Bald Eagles served up by Great Blue Heron

At the Hood Canal in the state of Washington, the Bald Eagles come to feed and joust about with one another. The food they are after are a fish called the Midshipmen. The Midshipmen lay eggs in the oyster beds and when the tide recedes they are available food for a variety of birds. For the eagles it seems there are two sources of this food, one is the Hood Canal itself, and the other is the Great Blue Herons. Wherever you see herons standing in the shallow water, you will likely see an eagle come swooping in either right at them or just next to them. But the eagles are always on the watch and when the see a heron flying with a fish in its claws they are off to the chase. In the image above you can see the eagle closing in on the heron who has just release the fish which you can see just below its wing.

The herons know the eagles are not after them but the fish, so letting go of the prize is a smart thing for them to do. Here you see the eagle stopping its pursuit of the heron and zeroing in on the fish.

And now success for the eagle as it grabs the fish in mid air. Another story for the heron who will have to return to its patient wait for available fish in the shallow waters of the canal.

If you would like to follow my blog and have it delivered to your email, please follow this link:

https://follow.it/notes-to-my-mother?leanpub

Comments

The East Side of the Sierras is Beautiful

Why “Notes to My Mother”? My mother was the one person in my life who was always interested in what I was doing, what I had to say, who I was. She was never too busy to listen and take an interest. Never critical, always accepting. Even when I was wrong or misguided, there would still be a gentle interested listener present. Though she has been gone over 6 years, I still get the urge to write or call her, to share an image I am proud of or share my latest adventure to some beautiful place. I know she would love to hear about it. My mother was an artist. She painted most of her life, right up to her passing at the age of 96. When I was 4 years old we lived on the east side of the Sierra Nevada Range. She would take me out to paint with her - she with her easel, me with mine - and we would sit together creating our art. While I gave up on the medium she kept at it. Then, in the year she passed I picked up a digital camera and began my adventure into the world of landscape ph...

Eastern Sierras in Black and White

In November 2021 my grandson, Levi, and I headed to the Eastern Sierras to do some photography and enjoy the east side. Levi is a budding photographer (just sold his first print last week) and immerses himself fully into the pursuit of great images. Lundy Lake on a cold morning but enjoyable nonetheless. Just south of Mammoth Lakes, Mount Morrison rises to the heavens. This image was taken at sunset. Had the wind been just a bit calmer some very nice reflections would have graced our view. Maybe next time.

Mesa Arch & The Washer Woman

When the first light of the day hits the underside of an arch in Canyon Lands or Arches National Parks they glow a beautiful shades of crimson much like those found in slot canyons. A magnificent example is Mesa Arch located in Canyon Lands, Utah. However, as with many of the more popular photography spots, if you want to get a good shot you have to be there early. We were staying in Moab and it was about an hour’s travel time from the motel to getting on site at the arch. But arriving at or near sunrise would not be sufficient, we had to be there at least two hours before sunrise in other to have assurance of a front row seat. This is one of the parts shooting sunrises that I enjoy tremendously. Getting up around 3 am, traveling to the site under the stars, walking in to the location in the dark and setting up without being able to see the whole scene that is going to unfold. On this morning we had a treat. We were the first ones there so we could pick our spots. But more...

Notes To My Mother

Search This Blog