Nature Photography

(This is an old event that will eventually be backdated to the correct date. Story is from December!)

For the first time this December, I saw a LOT of Bald Eagles at Cherry Creek. I’ve heard many rumors about Bald Eagles nesting there in the past, usually a few in the trees near the RV camp ground. In the last three years, I’d never seen any there myself. I saw one rather large nest closer to the dam that I am certain was a Bald Eagle nest, but it was never populated. Well, today (Dec. 16th, 2012), I saw DOZENS of Bald Eagles hunting fish off the ice, using the only remaining open water that at this point is nearly surrounded and moving towards the center of the lake. I counted at least 18 of them that I could clearly identify, and there are maybe another six or seven distant blotches in my frame that look like more. I managed to get a few decent shots of the raptors in flight. One near the dam where the water hole was, and two near the trees by the camp ground where they roost at night. I think all of them are actually juveniles, given the patchy white feathers on their wings (adults don’t have patchy white anywhere, nor do they have patchy brown on their heads or tails.)

Not  the greatest of shots, the birds were very distant…I usually wouldn’t post these, but they are my first shots of a Bald Eagle in flight…and the first time I’ve seen any at Cherry Creek (let alone so many at once, ever.) I have the Canon EF 500mm f/4 L II coming on rental next week. Hopefully these guys will still be around, and hopefully I’ll be able to get some better shots.