Jordan Lake. This juvenile great blue heron found himself a fair sized fish… actually a rather large fish. The question is: could he swallow it. The long pauses in the video are when he is letting all of his throat structures relax so that he can literally wrap himself around the fish before finishing the swallow. I hope you enjoy the meal.
wild bird
TagPrize Catfish …
Jordan Lake. “Ah ha! That catfish is mine, all mine”, said the 4-year-old bald eagle. Carefully she surveyed the area and then quickly launched, carrying her prize with her.




Bald Eagle Sunday Interlude
Jordan Lake. After the bald eagle quarterly count this morning, a pair of bald eagles came by. That is mom eagle that you first see on the left. She takes a little dip and then a stroll. Dad bald eagle shows up and proceeds to have a snack of fish. This is my first real attempt at using the new camera for video … I can foresee lots of needed practice … but the still photography remains my priority.
Osprey Skipping Behavior
Jordan Lake. Hard Luck osprey nest. Sometimes ospreys get their entire front – from beak to their feet pretty cruddy with the leftovers of fish. The best way the ospreys have found to scrub is to skip themselves – like a stone that you might skip across a pond. The motion of skipping and rubbing against the water acts like a very stiff brush and helps loosen up the debris. I get to see this action every couple of years at the lake. I see it more in the summer and I have to wonder if the heat and humidity in the air makes the fish leftovers stick tighter. This is the longest sequence I’ve ever been able to photograph and I am very happy to be sharing it with you. Enjoy!
Osprey Chick Wing Wapping
Jordan Lake. Hard Luck Osprey Nest. You may remember that last year the parents at this nest lost their offspring to a bald eagle and then they lost the tree and their nest in a storm. This year the parents, at a new tree and nest, have a chick that’s gotten to the stage of wing wapping and it’s thinking hard about flying in a few weeks!




Chipping Sparrow Feast
Jordan Lake. My new camera equipment allowed me to bring to you a very close-up look at a chipping sparrow thoroughly enjoying a feast of midges. Once again my thanks to all of you who helped with the GoFundMe through your support in so many ways. Please enjoy this minute with the chipping sparrow and it’s breakfast.
