This is one of about a half dozen Bald Eagles that were taking part in some kind of eagle get-together at the Ridgefield NWR, January, 4, 2017. There were no fewer than six birds soaring in circles in the air and a couple of mature birds in nearby trees. Occasionally, their soaring was interrupted by some mid-air squabbling but the distance was too great to get a quality shot. At one point, several of the birds, including an adult, converged at one spot on the ground apparently trying to abscond with prey that one of the youngsters caught just seconds earlier. (Sometimes eagles would rather steal their meals instead of going out and catching prey on their own.) This ground action was, again, too far away for any kind of image.
Today’s image is that of one of the participants in the ‘eagle conference,’ as it left the group and flew almost directly over my vehicle, from which I was shooting. This young bird has an interesting pale face to go along with its black bill. It appears strong and healthy and I hope it survives its early years to reach maturity and beyond.
Canon 7D Mark II, 1/1600, f4, ISO 250, 500mm, 2:03 p.m. (effective focal length 800mm using the crop sensor body)
