The gangster crows easily found this immature red-tailed hawk this morning.
I believe this may be a migrating hawk.
He didn’t seem to know the area and didn’t know how to evade the black menaces.
I saw several hawks today: red-tails, red-shoulders, and I believe a broad-winged hawk too.
The changing weather patterns up the northeast are driving the migratory birds south, early this year.
photography
Categoryeagle fledgling prize
I was out with the Army Corps of Engineers during their part of the annual hydrilla survey.
Hydrilla is a nasty invasive plant in lakes and waterways.
Around the bend came a fledgling eaglet.
He was very concentrated on his prize – a piece of pine bough.
The fledglings of eagles and ospreys both have a habit of doing this.
I am not sure why the urge to pick up and carry – maybe practice for catching fish, maybe for future nest building.
Or, just sheer curiosity on the young one’s part.
When he suddenly saw the boat, the startled eaglet dropped the branch and disappeared over the tree line.
eagle learning experience
There are 2 new eagle photo galleries at the Jordan Lake State Park Visitor Center,
280 State Park Road, Apex, NC 27523.
A great way to learn how to understand what you are seeing when out and about at the lake.
One of the photo series follows the bald eagle from the nest, to fledging and up to and beyond adulthood.
The second series shows a bald eagle catching a fish.
Stop by and sharpen your eye so that you too can enjoy seeing these majestic birds at Jordan Lake.
Godiva
The sheer bulk of Godiva makes the strength showing in her wings all the more impressive.
Like all female bald eagles, Godiva is large, arrogant and owner of her share of the lake.
blue hour kingfisher
The color in this photo is natural…I took the photo during the “blue hour”.
Actually the “hour” is about 30 minutes long.
The beautiful blues occur twice a day and are fleeting
and even though the colors happen they are not always photographable.
I usually catch these conditions in the fall and early winter.
bemused
this young adult great blue heron patiently watched the lake as I quietly studied his bemusement
doc ellen's journey 