I paid a visit to my favorite nest site last weekend and was happy to see both eaglets were doing well. They are nearly the same size as the parents now and will probably fledge in the next couple of weeks. Lots of leaves in the way prevent a good view unfortunately. I did get some pics of them together and then of both flapping their wings as they practice for flight. Young or old, these are such impressive creatures.
Bald Eagle shows just how majestic it can be
I imagine this guy standing there saying, “I am MARVELOUS!” 😀
This is the male at one of the nests that I observe. He had gone on a bit of a fishing trip earlier in the morning and was doing this to dry himself out. This pose is more often associated with Turkey Vultures who do it in the morning to warm up before taking flight. However, I have seen eagles do it every now and then.
He does indeed look impressive in this pose and it does a great job of showcasing the six foot wide wingspan of these massive raptors.
Have a fantastic, Freedom Friday!
Male Bald Eagle works hard on the home
This guy has got to be the hardest working male Eagle I have ever seen. He is constantly with doing home repairs or fetching food for his growing family. His mate is definitely spoiled as she rarely has to do any of the work.
On this day, he plunged to the ground beneath the stand of trees where their nest is, disappearing out of sight. When he reappeared, he not only had grass in his talons which is common, he even had a mouthful of it! This is the only time I have ever seen an eagle do this.
Bald eagles have been a spiritual symbol of Native Americans for hundreds of years. There were variations between tribes as to the eagles’ symbolism but for most it generally represented bravery, wisdom, strength and courage. It was believed that the eagles carried prayers to the Great Spirit.
Have a fantastic Freedom Friday!
Bald Eagle brings home American Coot for breakfast
I had spent all morning hanging out at one of my favorite Bald Eagle nests. While the female and her two eaglets were around, the male was nowhere to be found. Just as I was packing up, I see him come flying in. I quickly started snapping pictures as I could see he was carrying something.
Once he landed I could tell – he had caught himself an American Coot! He sat just below the nest, enjoying his meal, shredding it as he did. After a time and having had his fill, he took the leftovers to the nest for the rest of his family. The light was pretty harsh by the time all this action took place so the pics aren’t the greatest but it sure was fun to witness!
Taken southwest of Denver, Colorado.
Regal Eagle looking forward to the weekend
Regal Eagle looking forward to the weekend. And, so am I! TGIF! I feel like I have been put through the grinder after a rough week at work. With any luck, my wildlife friends will do a good job helping me let off some steam with weekend.
This handsome fellow you have seen many times before as he and his mate maintain a nest in northern Colorado. When I saw him this past Sunday, he was hanging out about a quarter mile from home. For an hour I watched him and the majority of the time he just slept. With two little eaglets at home, maybe he isn’t get much sleep at night. 😉
Bald Eagle soaks in the sunrise
Sometimes it is better when your subject is a bit farther off and you don’t zoom in all the way. Such is the case, I believe, with this image. The sun was rising and it had colored the clouds to the west in pastels while shedding just a bit of light on him. He seemed to be reveling in it, soaking in the scene unfolding before him. I can’t blame him! We live in a pretty darned awesome place with some amazing creatures.
Female Bald Eagle stretches her wings in an early morning flight
This past Sunday I made a long overdue visit to this nest southwest of Denver, Colorado. The mated pair of eagles here supposedly have two little eaglets they are caring for so I figured there would be a good bit of activity. I was not disappointed.
Dad was the doting father he always is, taking a turn feeding the little ones and performing some home maintenance. As the sun came up, Mom decided to take a break from keeping the little ones warm and went for a brief flight.
As she returned to the nest, she obliged me with a nice, head on pass, one of the images of which you see here. She looked absolutely resplendent in the golden light of the rising sun and it makes for a great image for posting on Freedom Friday. Have a great weekend and TGIF!
Beautiful Bald Eagle poised to launch into the weekend
I suspect many of us are similarly posed, at least in our minds, as we get ready to enjoy some much-needed time off. TGIF, right? 😉
This pic was taken about a month ago at my local nest. The female had hopped out briefly to stretch her wings and here is jumping right back to her egg warming duty.
Sadly, the eggs here appear to have failed though as they should have hatched by now and there has been no activity. 🙁 The adults are still hanging out in the area though so there is a slight chance they try again yet this season.
Bald Eagle in flight by dawn’s early light
I arrived at my photo destination along the South Platte River a couple weeks ago just as the sun was coming up. The mated pair of Bald Eagles were doing a ‘changing of the guard’ with the female ready for a break.
She hopped out and went to a neighboring tree while the male stayed at the nest. After a bit of preening, it was time to get back to her eggs and the beautiful lady launched into the air. Light was still kind of low but its golden glow really put some nice light on her as she flew by me.
Mornings don’t get much better than this! A great image for Freedom Friday and I can say TGIF because that means I get a couple days with the hopes to see some of these majestic creatures.
Bald Eagle displays amazing feat of agility
Truly astounding. Couldn’t believe this massive raptor was able to balance itself on such a tiny twig. I’ve been observing eagles for years but have never seen anything like this. Happy April Fools Day. 😉