Jordan Lake

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By Jordan Lake, Haw River: That is MY Spot…

The great blue herons are sorting out where the best fishing spots are within the riprap.  The heron on the left is a juvenile, hatched last year.  The heron on the far right is an adult and I think it is a female.  The middle heron, who’s priority is evident while he eats and ignores the sparring of the other two, is a mature male great blue heron.  The juvenile is using his crown feathers in a raised display, hoping to get the smaller heron to back off.  It didn’t work.  Right as I got to the end of the sequence, a 4th (unseen great blue heron) dove into the middle of the other three and they all scattered.

By Jordan Lake, Haw River: Bald Eagle Sky Fishing

Two 4-year-old bald eagles came up from the Haw River and the chase was on.  The lead bald eagle had a rather small fish tucked tight against its tail and the other eagle wanted the fish. Gravity exerted its pull on the fish. The lead eagle lost its grip on the fish.  Instantly the sky fishing game was on as the following bald eagle sought to catch the fish … in mid-air.  I have seen this happen (eagle on eagle or eagle on osprey) but never gotten even close to the half-way decent photos I captured this morning.  My oh my!  Aerial dexterity in the extreme.  Oh, and did the eagle catch the fish……. the slideshow has the exciting answer!

By Jordan Lake, Haw River: 2 Fish for a 2-Year-Old Bald Eagle

This youngster had a fish in his right foot and was headed to the safety of the trees to eat it, when a second fish caught his eye.  I don’t often see eagles or ospreys go after a second fish while they are already carrying the weight of a first fish.  Not to mention the dexterity needed to hold on to one fish while grabbing a second one from the water.  This youngster managed to keep both fish and made it into the trees.  Pretty neat fishing!