Jordan Lake is always full of surprises and contrasts.
It is home to both the largest and smallest raptors in the US.
Both of the birds below were very proud of their catches this afternoon.
 
American Bald Eagle
 
length: 34-43 inches   weight: 168 oz   wingspan 72-96 inches
 
_ark4457 jl dam 24-01-19 18-12-08 2 eagle fish frame
American Kestrel (also the smallest falcon in the US)
 
length: 9-12 inches    weight: 3.9 oz   wingspan 20-24 inches
 
_ark4124 ranger cove 24-01-19 14-03-31 1 kestrel lizard_ark4127 ranger cove 24-01-19 14-03-46 1 kestrel lizard

First Nest
 
I visited First Nest today and found Petruchio preening on a limb near the nest.
Having finished getting all his feathers clean and straight, he gave me a hello flight and soared closely over my head.
 
 
 
 
H&G Nest
 
I thought I would show you the nest … from where I stand to watch the home of Hershey and Godiva!
Can you find the nest?
 
 
 
 
And, then show you a crop of the same photo and you can see Godiva perched in front of her nest.  She hasn’t laid her eggs yet.
 
 
 
 
 

There were four of us friends, waiting as the sun eased down the sky, approaching the golden hour.
It was windy, cold and my long day had started out in the wee hours chasing the lunar eclipse.
We watched the sky looking for the long wings and great body of a bald eagle.
As the air became gilded with the setting sun, an eagle appeared.
She landed and we watched as she looked for a fish.
When she finally launched it was to head down river into the shadows.
We sighed and headed home in the remnants of the beautiful light.

I didn’t make it to the lake. I had to stay home, so, I bundled up and sat on my back steps.

The little iPhone wasn’t happy about the cold but my big Canon camera did just fine.

The recordings are from the beginning of the eclipse to the first of the totality.