Bald Eagle - Our National Symbol - Vol. #8

Excellent shots Linth! They really are gorgeous raptors!

Wow..I never knew this thread existed..so glad I ran across it. I really enjoyed the photo with the wing tips touching the water..Awesome!
Thank-You for sharing!

Awesome photos as always Linth! Love that one with the tongue.

The links sure were interesting, glad they used your photos. I hope Hudson will one day return so you can get more photos of him.

Thanks again, everyone ......

Another Bald Eagle "season" at Conowingo is now over, for me. I enjoy photographing them immensely but everything reaches a point of saturation. Over the past 5 years, I have taken nearly 30,000 photos of the Bald Eagles at the Conowingo Dam. That's a lot ! But, I have yet to take the photo that I am looking for .......I'll know it when I see it. So, I will be back at Conowingo again next year .......

In the meantime, I'll post a few more from this year.

An adult Bald Eagle flying by. For those that may be unfamiliar, a Bald Eagle reaches adulthood at age 5. At that stage, their head will be pure white.
From a juvenile through adulthood, one can determine its age pretty close, i.e. age 2, age 3, etc. The maturation brings on a gradual change in coloration.

An adult Bald Eagle that just lost his fish. This happens quite often. It's great for the photographer because there are other Bald Eagles always in the vicinity ready to nab it. It helps the photographer because if you see where it dropped you know another Bald Eagle will be there shortly to grab it.

A close up photo of a juvenile. Sometimes the eagle fills up the viewfinder and you are left with a partial Bald Eagle anyway.

A minor confrontation quite some distance away ......

Another adult Bald Eagle flying toward all of the photographers.

Note the fish in the Bald Eagle's talon ......

Oh Linth, I'm sorry that you're already stopping the trips to Conowingo, but I know it must be awfully cold there. These photos are just incredible. I especially loved the confrontation shot-wow. Our eagles aren't coming by the house as close as they have in past years and I feel lucky just seeing them sit on "their" favorite tree. Maybe someday I'll just have to get a longer lens, but until then I'll enjoy your photos.

Thanks, Duc ..... My season tends to be the "peak" season. There are always eagles here but not in the numbers as in the peak season. There are a lot of resident Bald Eagles in the Chesapeake Bay area but I don't go out of my way to photograph nesting Bald Eagles so as to not disturb them. And,local nesting sites are not openly advertised as to their whereabouts. It is starting to get a little cold but if the activity were better than it now is, one would soon forget about the cold. In the months ahead, I will be concentrating more on waterfowl, shorebirds, etc. I'm certain a lone Bald Eagle will somehow wander in front of my camera along the way.

I think this is the same Bald Eagle ......

An adult gliding toward me ...... I should have had a fish in my hand !

Lots of chases during the peak season .....

The Bald Eagles often glide near eye level to the vehicles crossing the bridge (in the background).

Another one near the dam breast ......

More of the same .....

A compilation of eight (8) different images as an adult Bald Eagle comes in for a fish .......

This has been such a fabulous thread, Linth. I've enjoyed every shot, as well as your commentary. Only 30,000 shots? Pfft. I know what you mean about hoping for the perfect shot. I look forward to seeing the other birds you are planning to photograph.

Margaret, just think how much 30K photos would have cost if it was Kodak film + processing !

This is a photo of a Bald Eagle that was too close to get the entire eagle or maybe (just maybe), the photographer just blew it !

The Bald Eagles are pairing off and starting to work on their nests. This is a photo of the resident Bald Eagle bringing in some nesting material to the nest high up in the tower .....

Taking a break from the daily grind of preparing the nesting site .....

More beautiful photos Linth. Your photos sure bring these beauties up close and personal.

Thanks, duc. I have a few more recent photos to post and then I will put this thread to rest. I have a lot more photos that I took at Conowingo this year but after a while they start looking alike.

This is a juvenile Bald Eagle with the electric towers in the background ......

Obviously, adult Bald Eagles photograph better than the immature eagles .......

An adult flying overhead .........

This adult looks as though he has his eye on something down below .....

One more adult flying by .......

That's all folks !!!

Obviously this is not an eagle photo but it is one of my recent "sightings". This is where a "Super" Telephoto Lens and a strong flash really comes in handy ! For many in this world it is already Christmas Day. So to all of the people around the world, may Santa, most of all, bring you the gift of Peace.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and the best of health and happiness, to everyone, in the New Year.

Great photos as always Linth. I had two here yesterday, but my photos sure aren't as clear as yours.

Merry Christmas and good health blessings to you too.

Wonderful shots Linth!
So glad you had your "Super" Telephoto Lens to capture that last one. :-)
Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year to you and yours!