While I certainly partook in Thanksgiving traditions yesterday afternoon, the morning saw me enjoying a different bird in a much different way.
A friend tipped me off to a pair of bald eagles that seem to be working to establish a new nest in the Colorado Front Range foothills. That of course was an opportunity I couldn’t resist.
With a temperature of only 11 degrees (ugh!), it became a bit uncomfortable to say the least but enduring the elements was well worth it. I spent a couple hours watching this beautiful pair as they hung out at their possible new home.
In this shot, the female launches into the air on her way to grab a stick to add to the nest that is under construction while the male looks on. She did this numerous times, giving me some nice captures. The male, well, he was quite content to just sit and watch her do all the work.
You will notice she has dark streaks on her head which means she isn’t quite fully mature yet. Will that impact their ability to successfully mate? I really don’t know. I have seen younger males have success with fully adult females so perhaps it will work out. I certainly hope so!