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By Jordan Lake Neighborhood 07/02/2017
This morning at the Jordan Lake dam was a rarity.
I often see several species…but today was extremely varied:
 
 I saw a bald eagle fledgling, the largest bird at the lake.
 
A ruby-throated hummingbird stopped by; the smallest bird at the lake.

 
A male osprey caught a fish for his nestlings.
 
 
Some immature little blue herons flew past.
The youngsters are not blue at all, 
but are white with black tipped wings, yellowish legs and dusky bills.
At first glance they look like great egrets!
 
 

By doc ellen’s Celebration

SPECIAL OFFERING

Celebrate the 4th of July with your own copy of my American Bald Eagle eBook! 
 
Celebration price of $9.99 (regular $12.99) on my Bald Eagle Jordan Lake eBook from today through July 4th. 
 
Celebrate our country’s birthday by learning interesting details about its National Symbol, the American Bald Eagle. 
 
Book has excellent primer on identifying the ages of bald eagles (they don’t all have the white head and tail). 
 
There are lots of stories of how I learned what it takes to be an eagle. 
 
Laughs, gasps, long looks and an awareness of why eagles do what they do. 
 
Book has 74 original photos (never published before) and 144 pages. 
 
Available for Kindle Fire, Apple iPad, Android devices, Mac or PC computers. 
 

By doc ellen’s 1st two Jordan Lake Neighborhood eBooks

1st book is Bald Eagles: Jordan Lake Neighborhood.  My exploration of the lives of the Bald Eagles of Jordan Lake.  Photos and text are drawn from my field notes and photography at the lake as I followed bald eagles from fledglings to adults. 72 original photos (not published before) accompanied by explanations of the behavior and wonder of our National Symbol, the Bald Eagle. 144 pages   Go here to preview or purchase.

2nd book is Stumpy: Great Blue Heron of Jordan Lake.  True story of the healing journey shared by Stumpy, a great blue heron of Jordan Lake, and me. Both Stumpy and I found ways to cope with injuries and continue to explore life. Contains 58 original photographs.  116 pages.  Go here to preview or purchase.

peace and grace, doc ellen

Available for Kindle Fire, Apple iPad, Android devices, Mac or PC computers.

By Bald Eagle Pestered by an Osprey; Jordan Lake Neighborhood
The tables got turned this morning.
Usually it is the bald eagle harassing the osprey.
Not this time!
The osprey, carrying a fish, dive bombed the bald eagle.
Sassed the big bird!
I don’t know why the 4 year-old bald eagle didn’t leap up 
and snatch the osprey out of the air or at least take its fish……
Interesting morning at the dam.

By Hershey and the Eastern Kingbird are at it again……
Today the eastern kingbird had the audacity to up the ante.
He spied Hershey again crossing the cove.
The bald eagle understood what the smaller bird was up to.
So Hershey rolled up on his side to deny the kingbird a landing place.
Yes, landing space on the eagle’s back.
When that didn’t work Hershey rolled back flat and reached for a higher gear.
No dice.  The kingbird had the groove, the draft from the bigger bird.
In the little bird flew and got his piece of defiance with a sharp peck!

By size doesn’t matter!
When you have babies in the nest, 
your size and that of the potential predator doesn’t matter.
The parent eastern kingbird felt Hershey flew too close to the nest.
The small bird escorted the bald eagle all the way across the cove.
Hershey simply ignored the much smaller kingbird.
 
Size reference: the king bird is about the size of a robin.