Copyright ©2017 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm @460mm| f/5.6| ISO800| 1/1600s| Hoodman Digital Film|PS CC 2017
more to come…
Copyright ©2017 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
I received my long lens back from service and couldn’t wait to get out and try it, but I got that bug so, didn’t go out to try it until yesterday (Sun. June 18th). I headed over to Milpitas to see if the American Bald Eagle Fledgling was out of the nest testing its wings. I arrived just before 7 A.M. I didn’t have to wait long before it started flapping its wings and hopping onto a branch outside the nest.
It sat on the branch surveying the land for a bit then turned around and did a hop/fly combo back to the nest where it tucked itself down out of sight. It remained out of sight for over an hour. As we waited the morning got hotter, and hotter. When I left just before noon, hot, sweaty, and very thirsty it was 96º degrees Fahrenheit. The high hit a record breaking 103º F! That broke the 1945 record of 99º F.
Myself and several other photographers, and birders were patiently waiting for one or both of the parents to return with food, and of course we wanted the Fledgling to come up out of the nest again, but quite a few people left as it began getting hot and there wasn’t anything to see.
Finally, the young Eagle got restless and called its parents to no avail then it began to jump and flap its wings again. It jumped way up and flew to the branch! It stayed there awhile pecking at the branch and looking around then suddenly it made a leap of faith into space and FLEW!!! Its maiden flight! A Fledgling at last!
Oh, I wish you were there to see it, to feel our anxiety and hope for success, and hear our joyous cries of delight when the young Eaglet made that leap of faith and flew to a neighboring tree!
There are quite a few images today, and the story doesn’t end here! Because there are so many images I’ll share the rest of the story another day. I hope you enjoy these first images of the young Eagle’s Maiden Flight.
Popping up to check out what’s happening…
Lemme test out my take off, and wing position. I wonder…
Ha! I’m outside of the nest! Okay, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.
Ready. Set.
GO!
Okay, wings start flapping already!!
Oh, nearly there I can make it! Talons ready, tail in position…wings open…
Ta Da!!! I made it, I made it! Where’s Mom? Now, how do I get back to the nest?
Nikon D810| Nikkor 200-500mm| Hoodman Digital Film| PS CC 2017
more to come…
Copyright © 2017 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2017
More to come…
Copyright ©2017 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
If I’m lucky I get to see and photograph a Hooded Oriole once during Spring. This year I was lucky! Isn’t he beautiful?
I was photographing the Bald Eagle when it left it’s perch and flew away. After watching it soar higher and higher into the thermal stream I turned around to head to the car for the next birding location and, there this Hooded Oriole was! It must have been watching and waiting for the Eagle to leave so it could claim the perch for a little while.
Have a great and cheery week-end everyone!
Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2017
More to come…
Copyright ©2017 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Saturday I paid another visit to the wildlife refuge with the Anna’s Hummingbird chicks to see their progress. Seeing them was nothing short of amazing! Each visit brings new delights, and wonder to my eyes and soul.
They were bigger and their feathers, and colors were more like Hummingbirds now. I must have just missed Mom when I got there.
It wasn’t long before she returned to feed them. Here’s probably the last image I’ll have of them together as a family.
After feeding the chicks rested a minute. Then the one on the right got very active flapping its wings preparing for flight.
…and before I knew it it did an in flight turn just milliliters above the nest and BOOM! it was on the branch! ” Ta Da! Look! I’m as big and beautiful as Mom!”
Siblings on the verge of Adulthood, and Flight.
I heard yesterday that they are flying around well above the branches now. They’ll be leaving the nest today I think.
I feel so blessed and lucky to have seen these two delightful gifts of nature.
Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2017
More to come…
Copyright ©2017 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Here’s the post I promised on Monday here that I would be sharing this week about a birding surprise.
After sunrise, and a little birding last Saturday Gordon, myself, and another friend went to breakfast then we headed over to another part of Don Edward’s Wildlife Refuge to check out the Anna’s Hummingbird on her nest.
I had heard from a good friend that she had had her brood of two. There were indeed two chicks in the nest, and their eyes were open!
They waited for Mama to return to the nest with food! They were so quiet. I thought they would be peeping constantly, but they didn’t. They look too big for the nest already don’t they. Mom must sleep on top of the nest with them smooched down into the nest to keep them warm at night.
This nest isn’t deep in the canopy either! It’s pretty exposed.
When the chicks are new their Mom will leave the nest for very short periods of time. Just a minute up to 15 minutes to find food. The chicks can’t keep warm without her so she doesn’t dare leave them alone long. Once they can regulate their own temperatures and keep warm she leaves the nest to forage for food for up to 20 minutes. This Mom would leave for 15-20 minutes, but return to do buzz or hover check several times too.
Here is the Female/Mom just returning from a food sortie.
Two little beaks hungry and not patient anymore.
Food at last!
She eats insects and drinks nectar which she regurgitates as a liquid mixture into the open mouths of the chicks. She’s on the go constantly hunting for food and feeding the chicks every 20 minutes! The male doesn’t help at all feeding or raising the chicks. If the male does come around the Female will chase him away b/c she finds him a threat to the chicks.
These chicks are already a couple of weeks old. At 3 weeks old they will look more like Hummingbirds, and will be testing out their wings more to get ready for flight. Once they’re flying the Female will show them how to catch bugs, and drink nectar, and within a few days of that the chicks will fly away as adults never to return to the nest.
I can’t tell you how amazing this was to watch and photograph! It was gift! It’s so moving, and beautiful watching her feed the chicks and knowing how dedicated she is, and how tired she must be. These images were made on March 18, 2017
I dropped by Thursday afternoon (3/23) to see them. They were still in the nest with Mama feeding them every 20 minutes. There was quite a crowd there, and I had #1 Grandson with me. He got a kick out seeing the chicks too. I didn’t break out my camera today. I was holding #1 in my arms so he could see them, but I’m hoping I can get back over once more before they fly from the nest which may be as early as a week and a half away.
For more information about Hummingbird chicks you can visit http://www.worldofhummingbirds.com/baby.php
Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2017
Have a wonderful week-end everyone!
More to come…
