Watch That first Step... [Bird Funny]

[canonloader]

http://www.freeassociationblog.com/potn/dec06/stepoff5.jpg

http://www.freeassociationblog.com/potn/dec06/stepoff4.jpg

http://www.freeassociationblog.com/potn/dec06/stepoff3.jpg

http://www.freeassociationblog.com/potn/dec06/stepoff2.jpg

http://www.freeassociationblog.com/potn/dec06/stepoff1.jpg

[GyRob]

lol he almost went inverted :)
Rob.

[Reyno]

Looks like you did a 360 on this series. Very nice captures Mitch.

[canonloader]

Thanks guys. I was particularly interested to see all the wood chips flying in #2. didn't see that till I got home. For these shots, I was out the drivers side, resting solidly on the toolbox in the bed of the pickup. The two partial frames almost look like I rotated the images, but not so, he was going straight for the ground when he snapped open his wings and sailed out over the river. :D

[kr88]

Nice going Mitch, it's great the way you stayed with the action!! Who would have thought that the branch would give and this guy would go down briefly...Nice...

[pttenn]

They must push off using their legs to have those wood chips flying. Terrific series. Is LaCrosse up north? My dad was from Ontario (tiny little town), My aunt lives in Green Bay, cousins in Madison and Reedsburg, etc etc. Used to go up every year for vacation.In the SUMMER, I might add. Never remember seeing eagles though..
Karen

[canonloader]

Thanks Keith. I don't think the branch broke. I think those talons are just hard on the furniture. Yesterday I saw some woodchips flying from someone elses eagle takeoff shots, but can't remember who had them. It must have to do with the way their feet work. They grip by themslelves when the bird is just sitting there, they actually have to use muscles to 'relax' the grip, and I bet some of them are just lazy that way. :D

Karen, La Crosse is right on the Mississippi river. Minnisota is across the river, so western Wisconsin and about half way up the state from the Illinois line. Madison is 150 miles east and south by interstate.

[morehtml]

Man you're eating these eagle shots up lately. They have really made a good comeback.

[canonloader]

I'm 60 this year, grew up on a farm in Northern Illinous, and I have seen Bald Eagle carcasses nailed to the sides of barns back in the day. Then just after WW2, they started using DDT on everything. Since eagles eat fish, the runoff was in the fish they ate, which cause them to lay eggs with super thin shells, which invariably broke during nesting. When DDT was outlawed, they made a comeback, and risking it, I'd say they are almost back to the pest stage. They are so numerous now, possibly even too numerous for whats left in the river to feed them, that I expect they are going to start hunting peoples dogs and cats and chickens again. ;)

[pttenn]

Thanks Keith. I don't think the branch broke. I think those talons are just hard on the furniture. Yesterday I saw some woodchips flying from someone elses eagle takeoff shots, but can't remember who had them. It must have to do with the way their feet work. They grip by themslelves when the bird is just sitting there, they actually have to use muscles to 'relax' the grip, and I bet some of them are just lazy that way. :D

Karen, La Crosse is right on the Mississippi river. Minnisota is across the river, so western Wisconsin and about half way up the state from the Illinois line. Madison is 150 miles east and south by interstate.


Well, mom was born in St.Paul...my oldest sister was born in Wisconsin but I was born in Tennessee. Dad came south to work at Oak Ridge during the war. I don't think he missed the cold weather! And I thought the Mississippi river was the Mississippi Creek up there! :)
Karen

[dewmuw]

I guess he had spotted something to eat? Great series - the wood chips are great.

[canonloader]

And I thought the Mississippi river was the Mississippi Creek up there!
Nope, in spots it's more than a mile wide, even up here.

I guess he had spotted something to eat?
I think so. Hard to tell though.