Jordan Lake. This is one of this year’s bald eagle fledglings. Note the wonderful flexions he does at different points along his wings as he adjusts for a very smooth flight in his soaring.
wild bird
TagCommon Loon in Flight
Jordan Lake. Loons and grebes really do not like to fly. I was delighted this morning when this common loon flew into sight. Note his legs…they are long and begin right under his tail … great for swimming underwater but means the loon can’t stand up and walk so he avoids being on land.
Doc Ellen’s Natural Minute
Jordan Lake. The Bonaparte’s gull can easily plunge-dive to catch fish. In this video watch carefully and you can see sometimes they actually dive under the water rather like an osprey. However, the gull catches the fish with its beak and not its feet.
Bald Eagle Tries to Steal a Fish…
Jordan Lake. Very occasionally I see an immature bald eagle think about trying to take a fish from a great blue heron. The juvenile eagle gets within about 6 feet of the heron’s long beak and backs out. I have never seen before what happened here. The adult bald eagle went after the great blue heron’s fish. Wow!
Last Day of November, 2022
Jordan Lake. Well, it is the last day of November and a windy soggy day at that. So, I thought I would try to brighten up our world a little bit. Here is a flight of bufflehead ducks that Captain Doug and I found, bright in the sunshine of yesterday afternoon, to lighten the mood of this mid-week day.
Belly Button
Jordan Lake. It seems this immature great blue heron is trying to see if he has a belly button. Birds do have belly buttons, however, by time they’re hatched, the navel scar is so tiny you would have trouble finding it. Alas, I’m sure this youngster won’t be able to see his own navel.
doc ellen's journey 