagle. It's well worth the trip. Hope you enjoy it. I see Woody Dawson just about every weekend where I photograph the Bald Eagles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiAtFvr1C0o&NR=1

http://www.woodyseagles.com/10.html

Well, I'm back ..... this past Saturday was a great day despite the sub-freezing temperatures. However, I think I'm getting too old to stand 6-7 hours in freezing weather. When I get back home, I'm no good for a day or two. Anyway, I'm nearing the end of "my" season photographing the Bald Eagle. I've probably put nearly 70 hours into this endeavor. It really never gets boring but I want to move on to other birding subjects. Nonetheless, I have taken enough photos to extend this thread into Volume #6.

I might add that I met up with Methodical the previous weekend at the Conowingo Dam. He has farther to drive than I but I noticed he was back on Friday. He's hooked !!!! We both frequent some of the same "hotspots" here in Maryland so it was a pleasure bumping into him again. As time goes on, I'm sure he will be posting some incredible eagle images.

This is the kind of shot that keeps one going back. Although acceptable, I would prefer it to be against the blue sky with better lighting. It is difficult to truly reflect the sensations one physically observes while in eagle territory. The constant confrontations are awe-inspiring. Here you see one eagle with a fish, both in an acrobatic position with talons open. So many fish are dropped during these encounters. This past weekend, we had three fish drop in the parking area almost landing on parked vehicles (or our heads).

And the chase is on .....

And the confrontation continues ........

Would you rather be the "chaser" or the "chasee" ? And then if a third or fourth eagle gets into the act, the one with the fish doesn't stand a chance ........

On Saturday, because of the lower temperature, the hydro-electric plant was generating power most of the day. The water flow was rapid and the water level was higher, forcing many of the eagles that normally sits on the rocks across the river to find an alternate sitting location, and food source. There are a number of towers in the area which serve as a resting spot. In fact one of the resident eagles will most likely nest again in one of these towers.

And another near the towers ......

Last one for tonight ......

Nice Shots Linth!! Your first one (today's post) is my favorite. Nice Captures!!

Wow Charlie! What a great weekend you had! Excellent shots!

Great shots, Linth. Maybe Ben Franklin was right.

Thank you all ......

“Give an eagle a fish; you have fed him for a day. Teach an eagle to fish; and you have fed him for a lifetime”. Those words sound familiar ? Some eagles never learn, just like humans !!!

Margaret, Ben Franklin was way off base. He preferred the Turkey to the Bald Eagle because of the eagle's "bad moral character". He didn't acknowledge that the Bald Eagle mates for life whereas the wild turkey is a very promiscuous specie. I just can't envision the Wild Turkey on our coins and currency or at the top of a flag pole, representing our country. Ben Franklin had one too many jolts of electricity ..........(lol).

Linth, I know there was a smile on your face every time you clicked that camera. You said it perfectly when you talked about the sensations one gets when watching these beauties. Your love for these creatures comes through your photos. They're all beautiful and so clear. Sorry that that cold took so much out of you. Your good health does come first.

Thanks, duc. I just spend too much time out there without taking a break. I never want to leave where I'm standing to grab lunch, or go to the bathroom. I know when I leave something exciting is going to happen. And, standing is actually worse than walking. Anyway, it is all worthwhile.

Here is an adult against the blue sky.

A low flying adult a few feet above the river ........

A juvenile flying above. Often these eagles are so close and moving so fast that I just get parts of the eagle on some frames.

An adult flying above with wings spread .......

And another ......