Copyright ©2022 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
At the end of February I met up with some friends one of them Gordon from https://undiscoverdimagesamongstus2.wordpress.com/ We met up in Oregon in the Klamath Basin region to do some birding. We were hoping to see American Bald Eagles and the other usual winter suspects.
What we didn’t expect was to see 17 American Bald Eagles around and on the first pond we went to!
You know we hit that pond several times while there mornings, and afternoons.
The first morning we were all together was Saturday we rose early and headed to the pond. It was a chilly 14 degrees Fahrenheit, but we saw Eagles. Later that afternoon we went back and saw an Eagle trying to retrieve its prey from the icy pond water.
It missed, but oh, it was so cool seeing it try.
It landed in the water then pulled up and swung around again for another pass.
This time it tried a different approach, and missed again!
Then it just flew away leaving us wondering if this was just retrieving practice?
It was quite exciting and entertaining to watch and one of the highlights of the week-end.
Fun Facts:
The American Bald Eagle has been the national emblem of the United States since 1782.
These magnificent birds aren’t really bald, but their white-feathered heads gleam in contrast to their chocolate brown bodies and wings.
Rather than do their own fishing, Bald Eagles often go after other creatures’ catches. A Bald Eagle will harass a hunting Osprey until the smaller raptor drops its prey in midair, where the eagle swoops it up. A Bald Eagle may even snatch a fish directly out of an Osprey’s talons. Fishing mammals (even people sometimes) can also lose prey to Bald Eagle piracy.
Had Benjamin Franklin prevailed, the U.S. emblem might have been the Wild Turkey. In 1784, Franklin disparaged the national bird’s thieving tendencies and its vulnerability to harassment by small birds. “For my own part,” he wrote, “I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen the Representative of our Country. He is a Bird of bad moral Character. He does not get his Living honestly. … Besides he is a rank Coward: The little King Bird not bigger than a Sparrow attacks him boldly and drives him out of the District.”
Sometimes even the national bird has to cut loose. Bald Eagles have been known to play with plastic bottles and other objects pressed into service as toys. One observer witnessed six Bald Eagles passing sticks to each other in midair.
The largest Bald Eagle nest on record, in St. Petersburg, Florida, was 2.9 meters in diameter and 6.1 meters tall. Another famous nest—in Vermilion, Ohio—was shaped like a wine glass and weighed almost two metric tons. It was used for 34 years until the tree blew down.
Immature Bald Eagles spend the first four years of their lives in nomadic exploration of vast territories and can fly hundreds of miles per day. Some young birds from Florida have wandered north as far as Michigan, and birds from California have reached Alaska.
Bald Eagles occasionally hunt cooperatively, with one individual flushing prey towards another.
Bald Eagles can live a long time. The oldest recorded bird in the wild was at least 38 years old when it was hit and killed by a car in New York in 2015. It had been banded in the same state in 1977.
Once endangered by hunting and pesticides, Bald Eagles have flourished under protection.
Fun Facts gleaned from All About Birds
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Bald_Eagle/
I will be sharing more images from this trip in future posts. Until then I hope you cut loose a little and have a lovely week-end! 😀
Fuji X-T3| Fujinon 100-400mm| PS CC 23.2.1
more to come…
Circadianreflections Blog 
Wow! Like the post about them on your lawn too! It would not let me comment on that one.
Such a magnificent bird! I never tire of seeing them. Your photos are fantastic!!
Thank you so much, Jill! I never tire of seeing them either. I love that they’re making a comeback here in the lower 48!
Such a great post!
I heard about the wild Turkey and now I know more
Also – if this topic comes up in a conversation I might just come back to your blog and read this post !
Loved the landing and action shots of a wonderful bird and symbol
Thank you so much, Yvette! It was an exciting week-end seeing so many and this one trying to get that duck!
;0)
Fabulous! This must have been an exciting shoot for you … I can hear the shutters clicking! I’m so happy they have made a successful comeback. We see them around here too.
It was exciting! Thank you so much for the lovely comment. I’m glad you have Eagles there too and they’re making a wonderful comeback.
So lovely
You’re welcome..🌿
Fantastic snaps..
Thank you so much, Sri Raj!!
Wonderful shots, Deborah! I think they are beautiful birds but I do agree with Franklin. Even the Osprey would have been a better choice. They are fierce hunters and fishers. I’m so glad you had this time to spend with them, though. Birds are so amazing.
Thank you so much, Cheryl! Now, the Osprey would have been a good choice! 😀
These are awesome captures, Deborah!! The fourth photo with the full wingspan is a prize shot, congratulations!! I got a little scared with the last photo of the Eagle heading over towards the Ruddy Duck. 😉
Thank you so much, Donna! It was exciting to see, but very weird as to why it didn’t pick it up and fly off with it? It didn’t bother the Ruddy Ducks at all, it flew off into the distance.
I have a same weird story I just posted on my latest Eagle encounter. “My” Eagle also did not pick up and fly with it’s prey. I think the prey was too big or heavy? lol
That is weird! I haven’t received the link or email notifying me of your new post. That’s weird too! Hopefully, it shows up soon. If not I’ll come looking for it. 😀
🤔 I posted it on Monday.
Fabulous action shots! I had heard the story about Benjamin Franklin wanting the wild turkey as our national emblem but I hadn’t read about his reasons.
Thank you so much, Janis! I knew he wanted the Turkey but not why until I wrote this post. 😀
Interesting about that one and the fish, one has to wonder! You did a nice job of capturing the action even it the Eagle didn’t do his part! Love the all the facts about Bald Eagles
Thank you so much, John!
I really enjoyed learning more about the bald eagle. Benjamin Franklin had some good points. Of course your photography captured it beautifully. Thank you, Deborah!
Thank you so much, Jennie! 😀
You’re welcome, Deborah!
😀
Oh, wow! What an experience to see that. You captured it beautifully. Hugs on the wing!
Thank you so much, Teagan! Hugs! 🤗
Great action shots, Deborah, and thanks for the information. I am always amazed that they can even see a fish, in the water, from the heights at which they soar. Poor guy, I hope he has better luck next time.
Thank you, Dan! I know what you mean! I wonder if they suffer from aging eyes like I am. I hope it had better luck and found something to eat later. It really was weird seeing it give up on it, perhaps it was just playing and practicing it’s grab and go technique?
Stay warm over there. I hear there’s another storm coming your way.
It’s raining now, Deborah. They say it might change to snow around 2:00 (when I head back to our daughter’s place), but it doesn’t look like we’re going to get much.
How cool you’re going to see Faith! I just got home from seeing Baby Girl and the boys for a couple of days, so I’m excited for you. Drive safe and have a lovely visit!
Love the photos and the detailed description. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much, Robert!!
How exciting! Love the photos.
It was exciting as it’s not something I see often. Thanks so much, Janet!!
You have to admire its perseverance. Beautiful sequence of photos, Deborah 😊. Interesting info as well!
Thank you so much, Belinda!! You really have to wonder why he gave up on it?
Great experience and wonderful photos.
Thank you so much, Judy! It was pretty cool.
I had no idea that bald eagle nests can be as large and heavy as the two you singled out.
Isn’t that something! I knew they were huge, and I’ve seen some large ones, but never that big!
What a brilliant collection of photos, Deborah. Wasn’t it Ansel Adams that said “Sometimes I arrive just when God’s ready to have somone click the shutter.” I am delighted that you were able to see the landing in reality. It is fun to see the world through the lens of your camera!
Thank you so much ,Rebecca!! You’re right it was Ansel Adams that said that. We were at the right place and time for sure! 😀
Nice capture! You got almost the same series of shots of that BE missing the prey; I wondered how did it miss a non-moving target!
That was a fun adventure; never thought I would see the BEs “ice skating”! I still have to review and edit my shots.
I imagine we all got very nearly the same series.😀 It was an exciting weekend of great birds and friends. Did you pick up any Lifers!
Most are lifers for me cause I don’t always know the species I shot🤣. That white Hawk that we all saw for the first time was exciting; I think I got it BIF so I’ll have to look to see what I shot.
Also, I think the “Golden Eagle” might be a juvenile BE. It didn’t have the white feathers under the wings and the white and black feather band on its tail that I saw in photos describing the differences between the GE and Juvenile BE.
I believe you’re right about that, Gordon!
Oh Deborah, so much fun and info I didn’t know! And you met Gordon, lovely. In this I find such poignant symbolism:
“In 1784, Franklin disparaged the national bird’s thieving tendencies and its vulnerability to harassment by small birds.”
Yes, it was great seeing Gordon and our other friends.
It’s so funny to see the little birds harassing the Eagles.One wonders why they don’t fight back?
Thank you so much, Manja!!😀
I am with you regarding the Turkey it just isn’t as majestic as the Bald Eagle even though the males are gorgeous with their tail feathers on display. Thank you so much, Ally!
A super group of photos, Deborah. I enjoyed your facts about the bald eagle too.
Thank you so much, John!!
😁
I knew Ben Franklin wasn’t on Team Bald Eagle, but I’m not sure that his alternate choice, a wild turkey, is that swell either. Stunningly beautiful photos.
Fantastic images! Well done. 😊👏
WOW! Your images of the eagle are fantastic! What an amazing thing to see.
Thank you so much!! It was so cool to see that Eagle.😀