This young bald eagle is on the cusp of becoming an adult. Most likely around four years old, it is close to completely having the distinctive white head bald eagles are known for. Taken today in Adams County, Colorado.
Wildlife, landscape and weather photography
This young bald eagle is on the cusp of becoming an adult. Most likely around four years old, it is close to completely having the distinctive white head bald eagles are known for. Taken today in Adams County, Colorado.
The wingspan of a Bald Eagle is hard to appreciate until you are close to one and witness it yourself. A couple days ago one of these majestic raptors flew directly overhead and I was able to capture an image showcasing its size.
From tip to tip an average adult will measure from 6 to 7 1/2 feet while its body ranges from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 feet. By the way, notice the extreme detail of the feathers – all 7,000 of them!
A purposeful detour after work took me to ‘Raptor Road’ as I like to call it – a spot near Denver that usually has a variety of cool raptors. I was rewarded with multiple Bald Eagles including this one for which I had to slam on the brakes and come to a screeching halt from 40mph. Good thing it isn’t a busy road. 😉
A juvenile Bald Eagle seemed less than thrilled that a young Red Tailed Hawk joined him on his perch yesterday. The hawk soon headed off, apparently getting the idea of the cold shoulder.
I’ve posted pictures of this particular young eagle before but no flight shots. Saturday finally gave me the opportunity to snap a very nice one just after it launched itself into the air. This eagle and another juvenile have taken up residence in an area northeast of Denver, Colorado and can be seen regularly. Yesterday I actually watched this one chase off a mature eagle that had dared to land on a pole within its territory.
I was very happy to come across this majestic example just a few miles from my house. Funny story… It was perched right over a walking path where a number of folks were out and about taking advantage of the mild temperatures here in Denver. One lady walking her tiny little terrier comes by and when she sees the eagle above quickly scooped up the dog and double-timed it out of there. It was absolutely hilarious!
Anyway, it was definitely a day that shows how perseverance can pay off. It started a bit frustrating as the pair of eagles I was planning on taking pictures of weren’t in the spot they had been hanging out in the last couple of weeks. Took pictures of some other raptors that I wasn’t really proud of and then on the way home I notice this guy (or gal) right near a popular recreation area. Sheer luck but I am happy to have seen it.
The Bald Eagle is of course obvious but on first glance I thought the darker bird was a crow or raven. Upon closer inspection I came to realize it was a hawk, a dark morph Rough-Legged Hawk. Pretty excited about that as these are not particularly common in Colorado. These raptors winter in much of the lower 48 but actually spend summers nesting in the Arctic.
I absolutely love the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge here in Denver but on days like today it can be quite frustrating. Large areas are off limits to people and so when I see a scene like this with a bunch of Bald Eagles and can only view it from 1/4 mile away I want to pull my hair out. 😉
I spent a lot of time this morning looking for and following Bald Eagles along the South Platte River. Unfortunately none wanted to let me get very close. However, I was able to capture a fascinating (but poor quality) series of images of one fishing. The series here is actually this one’s third attempt to snag its breakfast. As you can see, it wasn’t successful – but it was a lot of fun to watch. Sorry for the poor quality. The action took place a long ways down river from me so these are very, very cropped.
Two young eagles have claimed an area north of Denver International Airport as their own. The pair is oftentimes perched on nearby utility poles and are quite tolerant of people. Yesterday one of them was on its favorite perch, keeping watch over its area. It was quite cold and the wind blowing a bit causing its feathers to be a bit ruffled.
This eagle is likely between two and three years old. It won’t be until it is five that it will have the characteristic dark body and white head.
View more pictures from this day’s photo excursion below.
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