Birding in Maine» bald eagle

American Bald Eagle – Early Morning Light

John Briggs — Tue, 03 May 2011 17:31:28 +0000

American Bald Eagle – Haliaeetus leucocephalus

One of my favorite Maine birds to watch and photograph is the American Bald Eagle. While this bird most likely will not partake in your feeder offerings, most birders know where to go to view these beautiful raptors. I am fortunate enough to have two nesting pair very nearby, and daily sightings are commonplace right from our backyard.

The BioDiversity Research Institute recently placed a cam at one of the nests that I monitor. The cam is equipped with infrared lights to allow for monitoring at night. This nest has been the home to many Bald Eagles over the years. Since I have lived here, 6 years, young have fledged from the nest every year. To view the cam, which is known as EagleCam 2, click here.

My vantage point is a small bluff overlooking a cove. I am far enough away from the nest as to not disturb the adult Eagles. I sit and wait for an opportunity to photograph an Eagle as it searches for food. To my left, approx 50 yards, is a perch that is favored by the Eagles. I prefer the morning hours just after sunrise, as the light is exquisite.

Monday morning was cool, clear, and the sunrise was spectacular. I filled my coffee mug and set out to watch the Eagles. I was not disappointed. In a matter of one and a half hours I filled my CF card. Shortly afterward, I was home enjoying the images on my computer.

Enjoy these images of the American Bald Eagle in the early morning light.

Happy birding!

World Bird Wednesday

Juvenile Bald Eagles

John Briggs — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 21:10:46 +0000

Bald Eagle – Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Since mid spring, I’ve been watching a successful Bald Eagle nest not much more than a stone’s throw from where we live here on the peninsula south of Bath. The nest is some 40 feet off the ground and it’s impossible to see inside. I knew there were chicks in the nest, because the adults brought food on a regular basis, and I could hear the chicks calling when the adults were not around.

While taking a break from my studies this weekend, I finally got to see the young, pre-flight Bald Eagles. Just before sunrise Saturday morning, I set up my tripod and camera and waited. I could see wings flapping in the nest, and I heard a few calls, but nothing worth photographing. Finally, after an hour or so wait, one of the juvies hopped out of the nest onto a branch. Lovingly named Butchie and his other brother Butchie by Robin Robinson over at The Back Story – My Controlled Chaos, I expect them to take their first flight any day now. Many thanks Robin, for giving me the heads up on the nest! I can only hope I will be nearby when they take their first flight.

The young Eagles were very cooperative for nearly an hour. I filled a 16gb CF card with many photos and videos of the pair; capturing preening, head and chin scratching, yawning and several wing stretches. While I enjoyed the Eagles, plenty of other birds were on the move. Cedar Waxwings and Red-winged Blackbirds were everywhere, the forest floor seemed alive with Chipping Sparrows, and I caught a brief glimpse of a Black-crowned Night Heron in flight. All and all, it was a great morning to enjoy Mother Nature!

Some of the following images are tall. Tap your f11 key to open your browser to its fullest size before viewing. Simply click a thumbnail for a full-sized view.

Dimension: 560×480 | Video bit rate: 1000Kbps | File Size: 24.6mb
Playback: Click Play Button | Broadband Connection Recommended
Video: Juvenile Bald Eagles | ©2010 John Briggs Photography
Watch in full-sized HD at YouTube by clicking video screen after playback begins.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCmTukjjezA

Happy birding!

BPW: Birds and Critters

John Briggs — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:22:20 +0000

I had the opportunity this week, between bouts of studying Anatomy and Physiology, to take my camera to the backyard and points close by to photograph some birds and critters. The activity at our feeding stations is high, with adult male and female birds taking suet, grape jelly and seed back to their nests. I am patiently waiting for fledglings to show up at our feeding stations. A noisy House Finch family are the only species to have fledged so far.

I am also watching two Bald Eagle nests and several Osprey nests, hoping to capture some images of the young leaving the nest. Several families of Mallards and Canada Geese have been motoring around our cove with young in tow, but never close enough to get any worthwhile images. I noticed that one particular goose family has 3 less goslings than the week before. Could be the Bald Eagles feeding their young.

Enjoy the photos of the birds and critters that I have submitted for this weeks edition of Bird Photography Weekly. A note on the Red Fox kit: the image was taken through the windshield of my car, thus the strange looking background. The kit was startled when a tractor came down the dirt lane where it was standing on a pile of old lumber. The background looks strange, but I like the image never-the-less.

Some of the following images are tall. Tap your f11 key to open your browser to its fullest size before viewing. Simply click a thumbnail for a full-sized view.

Happy birding!

Spring in Maine – Birds

John Briggs — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 19:03:29 +0000

You can feel, hear and see it as soon as you walk out the door. The warm air, the singing of the birds, the crocus and daffodils pushing through the ground; you have walked right into Spring, bursting forth with life and you are happy to be alive!

On Wednesday, the mercury topped out at 70° F here along the mid coast of Maine. Thanks to a sea breeze (an almost daily occurrence during the spring and summer months along coastal locations) temperatures have been hanging around the upper 50′s to low 60′s. On this same Wednesday, Portland, Maine soared to 85° F. and several inland locations ended up just a degree shy of ninety! I was also awakened in the middle of the night by a thunderstorm this week. Spring in Maine!

Birds are migrating and they are stopping by our feeders for a quick “pick me up” before continuing their journey. On Thursday of this week, 6 Osprey were fishing in our cove and an adult Bald Eagle was harassing ever one that it could. A pair of Osprey are repairing a nest nearby and I saw Bald Eagles carrying moderate sized tree branches to a nest just across the cove from where we live. It’s as if someone threw a huge switch signifying the start of Spring!

The following list represents birds recorded from our home over the course of several hours on Thursday.

Location: Home – Bath, Maine
Observation date: 4/9/10
Number of species: 46

Canada Goose 8
Wood Duck 4
American Black Duck 11
Mallard 6
Blue-winged Teal 1
Green-winged Teal 15
Ring-necked Duck 2
Bufflehead 2
Red-breasted Merganser 2
Wild Turkey 3
Common Loon 2
Double-crested Cormorant 2
Great Blue Heron 1
Turkey Vulture 4
Osprey 6
Bald Eagle 3 (2 adults and 1 – 3rd year)
Northern Harrier 1
Red-tailed Hawk 1
Mourning Dove 6
Belted Kingfisher 1
Downy Woodpecker 3
Hairy Woodpecker 2
Northern Flicker 2
Pileated Woodpecker 1
Eastern Phoebe 2
Blue Jay 4
American Crow 8
Tree Swallow 11
Black-capped Chickadee 6
Tufted Titmouse 4
Red-breasted Nuthatch 1
White-breasted Nuthatch 3
Brown Creeper 1
American Robin 5
Yellow-rumped Warbler 1
Pine Warbler 1
Chipping Sparrow 2
Song Sparrow 7
Dark-eyed Junco 6
Northern Cardinal 2
Red-winged Blackbird 12
Common Grackle 5
Brown-headed Cowbird 6
Purple Finch 5
House Finch 2
American Goldfinch 8

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)

The following are bird photographs taken this week from our home, including a male Purple Finch I lovingly call “Peg Leg”. The bird is missing a foot but seems to be doing very well. I have seen it eating, singing and chasing other male finches from the feeder.

Simply click a thumbnail for a full-sized shadow box photo. Controls at the bottom of the full-sized photo will take you to the next photo.

Happy birding!

Magalloway River

John Briggs — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:15:24 +0000

A Bald Eagle keeps watch from a snag over the Magalloway River near Wilson's Mill, Maine | Click photo for larger view

Get Wordless over at Wordless Wednesday.

Photo of the Day: Osprey in Flight