I got an Audubon alert that the Roadkill Cafe had been restocked and there were five Bald Eagles there. I’d been following this extended family for two years and was eager to see them again. The roadkill has been meager this winter so I was happy to hear the road commission had dropped some roadkill deer on the site. (Sad for the deer, of course.)
It didn’t take long, though, for the fifth eagle, another juvenile, to swoop in from the north.
I am amazed at the tracking abilities of these modern mirrorless cameras. Even as the eagle through through the trees, the camera's focus held on to the flying bird.
Its powerful and steady wing beats sent the young eagle closer to its family in the tree.
It was a wonder how the 10+ pound juvenile with an eight-foot wingspan navigated its way through all the branches!
As it reached its destination, the young eagle dropped its feet as landing gear, ready to grab onto a branch.
The young ones didn’t remain on the tree for long, however, preferring to fly down to the cafe to feed. Soon it was only Pa and Ma Eagle watching over the site.
Coloring is so interesting on the juveniles. Thanks for educating me.
ReplyDeleteI've been fascinated too by the progression of the coloring during the various life stages of the eagle. This is the source I've used in my identification: https://avianreport.com/age-and-identify-a-juvenile-and-sub-adult-bald-eagle/
ReplyDeleteGreat shots, Karen! This post brings back happy memories of our trip to the Roadkill Cafe last year and the eagle that we saw on the ice in a field, too.
ReplyDeleteWe got great pictures that day, didn’t we, Jan?
ReplyDelete