The third step in Hershey’s fishing sequence:
the snatch.
Notice that he has caught the fish almost at the surface.
Sometimes I honestly believe bald eagles don’t like getting their feet wet.
Or perhaps it is that, unlike the osprey who so exuberantly goes whole body under when fishing,
the eagle practices a more finessed style of getting its fish.
Yesterday’s photo showed Hershey as he flared his talons preparing to strike.
Today’s photo shows the next step in the fishing sequence.
Hershey is sighting the fish just in front of his feet.
Eagles have two focal points in their eyes; they can see in two different directions at once.
Hershey has the fish in focus and also has things in focus that are at an angle of 45 degrees.
All the better for seeing the fish and its possible escape routes.
This is Hershey.
I have watched Hershey for more than 4 years.
He got his name because he is the lightest colored bald eagle on Jordan Lake that I have seen.
All adult bald eagles have body and wing feathers that are brown,
usually such a deep brown that they often appear to be black.
But Hershey is a rich milk chocolate, hence his name.
Petruchio, the bald eagle father, went fishing, almost below the nest.
He snagged the fish and made a quick loop up and around and into the nest.
His flight was so quick that the splash he made was still visible when he got to the fledglings.
there is a SLIDE show of the photographed sequence at http://youtu.be/fkGr5Vf1Hx4
I heard Kate’s angry scream as I stepped from my truck and I grabbed my camera and ran for the bluff.
Kate was being bounced by the gusty wind as if she were a wee chickadee and she was angry.
I didn’t stop to put the camera on the tripod – I just photographed Kate’s struggle.
Kate finally made it to the nest only to be met by Wynd on the left and Ice on the right.
Both of whom end up under her and Kate drops the fish and bails out to the left.
doc ellen's journey 